CRE study prompts gender and diversity call to action

Last week CREW Network CEO, Wendy Mann, CAE, unveiled to CREW members via Zoom the findings of CREW’s 2020 Benchmark Study Report:  Gender and Diversity in Commercial Real Estate. 

CREW has conducted benchmark studies every five years commencing in 2005 to measure the progress of women in commercial real estate.  This year’s study introduced new questions to examine diversity, equity and inclusion and workplace culture. The study also gathered country-specific data for Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

In conducting the study, CREW partnered with the MIT Center for Real Estate. The study was conducted between January 2 and March 31; and 2,930 industry professionals across all commercial real estate sectors participated. 

The study revealed that women occupy 36.7% of the commercial real estate industry, and this percentage has remained fairly consistent over the past 15 years.

“There’s not ben a lot of adding in, we haven’t grown in terms of gender in the industry,” said Mann.

The study also revealed that even though the industry has not attracted more women, there have been some strides. More women occupy brokerage positions than ever before (29%), which represents a 6% increase from 2015. And, the percentage of women aspiring to C-suite positions (32%) rose by 4% since 2015.

“I think what’s really interesting and notable is that women under 40 were more likely than women over 40 to aspire to the C-suite based on the study. This is something we’re going to have to watch over the next few years,” said Mann.

The study also showed that women continue to be less likely to achieve the top positions at their companies than men. Women occupy only 9% of C-suite positions in commercial real estate.

The 2020 study confirmed that there still is a substantial compensation gap between women and men in the industry. Women earn 10% less than men in fixed base salaries. The study further revealed that the women who participated in the study overall earned 56% less than men in commissions and bonuses. The gaps for both base salaries and commissions and bonuses were even wider for Black, Asian and Hispanic/Latina women. 

Mann noted that in past studies, the data showed that women and men entering the industry start out at approximately the same compensation levels; however, the 2020 study revealed a 9% compensation gap at the entry level between genders. 

“Here we’re seeing for the first time a 9% gap in where men and women are starting out, and that is very disturbing. So that, for me, is going backwards instead of forward,” said Mann.

Mann noted that the gap widens as the industry professionals advance up the career ladder. The compensation gap between women and men is highest at the C-suite level (33%).

The 2020 report revealed that women’s career satisfaction and perceptions of success decreased to its lowest point in 15 years across all industry specializations, while men’s perception of success has continued to increase since 2010. 

Mann noted several possible reasons for women’s growing dissatisfaction with their careers. 

“If women are receiving lower pay, they feel like they have fewer opportunities for upward mobility and less access to leadership roles. They could be growing increasingly frustrated at being unable to reap the financial benefits of an industry where really the sky is the limit if you work hard and you have great opportunity and access,” Mann said.

Approximately 60% of the 2020 study respondents reported that their workplace is “not very” or “not at all” diverse. However, more than half of the respondents reported that they are beginning to see a culture shift within their companies regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, a result of mandates from leadership and external industry pressures.

“I think for a long time executive leadership in commercial real estate didn’t embrace diversity as a business advantage. But, we know now not just from our studies, but from other studies, that the inclusion of different people based on gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation is a business advantage, and that to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, leaders need to continue to understand what the issues are that we revealed in this study, and we need to resolve them. This is no longer a ‘nice to have’ or it’s a ‘good thing to do’ —it’s a business imperative,” said Mann.

Mann said that the findings of 2020 study, which revealed almost no progress for women or Black, indigenous and people of color in the commercial real estate industry, are a call to action. 

“Here’s your call to action leaders of companies. The fish rots from the head down. If you are at the top of the organization and not committed, it’s not going to happen. Top leaders must be invested, involved, measured and held accountable for diversity, equity and inclusion in a company,” said Mann.

Mann concluded by asking those who are not the company leaders to share the study with company leaders, human resource officers and fellow employees. 

“Make this a point of conversation throughout the company,” Mann said.

The study can be found in its entirety under the Industry Research tab at www.crewnetwork.org.

The Opus Group embarks on 13.5-acre industrial site in Earth City

Castle Contracting has begun earthwork and site utilities installation on a 13.5-acre, two-building industrial development for The Opus Group in Earth City, Mo.

The St. Louis suburb site offers easy access to I-70 and Highway 141 and will include two warehouses - one speculative - the other for Johnstone Supply's new office headquarters and distribution center.

Johnstone Supply, an HVAC equipment and parts supplier, plans to occupy four acres of the site to support the company's plans to centralize operations, further establish its presence in the St. Louis area and hire additional employees.

Opus' custom-designed, 10,000-SF office space will feature a working lab and training center where the company will provide hands-on certification training for St. Louis County mechanical licensees. The distribution center will occupy the remaining 35,000 SF.

The remaining 9.5 acres will include an 111,000-SF speculative industrial building, built to accommodate multiple tenants. The spec building will feature 32-foot clear height, 27 dock positions (including two drive-in positions) and clerestory windows to maximize natural light and wall space.   

Completion of the speculative industrial building is scheduled for May 2021; the Johnstone Supply headquarters is set for a February 2021 completion date.

Drake's to open soon in O'Fallon

Chesterfield, Mo-based general contractor, Knoebel Construction has completed the first Drake’s in the St. Louis region and the state of Illinois.

The Kentucky-based restaurant chain, which doubles as an entertainment venue, is set to open on September 21, 2020 at 1160 Central Park in O’Fallon, Ill.

The 6,014-SF, indoor/outdoor eatery was scheduled to open in May 2020 but ran into delays due to COVID-19, limiting the number of construction workers on site.

Knoebel coordinated with the owner and subcontractors and incorporated 3-D imaging and other online project management tools to continue construction and see the project to completion.

“This was a formidable build for Knoebel due to the COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, but we were able through constant vigilance and safety measures to complete construction on time and in budget,” said Bryon Muir, director of business development with Knoebel.

Drake's offers a unique combo of (over 20) craft beers, burgers, sandwiches and a full sushi menu served in a lively, contemporary indoor and outdoor patio space.

“Drake’s is a fast-growing chain of restaurants headquartered in Lexington, KY that promises great food and a great time, but along with that they have a great building. The woodwork and overall design is very intricate and, although it presented a challenge, it was enjoyable and we’re very proud of completing something that is not your everyday bar and grill, but a restaurant unique to St. Louis,” Muir said.

Knoebel Construction has also been selected as the general contractor for upcoming locations in Louisville, Ky. and Evansville, Ind. Other partners on the O’Fallon Drake’s include architect, Ken Brown at Design +; MEP design by Case Engineering, Inc.; and civil engineering by Millennia Professional Services.

Drake’s has 15 locations across the midwest and southeast.

Lofts at the HUPP redevelopment begins on historic west downtown site

Construction began last month on the $21.5 million redevelopment of a former TireMart property - originally a Huppmobile dealership - on the downtown west historic automobile row, located at 1815 Locust Street in St. Louis, Mo.

When complete in August 2021, the new, three-story multifamily property will house 70 units consisting of one- and two-bedroom apartments. 

The 115,317-SF historic rehab project will include interior and exterior parking, solar panels on the roof, a clubroom and a fitness center.

Ebersoldt + Associates, the architect on the project, has given a nod to the original building design elements by incorporating sealed concrete floors, exposed concrete ceilings and exterior masonry walls, and large, historic aluminum windows that will allow for plenty of natural light.  

The project developer, Screaming Eagle Development, LLC, was issued approval by the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of St. Louis County (LCRA) for two, five-year tax abatements.

"We are very excited to redevelop this property in the downtown west neighborhood. We identified this property two and a half years ago. It has been a long process to get here; but given what the building has shown us so far, the final product will be a beautiful asset to the community," said Matthew Masiel, principal with Screaming Eagle Development.

The project is slated to receive a five-year tax abatement based on 90 percent of the assessed value of incremental improvements; followed by another five-year tax abatement based on 70 percent of the assessed value of incremental improvements.

Other partners on the project include general contractor, Pinnacle Contracting, Inc. and lenders Gershman Investment Corp. and Midwest Regional Bank.

At the time of acquisition, the property was appraised at $1.1 million by the City of St. Louis.

STL Regional Freightway launches new real estate site map

The St. Louis Regional Freightway has launched the expanded Featured Real Estate Sites Map section of its website, which highlights a wealth of information about the bi-state St. Louis region’s growing real estate market with its abundance of warehouse/distribution buildings and land sites ready for all types of industrial and corporate users.

The new tool is another offering from the St. Louis region’s go-to source for coordinating freight activity, which is committed to providing up-to-date information for the entire industrial market as it works to provide both marketing for active sites and accurate listings for interested parties.

The Featured Real Estate Sites Map section at www.thefreightway.com/real-estate/ provides a unique look at the region and pulls data from both the Illinois and Missouri sides of the Mississippi River, spanning from the City of St. Louis to multiple surrounding counties in the bi-state area, including opportunities at two airports.

“The goal is to collaborate between municipalities, counties, and cities in the St. Louis region and market the entire St. Louis MSA as an active, business-focused, growth-ready region primed for further industrial development,” said Mary Lamie, head of the St. Louis Regional Freightway and executive vice president of Multi Modal Enterprises at Bi-State Development.

The St. Louis Regional Freightway site is tracking 37 sites with more than 8,000+ acres available for development. These sites are actively updated with site information, pricing changes, and accurate contact information to make it easy for anyone searching for potential operation locations.

Data is compiled through communication with brokers and developers around the region and also from third party property databases. The website is regularly updated and is provided without cost to property owners, brokers and developers

Sites included on the website must all meet the following criteria: the developable land is 20 acres or larger; the site is being actively marketed; existing structures are modern bulk buildings (minimum 24’ clear height); the location has access to a major transportation highway, rail spur (or rail potential), seaport access, or runway access; and, lastly, entitlements and utilities must be in place.

The sites are all located in the bi-state St. Louis region, which is becoming increasingly recognized as business focused and perfectly situated to help companies both large and small, seeking a single location with global access. The region is suited for operations ranging from a global headquarters to manufacturing operations to distribution hubs to call centers or service centers at a cost-effective level. It allows companies to find the right spots for every branch of their company in a single region while having a global reach. The abundance of developable land makes it easy to get a site selected, construction started and operations commenced.

“St. Louis not only has the places and the people that companies need to grow but also all has the logistical advantages of being in the middle of it all, which allows easy access to their supply chain,” said said Allison Gray, vice president, Steadfast City Economic & Community Partners. “The Real Estate section of the St. Louis Regional Freightway website is the best spot to find all of the up-to-date information for industrial sites across the entire region.”

While the website will be regularly updated with new sites as they are announced, the following is a summary of the newest sites added prior to the launch of the expanded website:

• Mid America Commerce Center – New industrial park in O’Fallon, Ill., developed by TriStar Cos. with more than 200 acres of developable land for warehouse/distribution buildings ranging from 25,000 SF to 710,000 SF with a possible 10-year tax abatement.

• Dupo Real Estate & Development Sites – Dupo, Ill., offers multiple sites for commercial and industrial development and is located at a primary east-west rail corridor serving the nation’s third largest rail hub. Sites range from 10 acres – 200 acres.

• Hartford Logistics Park – Located in Madison County, Ill., this park offers nearly 400 acres of land available for built-to-suit projects for buildings up to ±1.5M with potential rail access. 

• Earth City Industrial Sites – The Earth City, Mo. submarket is a large industrial hub of nearly 3,000 acres of industrial construction. Links to 8 new site listings were recently added to the Earth City section.

• Wentzville I-70/I-64 Real Estate Sites – Wentzville, MO, is the location of the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant and is at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Interstate 64. Highly desirable buildings and land sites are available ranging from 18 acres – 50 acres. 

Check out these sites and the other bi-state St. Louis sites at the St. Louis Regional Freightway’s website:  www.thefreightway.com/real-estate/

Opus chips in on the 2020 industrial market boom

The Opus Group is chipping in on the ever-expanding 2020 industrial market, this time in Earth City, Mo.

Johnstone Supply, a leader in the HVACR industry, will anchor their new headquarters and distribution center on four acres of the 13.5-acre development. Construction of their 45,000-SF space is scheduled to begin this month.

“Our team has been grateful to work with Opus throughout this process and we’re eager to see this project through to completion. Our new building allows us to expand our business, offer additional educational training courses and bring new jobs to the community," said Larry Wines with Johnstone Supply.

Upon opening, Johnstone Supply will occupy 10,000 SF for the company’s headquarters, which will include a training room and product showroom. Centralizing these facilities under one roof will allow the company to further establish its presence in the St. Louis area.

“Our team identified this location as one of the last developable sites in Earth City. Through the expertise of our integrated team and strong broker relationships, we’ve been able to work closely with St. Louis County to develop a modern industrial building that will meet the demand for local, regional and national industrial users," said Ryan Carlie, director of real estate development at Opus.

Opus also plans to begin construction this month on an 111,000-SF speculative industrial development on the remaining 9.5 acres. 

The addition will accommodate multiple tenants, offering 139 parking stalls, 32-foot clear height, 27 dock positions, including two drive-in positions, and clerestory windows. With immediate access to Interstate 70 and directly off of state Route 141, this project offers accessibility and external visibility.

Opus is the developer, design-builder, and architect and engineer of record. Jake Corrigan and Vince Bajardi with Sansone Group will be marketing the project for lease.

Construction on both buildings is expected to be complete in early 2021.

Construction of $1.9 billion Allegiant Stadium achieves certificate of occupancy

The Mortenson | McCarthy joint venture has received a certificate of occupancy on Allegiant Stadium, the new home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and notably the largest entertainment venue in Las Vegas.

The joint venture team wrapped up the $1.97 billion facility on July 30, marking the end of a successful 31-month-long construction schedule, a mere forty months after the NFL’s approval of the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas. With this milestone reached, Allegiant Stadium’s operations team will move into their new facility to begin preparations for the venue’s first event.

The 1.8 million-SF stadium will also host UNLV football and a variety of other sporting and non-sporting events. The facility features 65,000 seats, a retractable natural turf field, large operable walls that open to spectacular views of the Las Vegas strip, a translucent roof and a variety of premium spaces throughout all levels.

As the design-build contractor responsible for Allegiant Stadium’s design and construction, Mortenson and McCarthy led a team comprised of more than 200 firms; including engineers, subconsultants, trade contractors, and vendors and partnered with the Raiders organization, owner’s representative CAA ICON, designer MANICA Architecture and the project’s design team which includes architect HNTB and engineers Arup, Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. and Kimley Horn.

Visually inspired by the sleek and gradual curves of a futuristic luxury vehicle, Allegiant Stadium is unlike any other venue, making it an architectural and engineering marvel. The unique features of the domed stadium include the cable net truss system used for the roof. The seven-acre ETFE roof is suspended by 100 stainless steel cables that create the light-weight roof structure diaphragm.

Meeting the challenge to provide the Raiders with a real grass field in the desert, the building also features a retractable field system. Weighing nearly 20 million pounds, the playing field is housed in a movable “tray” and moves on 540 electrically-powered wheels, which allows the natural grass field to move outdoors for sunlight and water. This feature provides the stadium with both natural grass or turf playing surfaces.

The Mortenson and McCarthy duo made worker safety a priority throughout construction and in doing so achieved a remarkable safety record with a total recordable incident rate (TRIR) of 0.98, which is less than one-third the national average. More than 12,000 individuals contributed to the project’s design and construction.

Workforce and business inclusion were at the forefront of building Allegiant Stadium. The project exceeded all small and diverse business goals, with 23% awarded to small businesses and 62% of the workforce being minority and female.

From the procurement process to training opportunities and student tours exciting the next generation of builders, efforts were focused on the Las Vegas local community. More than six million labor hours went in to constructing the project and an estimated 6,000 recurring jobs will be sustained or created to maintain venue operations.

Elite Printing & Packaging moves to Hazelwood TradePort

Elite Printing & Packaging is making plans to relocate to Hazelwood TradePort, a new construction space being built by Brinkmann Constructors at 1601 TradePort Dr. in Hazelwood, Mo.

The move will be an upgrade for the one-stop packaging solutions provider, who is currently located in Wentzville, Mo. The NorthPoint Development warehouse will not only be larger at 124,952-SF, but also more centrally-located —two criteria the owners are in need of.

Timothy C. Convy, CPM and Brian G. Kelley with Avison Young | St. Louis exclusively represented the tenant, Elite Printing & Packaging.

“They made one of the most important decisions in our companies history go smoothly from start to finish. We are very appreciative of Tim and Brian from Avison Young for their guidance, ethics and integrity. We would highly recommend them for all of your companies commercial needs," said Elite Printing & Packaging president, Michael Sloan.

Elite Printing and Packaging has over forty years combined experience in the printing and packaging industry, with an emphasis on the sports nutrition/beauty, pet and health industries.

“We are pleased to provide Elite Printing & Packaging a fantastic solution for their real estate needs. Even with the challenges presented in the St. Louis market, we were able to come to favorable terms with NorthPoint Development to create a dynamic opportunity for our client," said Kelley.

About Avison Young: Avison Young is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and comprises approximately 5,000 real estate professionals in 120 offices in 20 countries. The firm’s experts provide value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management and financing services to clients across the office, retail, industrial, multifamily and hospitality sectors.

Forsyth Pointe construction kicks off in Clayton

Construction of Forsyth Pointe, a mixed-use development in the central business district of Clayton, Mo., is underway.

The US Capital Development project includes two Class-A office towers, street-level retail and connected parking and will add nearly 1 million SF of prime space in the heart of Clayton, Mo.

As construction manager, McCarthy Building Companies is overseeing all construction work, including the delivery of self-perform concrete services on the cast-in-place building foundations, elevator cores and parking structure. The steel-framed glass structures will rest atop a post-tensioned concrete-framed parking structure.

“Forsyth Pointe will be a wonderful addition to the Clayton skyline and community,” said Michelle Harris, Mayor of the City of Clayton.

The 10-story, 265,000-SF east tower will occupy the corner of Forsyth Blvd. and Meramec Ave. And the 8-story, 210,000-SF west tower will reside at Brentwood Blvd. and Forsyth Blvd. More than 20,000 SF of street-level retail space will enliven the development’s street presence.

“The development will add prime office space and innovative retail space, increasing street vitality and the pedestrian experience on a prominent corner across from Shaw Park—one of our city’s crown jewels," Mayor Harris said.

A 7-level parking structure will connect both buildings and extend 2.5 levels underground. At the top level of the parking structure, a 45,000-SF open-air garden terrace will serve as a signature amenity and be available for public events.

Other planned amenities include a 10,000-SF fitness center and a ground-floor arts and entertainment venue.

“We’re honored to partner with US Capital Development and the design team to bring this incredible new development to life in one of the most desirable locations in St. Louis County,” said Jared Hites, vice president of operations at McCarthy.

From the project’s early design phase, McCarthy initiated an integrated virtual design and construction (VDC) process with the owner, designer and trade partners to drive efficiencies throughout the project. This includes the use of cloud-based building information modeling (BIM) collaboration platforms accessible by all team members.

Specific VDC applications include model-based design review, model-based field layout, 3D building systems coordination, laser scanning of as-built conditions and aerial drone photogrammetry to monitor and survey construction progress.

Forsythe Pointe is designed by Christner Architects (design architect, architect of record and landscape architect) and CEDERGREEN, LLC (design architect).

Other team members include Alper Audi (structural engineering), Stock & Associates (civil engineering), G&W Engineering (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering) and Randy Burkett Lighting Design (lighting design).

The project is expected to be complete in summer 2022.  

Bond Architects receives WBE Certification

Bond Architects, a nationally-recognized St. Louis architecture and interior design firm, has been officially certified by the State of Missouri’s Office of Equal Opportunity as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).

Since its inception in 1992, Bond Architects has been committed to promoting and supporting diversity in the A/E/C field. The firm has partnered with a wide range of MBE/DBE/WBE firms throughout its history and values long-standing relationships with diverse professional service firms and vendors.

“The Bond Architects team appreciates and understands the value diverse suppliers bring to the table and is honored to be a part of this community. We are thankful to have obtained our WBE certification and hope that it will also benefit our partners and associates for their continued growth and success," said Susan Pruchnicki, principal-In-charge at Bond Architects.

As a woman-owned business with 80 percent of their employees consisting of female architects and staff in 2020, Bond Architects prioritized obtaining an official WBE certification to not only solidify its commitment to diversity, but also sto upport clients in their mission to inspire inclusion, connection and collaboration in their professional service firms.

“Having our WBE certification not only allows us to better meet the needs of our clients but it also affirms our unwavering commitment to be a place of equal opportunity and employment in an industry that has historically lacked significant involvement of professional women,” Pruchnicki said.

Both firm partners, Susan Pruchnicki and Art Bond, remain actively involved with the firm and its day-to-day operations.

Bond Architects is located at 222 South Central Avenue, Suite 501, in St. Louis, Mo. For more information about Bond Architects’ commitment to diversity and its projects and services, visit BondArchitectsInc.com.

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.

Brinkmann completes Promise Christian Academy, Leonardo DRS

Brinkmann Constructors recently completed construction on a new school for Promise Christian Academy in Town and Country, Mo.

The 16,000 SF, special needs school includes eight classrooms, an occupational therapy room, speech therapy room, gym, teacher workspace and offices and a commercial kitchen. The space can accommodate up to 64 students.

Brinkmann worked closely with Promise to help design and manage the project to stay within the fundraising budget. Through constant communication and collaboration, the design-build team delivered a quality, alluring building, on schedule and within budget.

“The Brinkmann team used creative thinking to get this project under budget so the build could move forward. One of the biggest tactics implemented was the use of tilt-up construction. This eliminated exterior steel, metal stud framing and sheathing and a high dollar exterior façade, saving the client time and money. Working with ACI (Boland Architects), the new design provided a low-maintenance final product while keeping the desired curb appeal and exterior finishes,” said Wes French, Brinkmann project manager.

"Brinkmann Constructors not only employs the best of the best, but they also employ personnel who took the time to understand the special needs community and embrace our mission. This created top-notch teamwork that made the project flow seamlessly. Brinkmann Constructors has left a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of the Promise community. We will forever embrace them as a part of our family and a part of our story," said Meredith Heintz, head of school.

Promise Christian Academy is a private, faith-based school that takes a therapeutic approach to special education with specific programs designed to meet all of its students’ individual needs.

Brinkmann Constructors also recently wrapped up construction on a new 170,000 SF engineering development and light manufacturing facility in Bridgeton, Mo. for Leonardo DRS, a U.S.-based defense contractor.

This Leonardo DRS facility will be home to the business unit headquarters; housing leadership, management and a centralized back office functionality. The space will give the organization the flexibility to expand with minimal impact to the current workforce.

Brinkmann served as the GC and also provided interior build-out for the warehouse, including a best-in-class engineering, research and development laboratory and office space. Construction finished two weeks ahead of schedule and included a phased schedule to allow for DRS to begin installing furniture before the building was completed. The architect on the project was TR,i Architects.

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.

Landco launches home office upgrade service

As months of pandemic work-from-home arrangements start to show the strain, St. Louis-area commercial contractor Landco Construction has a solution: REMOTivate yourself and your employees with home office makeovers.

Landco president Linda Bernhard said its new service can help companies lean into an uncertain situation with improvements that keep employees motivated and efficient.

“It could be a long time before we get back to normal. Everybody has people working from home - sitting at their dining room table or down in the basement surrounded by 2x4 studs and raw insulation. A proper home office can make them more productive,” Bernhard said.

Landco specializes in constructing contemporary, effective and environmentally aware workspaces for many St. Louis companies and campuses, including several Fortune 200 organizations.

Bernhard says that when the coronavirus struck earlier this year, it quickly became clear that the shelter-in-place orders were putting many clients’ construction plans on indefinite hold.

“They didn’t know how long they’d be keeping employees working remotely,” Bernhard said.

So, her team came up with REMOTivate, a service it could offer to both employers and employees to improve the work environment for the remote workforce.

Landco’s bundled offerings bring home office functionality to work-from-home locales. They range from the very simple -- a desk and chair -- to more premium packages that could include a sit/stand desk, executive chair, acoustical panels, even light construction such as installing a privacy door.

“We can make this package work for everybody. Employers can offer it as a perk to their workers, maybe to help transition them to permanent remote work. “They may be looking at downsizing their campus, giving up some rental space to save on their rent,” Bernhard said

Employees may treat themselves in order to be more efficient and comfortable in their home offices -- or may upgrade an employer’s offered renovation with extras of their own.

Landco is working with its partners, CI Select, Golterman & Sabo (G&S Architectural Products), Request Electric Inc. and Automated Data Systems, to put together a menu of standardized offerings that can be ordered easily and delivered quickly.

“We need products that are turnkey -- that we can turn around in three to five days,” Bernhard said.

Landco employees will observe stringent safety protocols, maintaining social distancing when they deliver and assemble the REMOTivate orders.

And it’s a service she believes will continue to be attractive to some clients, even when the initial COVID-19 crisis abates.

“What we’ve been encountering over the past few months has opened everybody’s eyes to a new way of working. If employers can save rent, if employees can work from home, I do see a need (of) continuing for this," Bernhard said.

CRE project designs 'on point' for future

The evolution of commercial building design over the last few years to include more open space, rich amenities, safety and tech-driven concepts is proving to be a well-thought-out and timely choice, especially when considering the current and future demands and regulations resulting from COVID-19.

Building spaces, notably office and other shared spaces, are in the spotlight now more than ever before, prompting the focus of discussion for the St. Louis CCIM virtual meeting last week.

Tony Kennedy with Colliers International, moderated the meeting; panelists included Larry Chapman, president and CEO of Seneca Commercial Real Estate; Korey Baker, associate director of market development for Compstak; Toby Heddinghaus, president of Gray Design Group; Scott Haley, managing director of US Capital Development and Tim Gaidus, senior project designer at HOK.

“When Seneca embarked on the Edge series of buildings, the focus was on creating an environment that employees want to be a part of, which in turn, helps the companies that become our tenants compete successfully for, and to be able to retain the best and brightest talent. These designs easily adapt to the changing demands of the occupants and are highly compatible with the new COVID-19 paradigm,” said Chapman.

Edge at West Park, located just west of the I-270/Olive Blvd. interchange, provides a flexible, employee-centric environment which maximizes the building’s common areas to provide amenities critical to helping companies recruit and retain the best talent, regardless of market conditions. FM Global, a worldwide insurance company based at Maryville Centre Office Park, is set to move into the top floor of the four-story building in November.

“Edge at West and Forsyth Pointe are two of the more prominent office developments planned in St. Louis County right now. With some uncertainty in the market surrounding COVID-19, it's refreshing to see these projects advancing on schedule. I'm very confident that US Capital Development and Seneca will deliver top quality buildings to the market that adapt to the needs of the users, both in terms of the current pandemic and also their long- term ability to recruit and retain top tier talent, “ said Jim Loft, president of St. Louis CCIM and executive vice president of Gershman Commercial Real Estate.

The recently completed EDGE@BRDG (BioResearch & Development Growth) Park, an innovative 160,000 SF, four-story lab and office building on the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center campus in Creve Coeur, Mo., is now finished and its first lead tenant, Benson Hill Biosystems, one of the fastest growing leaders in the field of plant sciences, has just moved in.

Forsyth Pointe, located on Forsyth Blvd. between Brentwood Blvd. and Meramec Ave., consists of two towers totalling nearly 1million SF of space, half of which will be dedicated for office use and the other half to a 1,250-spot garage. The west tower is slated to have 202,054 SF of space across 14 floors and the east tower to have 255,114 SF of space across 16 floors, two floors of which will be for the underground parking garage. Over 24,000 SF of retail is planned.

Other forward- thinking design elements mentioned that are currently being implemented in building design include:

• Walkable environments- fresh air spaces with plenty of distance

• Wide open staircases

• Refuge areas

• Phone booths

• Huddle rooms

• Roll up (garage) doors

• Touchless automatic door opening

• Restroom doors with no handles

• Plasma filtered air

• More robust cleaning services

• Anti-microbial coatings

• Hand sanitizer stations

• Biometrics instead of touchpoint

• Robotics and automation

• Holograms/virtual reality

The next St. Louis CCIM event is scheduled for September 15th from 11:15 am - 1:00 pm at the St. Louis Club in Clayton, Mo. For more info, please visit https://ccimstl.com/events/.

9-Mile food truck garden set to bloom July third

Missouri’s first food truck garden, 9 Mile Garden, is set to open on July 3, 2020 at 9375 Gravois Rd. in Affton, Mo.

Developed by Guerrilla Street Food co-founder Brian Hardesty and Seneca Commercial Real Estate, 9 Mile Garden brings a family-focused entertainment district to the St. Louis area; offering local foods and drinks alongside outdoor movies, live music and performances, community events and more.

Previously known as Chapman Ventures, the company redeveloped Affton Plaza and began working on ideas for phase two of the project — which turned into 9 Mile Garden.

The garden plans to host five trucks for lunch, seven trucks for dinner and nine trucks for special events, according to Hardesty. The garden is also equipped with its own bar, The Canteen, who plans to serve 40 taps of local craft beer, wine, small batch cocktails, cold brew coffee, kombucha and more—all on draft.

“It’s such a cool concept and will truly be great for the area.  BEX really overcame the inclement weather challenges of late winter and early spring to get this project completed on time. That meant capitalizing on the good days we had and working overtime and weekends (to deliver on schedule),” said Ethan Bruckerhoff, superintendent for BEX Construction Services, who was responsible for the GC on the structural components of the project.

The full list of participating food trucks includes Balkan Treat Box, FarmTruk, Seoul Taco, Guerrilla Street Food, Doggie Mac’s, Sugarfire 64, Essentially Fries, Wok and Roll, The Saucy Iguana, Ukraft, Truckeria del Valle, Burgers STL, Wayno’s, Blues Fired Pizza, Spud Shack, The Crooked Boot, Honest to Goodness, Sedara Sweets, Zia’s on the Hill, Super Smokers, CJ’s Deli, Tastebudz Express, Heavy Smoke BBQ, Fire & Ice Cream Truck, Truck Norris, Scoops & More, Poptimism, Graze, Smokey’s Q, and Twisted Tacos.

Live bands will play every Friday night and a jumbo outdoor movie screen will show movies every Saturday night during warm weather months. Family-friendly games, such as pickleball and air hockey, board games and theme nights will all be included. The garden grounds and The Canteen can also be rented for private events.

The grounds of the food truck garden will open for lunch on Friday, July 3rd, and continue operating for both lunch and dinner service through the weekend. The grand-opening week will feature several live musical performances and charitable events. The garden and its staff will follow health and safety guidelines set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and St. Louis County, officials said.

GARDEN HOURS

Lunch: Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm

Dinner: Tue-Sat, 5pm-9pm

Special events every Friday & Saturday night

CANTEEN HOURS

Mon-Thu, 11am-midnight

Fri-Sat, 11am-1am

Other partners on the project include KOLB Contracting and Coralic Architecture.

City Foundry STL gears up for debut, despite official opening date

St. Louis' $220 million mixed-used development, City Foundry STL, is gearing up for their highly-anticipated debut, despite an official opening date.

The 15-acre site includes 122,000 SF of food hall and public market space, 107,000 SF of creative office space and 105,000 SF of retail shops - all rolled into its own midtown destination on Forest Park Ave between Vandeventer and Spring streets.

Steve Smith, CEO of the Lawrence Group, the property's developer, has reinvented the former Century Electric site with inspiration from similar developments - like Chelsea Market in New York City and Krog Street Market in Atlanta. 

Unlike a typical outdoor mall, the majority of vendors in the development are independently-owned, small businesses - as well as a few emerging concepts new to St. Louis - who will make their debut in the nearly 100-year-old foundry structure. The food hall and public market will bring together more than twenty different local chefs, each with their own unique-food-concept "mini restaurants,” as well as the other vendors in the food space.

The collective City Foundry STL team sees the public market as an opportunity to give local chefs, restaurateurs, artisans and more a platform to rebuild from COVID-19.

“Our local hospitality industry defines the current culture and uniqueness of our city. It’s also the most vulnerable during this time. Our hope is that City Foundry can be a place for ideas to incubate and grow into a viable business; a place where new concepts will be surrounded by industry leaders to learn from and succeed,” said City Foundry STL asset manager, Will Smith.

Anchor tenants include grocery store Fresh Thyme Farmers Market and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which marks its first metro area location.

Other tenants include: 18Rails|The Venue @City Foundry STL, Buenos Aires Cafe, Bullhorn, City Taco Shack, Fassler Hall, Gateway Blend, Good Day, Great Rivers Greenway, Hello Poke, Orion Genomics, Press Waffle Company and Punch Bowl Social.

An on-site hiking-and-biking trail connecting Forest Park to downtown St. Louis is in the works via Great Rivers Greenway, the sponsoring regional agency. Free parking will also be available, with over 1,000 parking spaces on site.

City Foundry STL continues to progress on construction of the overall development. An exact opening timeline will be determined and announced soon, based on recommendations from health officials as well as the comfort level of future customers.

Prospective tenant interest has returned to pre-covid levels, according to the development team, with 95% of office space leased and 65% of the development pre-leased overall.

For more information on leasing, please contact Rob Soete at rob@cityfoundrystl.com.

Centene Community Ice Center's time to shine

It's time to shine for Centene Community Ice Center, the first new indoor ice complex for the St. Louis region in decades.

The $82 million facility, which opened to the public in September 2019, is prepared and excited for the recent spike in the area’s youth hockey programs, driven, in part, by the St. Louis Blues’ “Hockey STL 2020” campaign.

Led by the not-for-profit St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation as a catalyst for the development of the Maryland Park Lake District, the public-private initiative was launched to help bring much-needed ice skating facilities to the region, provide recreational opportunities and drive economic growth through sports tourism. 

"The Centene Community Ice Center is the result of legacies and countless other efforts to create a collaboration between four state, county and local governmental agencies, five major not-for-profit tenants and the NHL’s St. Louis Blues Hockey Club. A unique and massive collaboration of public funding, private donations, tenant contributions and industrial revenue bonds were pooled to make this vision a reality. And in the end, over 1 million visitors will visit our facility annually bringing over $20 million in economic impact each year,” said Patrick Quinn of the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation.

The collaborative effort to create the multipurpose home for the St. Louis Blues and the surrounding community included design-build partners Mike Kress and Tom Proebstle with Generator Studio and John Komlos, Matt Sander and Jeff Cook with ARCO Construction.

In addition to three indoor sheets, the fourth outdoor rink is multipurpose, intended for winter pond hockey and year-round community events. In warmer weather the rink transforms into a covered 4,400-spectator amphitheater operated by Live Nation.

The center houses the new Mercy Medical Sports Performance Center, the Bauer Skills Training Center, a restaurant, a grab-and-go market, concession stands for every rink and separate locker rooms for the public, Lindenwood and the Blues. 

To increase inclusivity, ARCO and Generator ensured the center was accessible for a broad range of abilities with all three fully adaptable indoor ice rinks. St. Louis Blues Sled Hockey, Blues Blind Hockey and the St. Louis Blues Special Hockey, all call the ice center home. 

“At any point in time, our facility could be playing host to 2,500 fans for a college hockey game or international figure skating event in the main arena, while in another arena we are hosting the highest levels of amateur hockey while a learn-to-play session is happening on yet another ice sheet and all the while a live-band plays rink-side for 500+ kids, teens and adults enjoying a public skating on the expansive covered, outdoor rink,” Quinn said.

The multi-sheet facility is home to multiple tenants including the Blues, Lindenwood University men’s and women’s hockey teams, the AAA Blues and the St. Louis Lady Cyclones.

With a strong emphasis on being a community asset, the majority of available ice time at Centene Community Ice Center will be dedicated to residents, youth, high school and college teams. 

Centene Ice also offers public skating and lessons, various hockey programs for kids, youth and adults and may be rented out for special events. For more information, you may visit their website at www.legacyice.org.