S.M. Wilson CEO to retire in April

Scott Wilson, CEO of S. M. Wilson & Co., plans to retire in April after dedicating 37 years with his family-founded construction firm.

In 1990, Wilson was named president, succeeding his father. Under Wilson’s leadership, S. M. Wilson’s revenue, profitability and repeat client portfolio hit new heights as the firm became primarily a construction manager.

In 2012, Wilson became CEO and Amy Berg was named president. 

Wilson’s announcement is part of a multi-year succession plan and coincides with the company’s 100th anniversary. S. M. Wilson & Co. was founded by Wilson’s grandfather in 1921; in 2014 the firm became 100% employee-owned. 

“Together we have built upon my grandfather’s legacy. S. M. Wilson is stronger, more strategic, and well aligned for the future. S. M. Wilson is entering its 100th year of business with a strong strategic plan and leadership team with a vision for the next 100 years,” said Wilson.

In 2017 Mark Cochran was named the chief operating officer. Berg and Cochran will be leading the firm in conjunction with six additional executive committee members: Mike Dohle, chief financial officer; Mike Mangiore, controller; Steve Meeks, vice president of pre-construction and estimating; Amanda Bohnert, chief marketing officer; Rebecca Cornatzer, chief human resources officer and Jack Kinamore, project director.

“Scott’s leadership has given us a solid foundation and we are grateful for his guidance. Scott has set S. M. Wilson up for success. We are poised for the next chapter of strategic growth fulfilling our mission to go ‘Beyond the Build’ and provide ‘Amazing Client Experiences’,” said Berg.

Wilson will remain a member of S. M. Wilson’s Board of Directors.

S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm with headquarters in St. Louis. Founded in 1921, S. M. Wilson is dedicated to going above and beyond expectations for their clients by putting people first. The 100% employee-owned company is one of the leading construction management firms in the Midwest. For more information, visit www.smwilson.com.

Bayer YMCA completes $2.5 million in renovations

Bayer YMCA has completed $2.5 million in renovations to update and expand services at its facility, located on 5555 Page Blvd. in North St. Louis.

The improvements are a part of the Gateway Region YMCA’s strategic plan and capital development initiative supported by a $1.5 million gift from Bayer and a separate $1 million anonymous donor gift.

KAI Design provided architectural design, project management and MEP/FP engineering on the project and worked in concert with the organization’s program manager and architectural consultant, GRO Development, to meet the YMCA’s design expectations for the renovation. PARIC served as the general contractor on the project.

“The renovations to the 19,000-SF space did not include any expansion of the building's actual footprint, but instead KAI took the existing underutilized space to create higher-performing spaces to better meet the needs of the community, such as enlarging lobby spaces, creating new fitness areas, updating finishes, increasing the number of group exercise rooms, adding a family changing room and improving accessibility,” said KAI Senior Project Manager Joel Kerschen, AIA, CSI.

“We have updated the existing space for a more modern look and use. The facility was built almost forty years ago, with its last major update twenty years ago. The new design puts an emphasis on positive spaces for teen and child activities and community interaction,” Kerschen said.

The Bayer YMCA renovations included:

• Expanded Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). The ECEC will provide a safe and nurturing environment for children 6 weeks through 5 years old in a state licensed facility.

• Expanded health and wellness services. An expanded fitness area and new fitness programs will allow more individuals to take part in the Y's Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring, Diabetes Prevention and other chronic disease prevention programs to meet growing community needs.

• New Bayer Teen Tech Center. A state-of-the-art technology center will offer a variety of STEAM activities, including robotics, coding classes and gaming, STEM camps and family STEM nights. This space and the new mezzanine above it will also allow for increased enrollment in the Learning Labs program, which allows students who are underperforming in reading or math to improve.

• New teen area with a mezzanine for esports.

• New STEM Focused Community Kitchen. A modernized STEM Focused Community Kitchen and expanded community garden will provide more education and food outreach in a community recognized as a "food desert" and in need of healthy eating resources.

• New family changing room. These facilities will provide a safe environment for families with young children.

“We are extremely proud of our newly renovated space for many reasons. Additional programming allows us to continue to serve the North St. Louis community and the many challenges that we face,” said Bayer YMCA executive director Marcus Wilson.

A grand re-opening was held on Nov. 10, 2020 to celebrate and showcase the improvements.

New dermatology, skin cancer center breaks ground in O'Fallon

Holland Construction Services has broke ground at 331 Regency Park Drive in O’Fallon, Ill., for the new construction of Metro East Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center, which is expected to be complete by summer 2021.

O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach, who attended the recent groundbreaking ceremony, said he’s proud to welcome Metro East Dermatology to the O’Fallon business community.

“Through my experience in business and serving as mayor, there are typically three essential things needed to ensure a successful business. The first, a good building site that will support your growing business, the second is an excellent and capable group of people helping you construct that business, and most importantly, a dedicated and highly-skilled team of people leading that business. I have no doubt Metro East Dermatology will have tremendous success in our O’Fallon community and will attract business throughout our region,” Mayor Roach said.

Metro East Dermatology offers cutting-edge surgical treatment for skin cancer as well as specialized medical dermatology. Owner, Dr. Jamie McGinness, specializes in Mohs surgery, a highly-effective and precise treatment for most forms of skin cancer, with an unprecedented cure rate of up to 99 percent.

“We selected Holland because of their reputation of integrity, and because they have a tremendous amount of experience with similar medical facilities in this area,” said Dr. McGinness.

As one of the only fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon in the Metro East, he and his wife, Jackie McGinness, FNP, established their practice in Shiloh (Ill.) three years ago and decided it was time to build a new, permanent space as their business continues to grow.

“We feel very honored to have been selected for this project not only because it is an exciting and needed development for the community but because one of our own employees recently came here for treatment,” said Holland Construction president, Mike Marchal.

The 12,000-SF building is designed by ACI Boland Architects.

New office HQ with a view for Arcturis

Renovations are underway on new office headquarters for Arcturis, a St. Louis-based national design firm, who plans to move to the 13th floor of the former Peabody Plaza building, which now serves as a focal point of the new Gateway Plaza at 701 Market St. in downtown St. Louis.

Arcturis partnered with Tarlton Corp. to serve as construction manager of the 11,500-SF, build-out project - adding to the award-winning portfolio of the two, women-owned businesses.

The dynamic duo previously collaborated on the build-out of the new Spire corporate headquarters which earned LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and was recognized with an Edwin F. Guth Award for interior lighting design from the Illuminating Engineering Society.

Slated for completion by the end of this year, the renovations and tenant build-out include the demolition of existing office space; installation of new partitions; high-end, industrial-look finishes and MEPFP design-build enhancements.

An impressive glass-wall storefront, fabricated and installed by Missouri Valley Glass, welcomes employees and visitors into the office suite. The storefront features one-half-inch-thick clear tempered glass sections situated within a span that is 9 feet tall and 22 feet long. The entry doors are flanked by two wide sections on each side, with sleek, brushed stainless hardware and trim completing the modern design.

In addition, the office space incorporates a wellness area featuring a lounge and cafeteria, as well as a “light laboratory” that Arcturis design teams will use for fixture testing and to simulate different light conditions in project designs for clients.

The Tarlton project team includes Joe Scarfino, project director; Diane Grimsley, senior project manager; Beth Barton, superintendent; and Joe Carr, cost engineer.

Jaguar Land Rover rolling into Chesterfield

Chesterfield, Mo. has another new business coming to town - Jaguar Land Rover Chesterfield, which is set to open its doors in spring 2021.

New construction began last week on the 32,000-SF, seven-acre site at 1 Jaguar Land Rover Way, marked by a groundbreaking ceremony with city officials and other stakeholders in attendance.

The new dealership will mirror Jaguar Land Rover’s current brand imaging of luxury and state-of-the-art craftsmanship. It will be the first facility owned by Imperial Motors outside of the Chicago area.

Dealer/principal Jordan Aron worked with the City of Chesterfield to ensure the aesthetics of the building would blend with the surrounding community. The site was chosen for its convenient location to serve customers in several counties in the St. Louis metro area.

“This is an exciting time of growth for our family and our business. We remain highly committed to providing our customers with the highest level of care and attention. The same we have been doing since 1953,” Aron said.

The new dealership will have 18 service bays with dedicated equipment and staff for express service and maintenance. The waiting room will include complimentary Wi-Fi, several choices of seating options and quiet workspace.

“We are extremely happy to be part of the Chesterfield community. People here want to feel good about the people and the company where they do business. That’s exactly the kind of market we thrive in,” Aron said.

The company plans to hire a staff of managers, sales and service personnel.

“Brinkmann is proud to work with Imperial Motors to bring Jaguar Land Rover to the Chesterfield Valley,” said Kendrick Lathum, project director for Brinkmann Constructors, the general contractor on the project.

“The addition of this dealership to the area continues the strong economic growth in Chesterfield,” Lathum said.

AGCMO announces Keystone Awards, SCOTY winners

The Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) has named Spirtas Wrecking Corporation as its Specialty Contractor of the Year in the Environmental Remediation and Demolition services category.

Spirtas received first place in this discipline by the general contractor members of AGCMO, who were asked to consider their overall experience with Spirtas, including timeliness in regard to completion of projects and ability to stay within budget.

“The need for environmentally responsible remediation and demolition has never been greater, and this industry recognition underscores our commitment to leading the way in this sector,” said Matt Sheehan, president and CEO of Spirtas.

Over the past year, Spirtas has completed 75 environmental remediation and demolition projects in support of Forsyth Pointe, Covenant House Wellness Center, St Mary’s Hospital Convent and the Muskingham River Power Plant in Ohio.

The annual awards program highlights the creativity and talents of dozens of contractors in Missouri’s construction industry. Along with Spirtas, the following contractors received Specialty Contractor of the Year (SCOTY) Awards. (Keystone Awards follow SCOTY Awards):

• ROSCH (ancillary services);

• Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Co. Inc. (concrete / paving);

• Budrovich Excavating & Contracting (earthwork and utilities);

• Guarantee Electrical Co. (electrical);

• TJ Wies Contracting Inc. (interior and exterior finishes, openings and fixtures);

• Charles E. Jarrell Contracting Co. Inc. (HVAC / piping);

• Grant Masonry Contracting Co. Inc. (masonry);

• Boyer Fire Protection (plumbing and fire protection);

• BAM Contracting LLC (structural and finish carpentry);

• ACME Erectors Inc. (structural and finish metals);

• Geissler Roofing Co. Inc. (thermal and moisture protection).

The following contractors received AGMO’s 2020 Construction Keystone Awards.

• Murphy Co. for the Enterprise Center Quad D AHU Replacement;

• PARIC for the Union Station Wheel and Train Park;

• Tarlton Corp. for The Muny Stage and Production Improvements;

• McCarthy Building Companies for the East End Transformation of the Washington University in St. Louis Danforth Campus;

• Massman Construction Co. for the Grand River Bridge Emergency Replacement in Brunswick, Missouri;

• Acme Erectors Inc. for The Vertical Garden in the Steward Family Plaza;

• TJ Wies Contracting Inc. for the State Historical Society in Columbia;

• Murphy Co. for Centene Community Ice Center;

• Murphy Co. for Centene Urban Campus Clayton High Rise;

• icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering LLC for the Pfizer BioPlace New Research & Development Facility;

• ACME Constructors Inc. for Agra Form’s 4-Phased Plant Expansion

• Guarantee Electrical Co. was awarded Keystone Project of the Year in the special coronavirus pandemic response category for construction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s COVID-19 Alternate Care Facility.

The Associated General Contractors of Missouri is the united voice of the construction industry, representing over 500 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties in Missouri. Last month, AGCMO was named large Chapter of the Year by AGC of America. AGCMO operates offices in St. Louis, Jefferson City and Springfield.

Campus projects, services continue to expand at WUSM

In 2015, Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St. Louis, Mo, began a project and service expansion plan called ”Building Connections.” The campus plan goal was “to bring communities together and improve the experience for employees, patients, students and visitors.”

One of the key components of the plan included a detailed review of the Medical Education Program with key leaders of the Medical School. WUSM worked with KWK Architects to facilitate which departments needed to be adjacent to each other, where the different departments made sense on campus and which departments could share what spaces, if any.

“KWK helped us kick off our campus planning efforts in 2015, and we worked closely with them as we have continued to build from that initial plan concept in support of the research and clinical care missions. Our work is bringing communities together and improving the campus experience for employees, patients, students and visitors,” said Melissa Rockwell-Hopkins, assistant vice-chancellor, and assistant dean of operations and facilities School of Medicine.

Phase II work included the renovation of space for the McDonnell Genome Institute – Genome Technology Access Center (GTAC@MGI), aiming to improve the human condition by producing, studying, and interpreting high-quality, genome-based data that drives biological discoveries. For example, MGI has been involved in research of COVID-19 testing, developing a new saliva-based test that results in less than one day.

The new GTAC@MGI space, completed in July 2020, is located on the fourth floor of the 4444 Forest Parkway Building. KWK’s team worked within the university’s design and planning standards to implement the efficient use of space within an existing building envelope, providing the university, avoiding new out-of-ground construction costs.

The 22,500-SF, renovated space design includes a genome sequencing lab, BSL-2 laboratories, administrative offices, kitchenette/break room and conference and huddle rooms. Interior finishes include aluminum door and borrowed lite frames, walnut veneered wood doors, carpet tile and vinyl composition tile with Diamond 10 coating to reduce maintenance lifecycle costs.

KWK project manager Andy Noll conducted multiple interactive design workshop meetings with the university’s lab groups to work out the placement and fit of over 900 pieces of scientific instruments and equipment within the space.

“Tracking and placing of these three-dimensional elements in a highly organized manner were key to the project’s success,” said KWK Architects principal Eric Neuner.

KWK has worked on over forty design and study projects on the School of Medicine campus. These include projects outlined in the master plan and additional enabling projects that have helped support campus growth and recruitment activities.

Collaborative action key to city vacancy concerns

Last week ULI St. Louis hosted “Starting Where You Are: Collaborative Planning Around Vacancy in the City, “ a virtual presentation moderated by Cecilia Dvorak, AICP, city planning executive with the City of St. Louis.

Presenters included Laura Ginn, vacancy strategist for the City of St. Louis; Bob Lewis, assistant professor of urban planning at Saint Louis University; and Sundy Whiteside, board president of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations.

The program began with a few relative stats. First: Vacant property in St. Louis adds up to approximately 2,500 acres, 7,000 buildings and 13,000 empty lots.

Second: St. Louis ranks third in the United States for city vacancy. If a line were to be drawn at Delmar Boulevard, the northern portion of the city would have the highest concentration of vacant properties in the country.

Next: The impacts of highly-concentrated vacancy range from lower property values and increased illegal dumping to higher rates of drug and gun-related crime.

“Where there is a high concentration of vacancy, there are also challenges - like a lack of access to public transportation and technology, poverty, housing cost burdens, increased amounts of lead poisoning and asthma,” Ginn said.

As a city, St. Louis is taking a comprehensive, thoughtful and collaborative approach to rebuilding a more equitable community - starting with the organized group (of which all the presenters are involved), called St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative.

The Collaborative launched in 2018 and is made up of more than 40 organizations, twelve city departments, hundreds of volunteers and committees, and six working groups (Anti-Displacement, Data Analysis, Marketing & Engagement, Reinvestment & Reuse, Stabilization, Maintenance & Demolition, Vacancy Prevention).

Another stat presented: 60% of vacant property is privately-owned, which presents many challenges in reinvestment and stabilization. As public organizations work to care for the approximately 40% of properties under their ownership, they are also working to hold vacant landowners accountable for the condition of their property.

“Of crucial importance to this initiative is the redevelopment of vacant properties. We can clean them up and preserve the buildings, but ultimately we need people to invest in the urban core,” Lewis said.

Over the last few years, the City of St. Louis has launched multiple efforts to encourage investment in these areas, including Proposition Neighborhood Stabilization (NS) and the Gateway Neighborhood Fund (GNF).

Proposition NS has created funding for the city to stabilize properties within their land bank to not only improve public safety, but also to encourage development.

GNF has made provisions for approved homebuyers looking to purchase and improve homes in areas where there is an appraisal gap. Enabling home buyers to purchase and renovate these homes helps to increase their value and encourages investment in distressed neighborhoods.

Substantial time has been devoted to reforming property tax foreclosure procedures. Tax foreclosure on home owner occupied properties is not only devastating to the residents, but to the neighborhoods as well.

Two of the Collaborative’s recent efforts to prevent displacement and vacancy are the Real Estate Property Tax Assistance Fund and the Home Repair Network & Fund.

“Tax assistance and home repair assistance help fill local budgets, prevent an increase in vacancy, stabilize neighborhoods and protect home owners facing economic hardship,” Whiteside said.

Should tax foreclosure be necessary, the Collaborative is working on reformation to bring properties to auction sooner so that the community will not suffer from an unoccupied, and therefore untaxable, neighboring property.

“Many people don’t see and recognize the importance of building relationships, but engaging communities and neighborhood residents in the process is how we build a better city. The plans we’re developing help people have a hope for the future.” Whiteside said.

The Collaborative is always looking for volunteers, you can use this link to learn more about the working groups and how you can get involved.

If you would like to view the full program, a YouTube recording is available here.