Commercial real estate developer and business owner James C. Dragon has over 30 years of professional history, including over 15 years as an attorney. Together with his wife, Efthemia "Effie" Poulakos Dragon, he has engaged in commercial real estate development in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts region since 2000. Since 2003, Dragon has served as managing partner and owner of Central Plaza Realty and Development Company. He has a strong interest in the development of commercial real estate, particularly in Lowell, the third-largest city in Greater Boston and the fifth-largest in the Bay State.

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A Pioneer in Local Commercial Real Estate

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James C. Dragon has had a number of triumphs in his roles as an owner and managing partner. The Central Plaza retail mall was almost half empty and in need of renovations when the Dragons bought it in 2000. There were 94,000 square feet of commercial space on a 266,000 square foot property at this site. The capital renovations required to make the Central Plaza a desirable location for businesses were made by Dragon in collaboration with the City of Lowell. Initially constructed in 1965, the plaza housed a Stop & Shop grocery store until 1979, when it was sold. Between 1979 and 2000, when Dragon and his wife acquired the plaza, two different organizations were the previous owners. The Dragons envisioned a retail complex with products and services targeted to the local Lowell community. James and Effie Dragon finally built a plaza that was not only completely filled but also maintained that occupancy during the coronavirus epidemic with the help of their son William, a registered commercial real estate agent, who also assisted with property management. This Lowell, Massachusetts, property was sold for around $11 million towards the end of 2021.

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Other accomplishments of Central Plaza Realty before the sale included the following:

Foodland International: A 16,000 square foot Foodland International shop opened in Central Plaza in the spring of 2021, bringing a supermarket to downtown Lowell that catered to the numerous cultural and ethnic populations in the region.