Park Ridge, Illinois Apr 10, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Paul Leongas, a commercial real estate developer and construction management professional based in Park Ridge, Illinois, has transitioned from more than 25 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry to full-time commercial property development. As the principal of Axis Development Group LLC, Leongas now develops, constructs, and manages commercial spaces across Chicago's North Shore and northwest neighborhoods, applying two decades of hands-on operational knowledge to every project.
Before entering development, Paul Leongas and his sisters Sophia and Lydia purchased and operated The Curragh Traditional Irish Pub, beginning with a location in Schaumburg, Illinois. The family expanded to Edison Park and Skokie, with Paul running each location for approximately 12 years. The Curragh earned the Guinness Gold Standard Award for the Perfect Pint in 2002 and was named one of the great whisky bars of the world by Whisky Magazine. The Leongas family also owns Holland Pub LLC in Holland, Michigan.
"I spent 25 years dealing with leaky roofs, undersized HVAC, and electrical panels that could not handle a commercial kitchen," said Paul Leongas. "Now I build the spaces. And I build them the way I wished somebody had built them for me."
Through Axis Development Group, Paul Leongas self-performs construction, managing demolition, framing, mechanical coordination, and finishes directly without a general contractor. This model eliminates the GC markup and gives Leongas direct control over project quality and timelines. He manages commercial properties through entities including EP Curragh LLC, EPC Properties LLC, PLL LLC, and RLS Edison Park LLC.
Paul Leongas graduated from Michigan State University and attended Maine South High School in Park Ridge. He is active in the Park Ridge community and supports local youth athletics, including Maine South Hawks football and the Hawkettes dance team.
Learn more about Paul Leongas here:
https://medium.com/@paulleongas1
https://soundcloud.com/paul_leongas
Media Contact
Paul Leongas *****@gmail.com
