New multifamily development lands in Central West End

After delivering two multifamily complexes in 2018 -The Euclid and Chroma- KDG is adding another 1.4-acre property to their multifamily portfolio, this time in St. Louis’ upscale Central West End neighborhood.

Sitework began last month at 4545 Laclede Avenue on the seven-story, ground-up, multifamily residential building. Featuring 205 apartments above a secure parking garage, unit floor plans range from studios to two-bedrooms, with plans to introduce “micro-units” to the St. Louis market.

“We had the opportunity to design our interiors while significant cultural changes reshaped how folks live and work. We created micro-units in the 400 square-foot range, and then complemented them with a mezzanine floor of flex office space. The result is functional yet affordable spaces for those seeking a Class A product in the Central West End,” said KDG president, Jason Braidwood.

KDG is partnering with L. Keeley Construction to bring this development to life. Part of the Keeley Companies, KDG and L. Keeley previously partnered on construction of The Euclid’s second floor conversion to apartments and amenity spaces, which was completed in August. KDG plans to partner with L. Keeley on upcoming developments, including Olive Crossing and Cortex K.

“This is what I love to call the ‘Power of One.’ Our construction company and development company coming together to create an amazing project for one of our favorite neighborhoods,” said Rusty Keeley, CEO of Keeley Companies.

Local architect Chris Cedergreen led the design effort with Lamar Johnson Collaborative serving as architect of record and interior designer.

Inspired by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, the architecture is classical with a modern aesthetic and eclectic spirit. The building’s façade incorporates painted brick masonry with custom wrought iron, filigree, and wood elements. The building form and materials reinforce the context of the surrounding neighborhood and scales down to street-level with European garden-style landscaping in a lush courtyard at the entrance.

The interiors will reflect the same authenticity and timelessness as the exterior design. Bold colors, patterning, and sculptural fittings will add richness and texture, marked by graphics and artwork that evoke curiosity, whimsy and interest.

KDG chose the Central West End for its new, highly amenitized community due to the neighborhood's multiple places to work, exercise, gather, relax and entertain. The development will complement the neighborhood by offering a full suite of amenities; including a hearth room, curated gallery wall, club lounge, pool terrace, outdoor grilling island, fitness studio, yoga studio, golfing green and a first-of-its-kind, flex-office mezzanine. The space will feature individual and collaborative workspaces and “Zoom” meeting spaces for residents to create and produce outside of their residence.

“We were seeing this trend well before COVID. Our residents require flexible work-from-home environments as secure as they are collaborative and communal. The property will be industry-leading in this regard,” said Braidwood.

Along with developing the property, KDG will lease the building through its in-house property management team. The team’s property management portfolio includes The Euclid, Clayton on the Park, Chroma and Hue - set to open in late 2020.

“Our team was best-in-class upon opening The Euclid and Chroma three years ago, but the culture and systems implemented through the Keeley-Koman merger have made us that much stronger. Combine that with this building’s location and amenities and you have what I think will be the premier residential community in St. Louis,” Braidwood said.

Kingsway Development's $13 million project set for October kick-off

Construction will begin next month on Kingsway Development’s mixed-use project, which includes 58,000 SF of new, high-energy retail, restaurant and office space, facilitated by the restoration and modernization of two classic St Louis buildings.

Approximately $13 million will be invested in a variety of office and retail within the two brick buildings in the Fountain Park neighborhood.

The location, adjacent to the historic Central West End, will also feature a brand-new, 10,000 SF performance venue with a courtyard that will play host to the outdoor functions of the new retail businesses and some special events.

Tenants for 4731 Delmar Blvd., the former Union-Sarah Economic Development Corp. Building, include Elevation (coworking space); Kingsway Development; Conversions Global Marketing; VIP Construction; TurnGroup Technologies; Hawktime LLC; Tammie Holland Public Relations; Wand USA, Inc; Park Central Development; Dream Builders 4 Equity; BRAND Foundation; UPS Store; The Original Hot Dog Factory; and pending tenant, Jamba Juice.

Tenants planned for next door at 4709 Delmar -a former 1920s candy factory- include a business training center, vegan restaurant and radio station, according to the developer.

“Buildings in this area have great bones, they have amazing detailing. It’s wonderful to see people bringing these buildings back to life. It keeps the history of the neighborhood alive," said Carl Karlen, AIA, CDT, LEED AP, design principal with Facet Architectural Design.

Other contractors on the project include Ameresco, Ballast CRE, Kwame Construction, Simms Building Group and ABNA Engineering.

Private-equity financing partners on the development include PACE financing, New Markets Tax Credits, Team: Carl Karlen of Facet Architectural Design, Chris Mazurek of Ameresco, Trivers, Ballast CRE, Kwame Construction, Simms Building Group and ABNA Engineering.

Just across the street the area continues to develop, with a $30 million, 150- apartment complex. The apartments are in the early stages of design by Trivers (architects), who is also designing the $7 million infrastructure improvements for the area.

The Barclay condos 'top out' in Kirkwood

Kadean Construction Company recently celebrated the topping out of The Barclay, a $12 million luxury condominium project currently under construction at 204 N. Clay Street in downtown Kirkwood, Mo.

The final roof truss of the four-story structure, developed by Savoy Investments, LLC., was hoisted into place by Cheltenham Construction Services, one of Kadean’s subcontractors, signifying that the structure has reached its maximum height.

“The entire project team has done a great job of keeping this job site safe for workers while responding to the site’s logistical limitations. I credit the collaboration of everyone involved for keeping this moving towards a successful outcome," said Mike Eveler, president of Kadean Construction.

The 40,000 SF building will feature fourteen luxury condominiums with underground parking and other luxury amenities.

“We are so gratified that this project has remained on schedule during the COVID-19 public health pandemic, which has adversely affected the progress of many other construction projects across the St. Louis region,” said John Pennington, partner and co-owner at Savoy Investments.

Construction began in November 2019 and is scheduled for completion in early 2021. Other partners on the project include Core 10 Architecture and KPFF Consulting Engineers.

This is the second new condominium construction project for the Savoy Investments and Kadean duo to build on the same block in downtown Kirkwood. In 2018, Kadean completed construction of The Madison Condominiums at 110 W. Madison Avenue.

CDC selects McCarthy as CM for biosafety lab

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has been chosen as the construction manager (CM) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a new High Containment Continuity Laboratory (HCCL) at the Roybal Campus in Atlanta, Ga.

The new facility, which is part of the CDC’s 2025 Masterplan, currently is in the pre-construction/design phase with construction planned to begin in early 2021. Post completion, the HCCL will be one of three facilities in the world designed and certified to facilitate diagnostic research on specific, select viruses.

The new 160,000 SF, multi-story research building will increase the CDC's research capacity to sustain its diagnostic mission and support its public health mission by helping communities prepare for, detect and respond to consequences of all public health hazards. The HCCL building will be a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) facility, a designation reserved for the highest level of biological safety and it will accommodate approximately 80 laboratory researchers.

“For the past two decades, McCarthy has been the premier high containment laboratory builder in the nation and we are thrilled to have been chosen to build this new addition to the expanding CDC Roybal campus,” said Bobby Campbell, executive vice president of McCarthy in Atlanta.

As a BSL-4 laboratory, the new facility will feature high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered supply and exhaust air, air pressure resistant doors, pressure cascade zoning, effluent collection and treatment, and pressure decay tested coatings and penetrations, as well as high purity breathing air and chemical decontamination showers for research staff. In addition, there will be connections to the existing Roybal campus utility systems with below grade utility tunnels and a two-level bridge connection.

“McCarthy has constructed the majority of the BSL-4 laboratory space in the United States, including the completion of the BSL-4 Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory on this campus 15 years ago. We are looking forward to bringing our experience full circle back to the CDC to build an efficient, functional, and technologically advanced research laboratory,” Campbell said.

As a leader for the past two decades in constructing facilities that conduct research related to infectious diseases, biological agents, and other sensitive scientific and medical research facilities, McCarthy Building Companies has built more than 25 percent of the BSL-4 facilities in the United States, including more than 50 percent of the gross square feet.

In addition to the CDC, McCarthy’s biosafety projects have included Boston University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture locations in Ames, Iowa and Manhattan, Kan.

The CDC has selected Flad Architects, Page Southerland Page and WSP to plan, program and design the HCCL. Part of the project management team is from McCarthy’s St. Louis headquarters.

With extensive knowledge and experience in biosafety projects, both Flad and McCarthy are also currently working together on the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kans., the only BSL-4 large animal facility in the nation.