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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The man most responsible for monitoring compliance on minority inclusion goals on the $25.8 million first phase of the North Sarah development said St. Louis is about to experience a game-changer.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“This will be an unprecedented project in the African-American community,” Ken Hutchinson, principal of TAALKE, LLC, told The American.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>TAALKE, which is itself a local minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), won the contract for minority inclusion from the developer, St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar. He said the developer’s marching orders were clear and emphatic.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“They told me to be innovative,” “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Hutchinson said.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Knowing that MBEs often hear about projects when the general contractor – with its own favorite subcontractors – already has been awarded the project, Hutchinson began arranging meetings and opportunity fairs with local MBEs and the firms competing for the general contactor contract before it had been awarded.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“That way, no matter who got the GC contract, there were already relationships with minority subs,” Hutchinson said.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>In the end, the general contractor bid went to R.G. Brinkmann Company, but even that contract was awarded in in collaboration with an MBE, Simms Building Group.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>For minority inclusion, Hutchinson said, goals have been set for 40 percent workforce participation and 35 percent subcontracting, though more minority firms will benefit because the project also has a goal of 20 percent Section 3 compliance.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Hutchinson’s firm also is monitoring the developer’s compliance with HUD’s Section 3 regulations requiring “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-ansi-language: EN;” lang=”EN” xml:lang=”EN”>that low-income individuals receive a portion of the economic benefits created through federal investments in affordable housing. “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>HUD awarded a $7.8 million HOPE VI Grant to the project, which will be used to remove and remediate the last Blumeyer high-rise tower. (An additional $4.7 million is being invested in infrastructure, environmental remediation, demolition and site improvements.)
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Though the project just broke ground officially on Friday, Hutchinson is certain all goals will be met or exceeded. “font-family: Verdana;”>
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>‘Community-driven vision’ “font-family: Verdana;”>
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The $25.8 million Phase I of North Sarah will include 120 mixed-income rental units, in a combination of townhome and garden-style units in a mix of two- and three-story buildings, plus almost 12,000 square feet of commercial, management and community space.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The architecture – contracted to KAI Design & Build, another St. Louis-based MBE – will celebrate the historic character of the community, formerly called the Sarah-Finney Merchants area. This business district included places like the Comet Theater and the Comet Grill.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The new development also will feature modern amenities and sustainable technology to improve both the marketability and energy efficiency of the units. The project will be designed in accordance with Enterprise Green Communities criteria.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Hutchinson said the leadership of 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy has been instrumental in getting this development launched with a strong commitment to minority participation. Kennedy has been working on the project for years.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“The North Sarah Development is one phase of the North Central Plan created by residents in the Vandeventer neighborhood. Over a two-year period, residents gathered with professional planners to put into writing their vision and hopes for their community. Out of this community engagement grew the North Central Plan that includes the North Sarah Project,” Kennedy told
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“Their hopes, put into writing, was to provide a variety of housing, social service, recreational and business opportunities for their community and future generations of North St. Louisans. Their vision included a vibrant North Sarah strip that would recapture some of the flavor and services of the historic African-American business district that once thrived there. The North Sarah Project helps make this community-driven vision real.”
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>According to a former commissioner who has worked on the project, a share of the credit also goes to
“mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;”>the St. Louis Housing Authority, which is contributing funding, staff and services to the Blumeyer Village Tenant Association
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“The development team of “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>McCormack Baron Salazar and R.G. Brinkmann/Simms should be commended for identifying opportunities for minority owned/operated construction firms, while also being committed to creating ‘boots on the ground’ work opportunities for minorities who live in the vicinity of the development site,” said Sal Martinez
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>North Sarah is the most recent development of McCormack Baron Salazar’s strategy that has resulted in 1,385 new units and $234.4 million in new investment in North City.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“Realizing the transformation of this disinvested site is part of McCormack Baron Salazar’s overall goal to revitalize long-neglected areas in the north part of the city,” said Vince Bennett, chief operating officer of McCormack Baron Salazar
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“The North Sarah development ties in with what we have been doing across North City and what we plan to do with rebuilding more parts of North City.”
