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Compiled by Lauri Johnson
ADAMS PARK
COMMUNITY CENTER
UNVEILS NEW MURAL
 The children-created mural at the entrance of Adams Park Community Center. |
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A new mural created by children has been unveiled at the entrance of Adams Park Community Center in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood of St. Louis. The mural was painted by approximately sixty students in an after-school visual arts program, sponsored by MetLife Foundation and implemented by the COCA Urban Arts Program. The children, ages 11 to 14, met twice a week after school to paint the five-foot by 14-foot mural, which celebrates the city’s history.
“The students started the process with field trips to the St. Louis Art Museum, Mad Art Gallery, the graffiti wall on the Riverfront and other venues to research and study large-scale artwork within the community,” stated COCA Urban Arts Director Shawna Flanigan in a news release.
ST. CHARLES CONVENTION CENTER ON TRACK FOR APRIL GRAND OPENING
Construction of the new $49 million convention center in St. Charles, Mo., is progressing on schedule, and the facility is scheduled to debut in April 2005. Designed to cater to corporate business clients, the convention center will offer customized private catering, an executive boardroom and state-of-the-art technology. The first floor will primarily host exhibits, meetings and smaller banquets, while the second floor will feature a grand ballroom and upscale amenities designed primarily for banquets. A Cyber Café with gourmet food and coffee will also be available for business clientele and the public alike.
The new venue has already booked 26 events, including the ShowBiz National Talent Show, a Home Builders Association show, and a Keepsake Country Craft Show, according to facility manager Global Spectrum. A 286-room Embassy Suites convention hotel, also under construction, will connect to the convention center via a walkway.
MURPHY CO.
WINS CICE AWARD
Murphy Co., a St. Louis-based mechanical contractor has earned a Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness Award from the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers for its work on a historic building restoration project at Villa Duchesne/Oak Hill School in Frontenac, Mo.
| Murphy Co. earned CICE Award for its work on a historic building restoration project at Villa Duschesne/Oak Hill School. |
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Murphy Co. shaved 13 months from an
18-month project schedule while converting a steam heating system to a more efficient, modern heating, ventilation and air conditioning system using new construction
technology, according to a company news release. The solution cut project costs by 20 percent and preserved the building’s historic integrity without disrupting classes.
PRIDE OF ST. LOUIS
PUBLISHES CONSTRUCTION CAREERS MANUAL
PRIDE of St. Louis Inc. has published the 5th edition of its Careers in Construction manual, a handbook that highlights career opportunities for skilled workers and describes entry-level requirements, training programs and work performed by members of 20 AFL-CIO building trades. The manual is available to parents, high school counselors, high school students and others interested in construction careers. For free copies, call the Construction Industry Training School at 314/644-1525 or visit www.prideconstruction.org.
ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR, DRURY INNS TOP HOSPITALITY INDEX
During the third quarter of 2004, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Drury Inns ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction in their respective industries, according to the Market Metrix Hospitality Index. Enterprise continues to dominate the car rental category by ranking No. 1 for the seventh consecutive quarter since 2003, and Drury Inns ranked No. 1 among midscale hotels without food and beverage for the second consecutive quarter in 2004. Drury Inns also ranked No. 1 for last three quarters of 2003. The Market Metrix Hospitality index is a quarterly report of customer satisfaction with hotel, airline and car rental companies based on 35,000 in-depth consumer interviews. The index is produced by Market Metrix LLC, a San Rafael, Calif.-based provider of market research services for the hospitality industry.
FRONTIER RECEIVES APPROVAL TO FLY FROM
ST. LOUIS TO CANCUN
Frontier Airlines has received federal approval to offer non-stop service between Cancun International Airport and Lambert-St. Louis International airport. Frontier plans to begin
service on Feb. 25, 2005. Flights between the two cities will operate three times per week
on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
TRI-COUNTY
CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Twenty-five owners/managers who personify the entrepreneurial spirit have been honored with Tri-County Circle of Champions Entrepreneur Awards, which recognize business achievements in Lincoln, St. Charles and Warren counties.
The award winners are Flavia Everman of Warren County Fine Arts Council, Joe Helmsing of Craftsmen Industries, Amy Cole Buehler of Therapeutic Horsemanship, Chuck Blossom of Boone Center Inc., Thomas Hughes of T.R. Hughes Inc., Wayne Baker of Warrenton Oil, Gary and Tammy Mueller of
1-800-DryClean, Robert Hartman of Meal Makers, and Brenda and Maurice Newberry of The Newberry Group.
More than 85 candidates, nominated by their peers and co-workers, were judged on their ability to lead their companies with innovative, cutting-edge products or services, to discover new business opportunities, and to tirelessly beat the odds for success.
PENN NATIONAL GAMING TO ACQUIRE ARGOSY GAMING COMPANY
Argosy Gaming Company, owner of the Alton Belle Casino in Alton, Ill., has agreed to merge with Penn National Gaming Inc. in a deal that would transfer all of Argosy’s outstanding shares to Penn National Gaming for $47 per share. The transaction is valued at approximately $2.2 billion and is expected to close in the latter half of 2005. The combined company will be third largest operator of gaming properties in the U.S. with annual revenue in excess of $2 billion.
REUTERS, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, ST. LOUIS 2004, X PRIZE FOUNDATION & CLARK TOP LIST OF "SOLD ON ST. LOUIS" AWARD WINNERS
Sold in St. Louis Award Winners :
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Maxine Clark and SpaceShipOne. |
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Congratulations to Reuters America LLC, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis 2004, the X PRIZE Foundation, and Build-A-Bear Workshops Founder Maxine Clark, each of whom are among the 16th Annual Sold on
St. Louis Award winners. The Awards salute individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the economic and cultural growth of the St. Louis region.
Reuters America LLC received the top award in the “Achievement by a business or organization located in St. Louis five years or less” category. Reuters, the largest distributor of financial data in the world, has made St. Louis a critical hub within their worldwide operations.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital was recognized with the “Achievement by a business or organization located in St. Louis more than five years.” Founded in 1879, St. Louis Children’s Hospital is one of the premier children’s hospitals in the nation.
Maxine Clark received the “Individual Achievement” Award for her success as founder and “Chief Executive Bear” of Build-A-Bear Workshops. The first Build-A-Bear Workshop opened in Fall 1997. There are now over 150 stores operating throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The St. Louis-based X PRIZE Foundation was honored with a “Special Award” for the successful suborbital space flights last September 29th and October 4th of SpaceShipOne—The New Spirit of St. Louis. The $10 million Ansari X PRIZE check was presented to American Mojave Aerospace Ventures.
St. Louis 2004 received the “Special Achievement” Award for its successful efforts to help revitalize the St. Louis region. Headed by former U.S. Senator John Danforth,
St. Louis 2004 posted successes in a wide range of special focus areas before concluding its work at the end of 2004.
The annual Sold on St. Louis Awards Luncheon was presented by the St. Louis Association of REALTORS, and sponsored by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, with production support from the RCGA.
MAYOR SLAY, AREA ORGANIZATIONS
HONORED FOR EFFORTS TO HELP CHILDREN
| Mayor Francis Slay receives “Investing in St. Louis Children” Award from Vision for Children at Risk Board President Richard Kurz, left. |
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The nonprofit organization Vision for Children at Risk honored St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and three organizations for their efforts to help area children. Mayor Slay received the “Investing in St. Louis Children” Award during the St. Louis Metropolitan Children’s Summit for working to increase community investments that promote child well-being and for prompting civic leaders to address children’s issues. Citigroup, the Missouri Foundation for Health, and the East
St. Louis Monitor all received 2004 Children’s Champion Awards for making exceptional contributions to promote the well-being of children.
JEFFERSON COLLEGE EXPANDS SERVICES
After years of discussion and planning, the board of trustees for Jefferson College has approved a plan to expand services to residents in Jefferson County by opening two new educational centers near High Ridge and Arnold. The new sites are expected to be open by the fall of 2005 and 2007, respectively.
“Our mission has always been to serve students and to provide a quality learning atmosphere, and our staff does both very well,” says Bill McKenna, president of Jefferson College. “This decision will provide an expanded opportunity to serve many more of our citizens. Now is the time to reach out because an affordable education has never been more important.”
T.R. HUGHES
RECEIVES HOMEBUILDING AWARDS
The Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis has honored T.R. Hughes with 14 Homer Awards and a Bravo Award. The awards are presented for excellence in homebuilding in the
St. Louis metropolitan area. T.R. Hughes received Homer Awards in every type of homebuilding category, including single-family affordable homes, single-family move-up homes, villas, town houses and custom homes. The company also received a Bravo Award, which recognizes outstanding new-home communities that are five to 15 years old and more than 90 percent built out, for its Country Bluff Villas community in St. Charles County.
RIDEFINDERS INTRODUCES
REGIONAL BIKEWAYS MAP
The bikeways of the St. Louis metropolitan area form one of the greatest trail systems in the Midwest, and now comprehensive information for all of these bikeways is available on one map. RideFinders, a regional rideshare program, has created the Regional Bikeways of Metro St. Louis map to show the names and paths of more than 40 dedicated bikeways that cover 2,000 square miles across six counties in Missouri and Illinois. Detailed information regarding each bikeway’s length, surface type, parking lots and connections to other routes is also available on the map. For people who want to incorporate bicycling into their daily commute, the map also provides information on combining the bike routes with transit services offered by Metro and Madison County Transit. Contact RideFinders at 800/VIP-RIDE (847-7433) to obtain free maps.
ALLEN MARKET APARTMENTS SLATED FOR $11.7 MILLION RENOVATION
The historic Allen Market Lane Apartments building in Soulard is undergoing an $11.7 million renovation that will create modernized living spaces for the senior residents who live there. Once upgraded, the apartments will have new carpets, kitchens and baths, as well as higher ceilings. Internal systems, such as fire sprinklers, will be upgraded so that they meet building codes.
Developer McCormack Baron Salazar has enlisted Brinkmann Constructors and Trivers Associates Architects to provide the makeover, which will be handled in phases so that residents can move into new apartments as they are completed. Work is expected to be finished in June 2005.
CORTEX STARTS CONSTRUCTION ON BIOTECH FACILITY
Construction is underway on a new $36 million biotech facility that is being develop-ed by CORTEX, the Center of Research, Technology & Entrepreneurial Exchange.
On Dec. 16, 2004, CORTEX broke ground on the first building in its life sciences and research
development. (Left to right): Fred Goebel, HOK; John Dubinsky, CORTEX; Steve Lipstein, BJC HealthCare; Larry Shapiro, Washington University School of Medicine; Dr. Peter H. Raven, Missouri Botanical Garden; Mayor Francis Slay; Bob Clark, Clayco Construction Company; and Kathleen Brady,
Saint Louis University. |
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Located on Forest Park Avenue in midtown St. Louis, the three-story, 170,000-square-foot building will provide state-of-the-art laboratories and office space for biotech firms and is being designed to be energy efficient and environmentally sensitive. Construction is scheduled to be finished by December 2005, and two tenants have already leased space. Washington University Medical School and Stereotaxis Inc., a manufacturer of cardiology equipment used to treat coronary artery disease, will occupy more than 50 percent of the space. The building is expected to be fully leased by the end of 2006 and will house an estimated 500 to 600 employees.
Development of the new biotech center has been a collaborative effort by city and state officials and business leaders in an effort to boost St. Louis’ presence as the center of the BioBelt.
LAKE ST. LOUIS RETAIL CENTER REACHES FULL CAPACITY
The Shoppes at Lake Saint Louis, a 22-acre retail center located in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., has been fully leased, according to developer The DESCO Group. Located at the intersection of Interstate 64 and Lake Saint Louis Boulevard, the center is anchored by Schnucks and is home to Custom Cuts, Dawn Dental, Great Wall, Nail Spa, Porta’s Pizza, Quizno’s Subs, The UPS Store and Curbside Cleaners. The center generates $1.23 million in annual sales tax for the city, according to Lake Saint Louis Mayor Mike Potter.
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