Glowacki Management Company, LLC, headquartered at 3645 West Lake Road in Millcreek Township, is a family run real estate and property management company. First row, from left, are: Margaret Hardner, executive assistant/REALTOR; Garrett Shames, co-owner, chief operating office and legal counsel; Bridget Shames, co-owner, vice president and director of Marketing and Development; Bob Glowacki, co-owner and president; and Ryan Stephenson, service manager. Second row, from left: Jeffrey Smith, accountant; Melisa “Mac” Casey, leasing assistant; and, Melissa Ellis, leasing manager/REALTOR. Back row, from left: Jessica Ernst, administrative operations manager; Emily Long, controller; Cassie Cambra, property manager/REALTOR; and Amanda Miehl, customer support and office coordinator. Not pictured: Ryan Poole, construction manager. The company currently has 39 employees.
From their early beginnings on Parade Street in Erie to managing some of the premier residential and commercial properties in the region, the Glowacki family has been quietly shaping the real estate landscape in northwest Pennsylvania for more than a century.
Today, that legacy continues at Glowacki Management Company, LLC, 3645 West Lake Road, a successful Property Management and Real Estate Brokerage that has taken a major role in Erie’s economic development and resurgence. The company currently oversees approximately 2,000 residential units in addition to nearly 3 million square feet of premier commercial properties — including office and retail space, medical parks, industrial facilities and high-rise buildings — such as:
- 300 State Street – A sprawling downtown office building, the Bayfront Professional Building is home to a several medical and health-care practices. It serves as a hub that supports local medical professionals and their patients.
- 100 Peach Street – A major medical office building, Bayview Centre houses a number of key healthcare providers, strengthening Erie’s health-care infrastructure and supporting local physicians, clinics and health professionals.
- West 6th Street – Located along the historic Millionaires’ Row, the residential Canalside townhomes renovated by Canalside Townhouses, LLC owner Thomas B. Hagen have helped contribute to the city’s broader downtown resurgence.
- Modern Tool Square – The sprawling, 80,000-square-foot building now owned by Modern Tool Square LLC of Ridgway is located on State to French Streets and 3rd to 4th Streets and is zoned for a mix of commercial and residential use.
The revitalization under way in Erie is especially important to Robert E. “Bob” Glowacki, co-owner and president of Glowacki Management Company and full-service real estate appraisal company Assessment Evaluation, Inc. “We see ourselves as partners in the city’s growth,” he explains. “Managing these properties well is part of that commitment.”
Bob’s daughter, Bridget Shames, and son in- law, Garrett Shames, lead the Glowacki Management Company’s day-to-day operations as co-owners. Bridget also serves as vice president and director of Marketing & Development, while Garrett is chief operating officer and legal counsel. For them, business success is measured in more than dollars and cents.
“Our team takes a lot of pride and ownership in that we are a part of Erie’s transformation, making things happen and ensuring these important projects are going well,” notes Garrett.
“Glowacki Management Company manages a 72-unit senior living apartment complex for the board of which I am the president. I just renewed our contract with them for another three years. Glowacki is a family owned business that I would highly recommend.”
— Timothy D., Board Member
FROM PARADE STREET TO PROMINENCE
The story of Glowacki Management Company begins in 1910 when Joseph W. “J.W.” Glowacki, who had been active in various business ventures, including insurance and real estate, founded the City Real Estate Company at 1110 Parade Street.
It was there that J.W.’s nephew (Bob’s father), Robert Glowacki Sr., a Navy veteran, got his start as a real estate broker and appraiser. When J.W. sold the company in the 1950s, Robert rented an office around the corner at 358 East 12th Street and formally founded the Robert Glowacki Agency. Robert Sr. focused on selling homeowner’s policies, auto insurance and small commercial policies, while another colleague ran the real estate arm, along with two salespeople.
At that time, Glowacki’s name recognition and involvement in the community grew. He served on the board of the Bank of Erie, which was ultimately purchased by Union City Bank and became the Union Bank and Trust Company on 12th and State. He also became actively involved in politics, running for east side Assembly and then City Council. He was elected in 1961 and served three terms.
Glowacki Management Company oversees nearly 3 million square feet of commercial space, including 100 Peach Street and 300 State Street, among other signature properties.
Bob eventually would follow in his father’s footsteps after graduating from Cathedral Prep, marrying his high school sweetheart, Mary Alice, and attending Fordham University in New York. But first, he got corporate training at two major car rental companies in Midtown Manhattan before returning to Erie in 1973 with his young family to work at his father’s firm.
Bob’s training was straightforward. “My dad told me two things: ‘One, remember who you represent, and two, don’t count the commission until you have it in your hand at the closing. There’s your desk; there’s your phone. Bob, good luck!’ So that’s how I started off selling single-family homes.”
As it turned out, there were significant challenges due to the interest rate structure in Pennsylvania at the time, so Bob turned to flipping houses and began working on providing federally insured mortgages for buyers.
Soon, Bob was selling a lot of new homes for two builders, and he started selling moderately subsidized homes with builder John Schaefer. In addition, he bought some apartments, known as Baldwin Gardens renamed Glenwood Manor, near Mercyhurst University, and a few small commercial project office buildings near Blessed Sacrament and another on Pine Avenue.
While juggling his business, Bob ran for Erie City Council in 1977, leading the Democratic Ticket and also receiving the Republican Nomination by a write-in vote. Bob is the youngest person to ever serve on Erie City Council. He served for just shy of two terms, including as Council president, yet his time in local government helped pique his interest in property tax assessments.
When Bob resigned from Council in 1983, he started Assessment Evaluations, Inc. Bob hired an assistant, rented some office space in the Renaissance Centre and went to every single property owner along the 12th Street corridor and asked if they’d be interested in looking at their property assessment. “I did very well,” he says. Glowacki, who was a broker since 1976, ultimately got his appraisal license as well, positioning Assessment Evaluations, Inc. for future growth in 30 counties of northwest Pennsylvania northwestern New York.
“Professional, efficient, financially competent in managing large professional condo building in Downtown Innovation District. We have found Glowacki Management Company has exceeded expectations, saving money for renovations and responding to small to large maintenance issues with quick solutions that are fiscally responsible.”
— Terri W., Unit Owner
A STRATEGIC ACQUISITION
Fast forward to 2009. After decades of steady growth, Bob, Bridget and Garrett took a bold step by acquiring a commercial management company from local real estate figure James Spiegel. The company had a strong reputation in the region and focused primarily on commercial and mixed-use properties.
Glowacki Management Company has been actively involved in the revitalization of downtown Erie with renting and selling properties in main corridors of the city, including Millionaires’ Row on West 6th Street near the Hagen History Center.
The asset acquisition was transformative. It marked a formal expansion into commercial real estate management, bringing with it a more diverse portfolio and an opportunity to offer full-service property management to both residential and commercial clients, such as Erie Insurance, Hamot Hospital (now UPMC) and Saint Vincent Hospital (now AHN Saint Vincent).
“I had a very good relationship with Jim Spiegel because of the Baldwin Gardens apartments that we had purchased,” Bob says.
Bridget Shames, the youngest of Bob’s three daughters, and her husband Garrett, who lived in Baltimore, were visiting Erie for Thanksgiving in 2008 when her father first shared his plans to buy the business. Bridget earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola College in Maryland, while Garrett, a New Jersey native, earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Towson and law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. The couple has an extensive background in sales and corporate operations with the Fortune 500 company Cintas, and Garrett as a commercial real estate attorney. There were naturally curious about who would run the new business. “I said I’m certainly not going to run it, but I know who I’m going to hire,” explains Bob.
The Shameses were sold. “The opportunity to come in and utilize our service and real estate backgrounds to transform the company was just a perfect fit for us.” says Garrett.
By June, the couple had begun the relocation to head up the new operations, then located at 2950 West 12th. The move brought new jobs, a new city and the start of their own family, and the Shameses stepped
eagerly into their leadership roles. They brought fresh perspectives from their time at Cintas, building a culture and a shared commitment to their core values, as well as making a major investment in software and technology and digital tools. They implemented online rent payment systems, digital maintenance requests and improved tenant communication portals, all designed to enhance convenience without sacrificing the personalized service that defines Glowacki Management Company.
As Glowacki’s operations have grown, so too has its staffing. With a team of 39 employees, Glowacki Management Company provides leasing, maintenance, vendor management, rent collection and tenant relations — setting the standard for professional property management in the Erie region.
“Anything we’ve done or accomplished has all resulted from our team’s buy-in and trust in us which has been shown through them executing upon what we have asked them to do all while being passionate about their work,” says Garrett.
“Glowacki Management Company has some of the best customer service I have dealt with when renting. Their customer service was always there to take my calls. Their maintenance team provided speedy response times when needed and handled preventative maintenance issues better than other places I have rented! Would most certainly recommend them to anyone that is moving to Erie!”
— Jonathan B., Tenant
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Recognizing the importance of service, Glowacki Management Company has its own maintenance and general contracting crew, and manages several parking lots throughout the city, supporting its commercial tenants.
Another growing service line over the past 10 years is condominium and homeowners’ association management.
With over 800 units, Glowacki Property Management works directly with association boards to invoice payments and manage property bills, distribute financial statements, assist with preparing annual budgets and reserve analysis, respond to owner and resident maintenance requests and undergo vendor selection, project planning and management.
Glowacki Management Company has additional services such as landscaping/snow removal and maintenance and general contracting. The
company also operates several parking lots.
“We wanted to grow our portfolio and started to open the doors of other types of real estate like residential condominium complexes. We have a whole designated department for that now. We also have partnered with some mobile home parks, which is a new partnership started about four years ago,” says Bridget.
Glowacki Management Company also offers a separate landscaping service, Turf Management Services, for its properties and clients, if desired. The team handles everything from lawn care and snow removal to seasonal cleanups, offering reliable and consistent service.
“We want to control the delivery of service and the quality of product our customers receive as we are ultimately accountable for it,” says Garrett. “But we’re not going to tell you who you have to use.”
In addition, Glowacki Management Company works with other brokers in town when it comes to commercial or industrial spaces that may be needed.
“We do things cooperatively all the time because somebody’s coming to town and needs more space,” adds Bob. “If you get to know what’s happening, you know what their needs are.”
115 YEARS IN THE MAKING — AND STILL GOING STRONG
From apartments to downtown high rises, and from single-family homes to medical offices, Glowacki Management Company and the family behind it has never lost sight of what matters most: people, relationships and community.
Bob, Bridget and Garrett are actively involved in various boards and nonprofit groups, such as the Greater Erie Board of REALTORS, Erie DAWN, St. Mary’s at Asbury Ridge, the Erie Catholic School System, Our Lady of Peace School, Hamot Health Foundation, the Manufacturer & Business Association, and many others. They take pride in the place they and their clients call home.
As Bob reflects, “I just hope that the community continues to support us because Erie has been so good to us in so many respects. We owe Erie a lot more than you can imagine.”
For more information, visit managedbygmc.com.
