Month: February 2019

Net Zero, LLC Breaks Ground on Saint Louis Park Place Residential Community in NorthSide Regeneration Development

Net Zero, LLC Breaks Ground on Saint Louis Park Place Residential Community in NorthSide Regeneration Development

Net Zero, LLC broke ground in January on three display homes for its much-anticipated Saint Louis Park Place residential community within the NorthSide Regeneration development in North St. Louis City. Net Zero purchased lots from NorthSide Regeneration to build 250 energy-efficient, single-family homes adjacent to the site of the future multibillion-dollar National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Western Headquarters.

The display homes, under construction at the intersection of Montgomery and 20th streets, are expected to be completed in April, according to Net Zero owner Dwight Arant and his builder Jon Bish, with construction of sold homes set to begin this spring. Arant, a former Marine and retired businessman who was born and spent his early childhood in North St. Louis City, said he is looking forward to bringing more residents back to the community that his family once called home.

“We are excited to be working with NorthSide Regeneration to bring this residential community project to North St. Louis City,” said Arant. “Saint Louis Park Place will provide much-needed housing for the existing community and future employees of NGA and St. Louis as a whole. While setting the standard for energy efficiency in new homes, the homes are designed to align with the historical characteristics of the area.”

The new homes are designed by St. Louis-based architect Klitzing Welsch Associates. Prices for the homes will be set after the display homes are completed, and are expected to range in size from 1,200 to more than 3,000 sq. ft. One, two- and three-story models will be available with a range of options. All the homes will have the potential to be “Net Zero”, which means the homes will produce enough renewable energy (from solar PV) to power themselves. This means that utility bills to heat, cool and power the homes will be very low, or eliminated.

A website is under construction and will provide more information about Net Zero, LLC and Saint Louis Park Place. Visit www.netzerollc.com to obtain more information, which will be available as the website development team works to complete the website.

M Property Services & NorthSide Regeneration Challenging St. Louis City High School Students to Design Interactive Urban Park

M Property Services & NorthSide Regeneration Challenging St. Louis City High School Students to Design Interactive Urban Park

For the fifth straight year, St. Louis area developer Paul McKee, Jr. of M Property Services, LLC (MPS), along with NorthSide Regeneration, is challenging St. Louis City high school students to an urban design challenge.

For the 2019 challenge, students will explore the conceptual design of an interactive urban park within NorthSide Regeneration – an urban, mixed-use community being developed by McKee that encompasses over 1,500 acres in North St. Louis City. Utilizing the existing city street network and the designated park area within the development’s proposed Innovation District and HealthWorks Village, students will be challenged to design a park that incorporates landscape features, amenities, attractions and structures suitable for creating a branded experience and regional attraction. The main element of the design must include a passive solar concession building, park elements and several varieties of sundials.

“We believe it is important to expose more youth to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction through involvement in our city-wide, high school Project Design Challenge,” said McKee. “Year after year, the students surpass our expectations, coming up with innovative ideas and uses for new products and technology in their plans. We would love to see more teams participate.”

The design challenge is open to any student attending high school within St. Louis City, including public, charter, private and parochial schools. Teams, which can include up to six students, are required to register for the challenge by Jan. 18, 2019. MPS will try to assign a mentor to each team/teacher – a professional in the field of architecture or engineering who will help guide them through the creative and design process.

Participating teams will be required to submit a project description between 300-500 words explaining their design theory and solution by the April 5, 2019 submission deadline. Each team must also submit no more than three poster boards showing an aerial location for the park, a site plan, enlarged details/and or elevations and an optional perspective drawing. A 3-D model of each team’s design will also be required.

On April 13, 2019, each team will orally present their project, then answer questions to a jury which will be comprised of individuals in the architecture and engineering fields, plus neighborhood liaisons and representatives of NorthSide Regeneration.

The jury will choose Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, with all other teams earning an Honorable Mention. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 29, 2019 at the Engineers’ Club of St. Louis.

The challenge is coordinated each year by Karen Bahr, Executive Assistant at M Property Services. Over the past five years, approximately 285 students from 55 teams representing nine schools (including CCC, Roosevelt, St. Mary’s, Metro, Gateway, McKinley, Vashon, Cleveland and Carnahan) and 34 mentors have participated in the Project Design Challenge. Past challenges have included, “Planning for the Autonomous Vehicle”, “Neighborhood Entry Marker”, “Urban Park”, “Neighborhood Streetscape” and “Parking Lot of the 21st Century”.

NorthSide Regeneration’s New ZOOM Gulf Gas Station-Convenience Store Partners with Sysco St. Louis to Donate 250 Turkeys to St. Louis City Churches, Charities

NorthSide Regeneration’s New ZOOM Gulf Gas Station-Convenience Store Partners with Sysco St. Louis to Donate 250 Turkeys to St. Louis City Churches, Charities

The new ZOOM™ Gulf gas station and convenience store in MPS Chairman Paul McKee, Jr.’s NorthSide Regeneration development is making a positive impact on the lives of St. Louis City’s neediest residents this Thanksgiving. On Friday, Nov. 16, Sysco St. Louis delivered 250 frozen turkeys to the new ZOOM at 1300 N. Tucker Blvd. for donation to five St. Louis area churches and charities. ZOOM and Sysco each donated half the amount to purchase the turkeys.

“We are proud to be a part of North St. Louis City, which means taking an active role in supporting and revitalizing the community and its residents around us,” said McKee. “We hope that our donation, which was made possible by the generous support of Sysco, will help to brighten the Thanksgiving holiday for some of St. Louis City’s neediest families this year.”

Organizations that received the donated turkeys included: St. Patrick Center, St. John House of Hope, Zion Lutheran Church, Grace Missionary Baptist Church and Peace Tabernacle Church.

“Thank you for your kindness and generosity this holiday season. What a timely and much appreciated donation to the Church. Many families will now have a very happy Thanksgiving,” said Rev. Jonathan Davis of Grace Missionary Baptist Church.

James Montgomery, Program Support Services Coordinator at St. Patrick Center, also thanked ZOOM and Sysco for their generosity, “Thank you so much for your donation of 50 turkeys. We will give these out with our annual Thanksgiving food giveaway. Thank you for blessing 50 families.”

Andrea Carson, Operations Manager at St. John House of Hope, distributed the turkeys to needy families through the church’s food pantry on Sunday, with the remaining turkeys delivered to sick and shut-in families in the St. Louis area.

“Thank you so much for thinking of St. John House of Hope and gifting us with the turkeys. Pastor Lemons and the entire Board of Directors want to let you know how appreciative we are of being considered. We are blessed by your generosity and House of Hope was excited to be able to share the blessing,” said Carson.