The 2011 National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Conference was held in St. Louis on October 23rd-25th, 2011 and McCormack Baron Salazar executives were excited to act as hosts in their hometown.

President Kevin McCormack and COO Vince Bennett joined the Executive director of the Saint Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) Cheryl Lovell and Reno & Cavanaugh Attorney Efrem Levy to present on “Public Housing Redevelopment in St. Louis: a Local Perspective.”  McCormack Baron Salazar has partnered with SLHA on eleven of their seventeen mixed-finance housing projects plus three non-traditional mixed-finance projects.  The presentation discussed the state of SLHA 15 years ago (with a PHMAP score of 14, occupancy rates below 70% and a substantial amount of deferred maintenance and obsolete housing stock) and compared it with the statistics today (PHAS score of 88, 10-year capital plan, modernization of 1,850 units, and over $185 million invested).  This transformation was brought about through public-private partnerships, like those with MBS.

In the afternoon, after the presentation, the Mr. McCormack, Mr. Bennett, Ms. Lovell and Mr. Levy led two tours through the north side of St. Louis, visiting SLHA/McCormack Baron developments, including: Senior Living at Cambridge Heights, Renaissance Place at Grand, Murphy Park, the SLHA Corporate Office Building and the North Sarah project that is currently under construction.