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Tenant Spotlight: BLAQUE KC
Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC)’s newest tenant at The Shops on Blue Parkway, Black Leaders Advancing Quality Urban Education Kansas City (BLAQUE KC) is a nonprofit, 501(c)4, organization committed to improving the academic, economic, social, emotional and life outcomes of African American children in public schools. Its driving tenets are highlighting the needs of students and the belief that parents and family voices are essential and should be working with, not doing to, the communities it serves. BLAQUE previously officed at 5008 Prospect and had outgrown their space.
“BLAQUE KC is exactly the kind of like-minded organization dedicated to serving the urban core that CBKC strives to curate for its office and retail space,” said Shannon Hesterberg, chief operations and real estate officer. “Our values and mission align with those of BLAQUE KC, we support their efforts and congratulate them on their growth.”
BLAQUE KC has developed the following principles to guide its work:
- Parents and Family – be at the forefront of advocacy for your child by building trusting relationships between families, schools and communities. Parents are urged to get involved through BLAQUE’s Power Lab PopUps, a parent movement to transform education for our kids.
- Policy – codifying our agenda through legislation. Power is built through a bold and comprehensive policy agenda to address Black achievement.
- Polity – support innovative leadership to improve outcomes by cultivating a pipeline of qualified candidates.
- Public Engagement – address out-of-school factors that affect education by becoming more informed and influencing public decisions.
- Allyship – lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people.
- BLAQUE Brand Ambassador – whether through wearing BLAQUE merchandise or sharing BLAQUE’s stories, BLAQUE is successful because of its supporters.
Dr. Cokethia Hill founded BLAQUE KC in 2020, drawing on her more than 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector organizing communities, building collaborative partnerships and strengthening assets in urban communities. She is a native of Kansas City, earned her undergraduate degree from Central Missouri State University, a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Avila University, and a doctoral degree from the University of Kansas in educational leadership and policy studies.
Dr. Hill has served on the Kansas City Public School Board and Kansas City City Council and currently is chair of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, vice-chair of the Kansas City City Plan Commission and board member of Turn the Page KC and The Urban Neighborhood Initiative.
For more information or to support BLAQUE KC, visit https://www.blaquekc.com/.
Urban Core Bus Tour Showcases Transformational Developments
On Saturday, May 21, Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC), in partnership with the Missouri Black Legislative Caucus, hosted its first ever Urban Bus Tour to showcase its recent developments to stakeholders. About 50 residents, neighborhood and civic leaders including Missouri State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove and CBKC staff met in the CBKC parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and boarded a KCATA bus for the tour led by Emmet Pierson Jr., president and CEO of CBKC.
“The goal of the tour was to show our stakeholders firsthand the transformation this organization is affecting here in this area,” shared Pierson. “From the first market rate apartments east of The Paseo – ever, to the complete altering of a blighted site into Class A office space, mixed-use and apartments, CBKC is changing the landscape, literally, in Kansas City’s urban core.”
The first stop on the tour was The Rochester, CBKC’s 81,400-square-foot, $12.6 million multi-family development. Pierson pointed out the construction progress and talked about features of the one- and two-bedroom units like stainless steel appliances, solid-surface countertops and in-unit washers and dryers, as well as the complex’s amenities – indoor/outdoor rooftop deck, fitness center, community meeting space and landscaped front and back yard spaces furnished for grilling and gathering around the fire pit.
Next, group members toured KC Sun Fresh on the Boulevard (formerly Blue Parkway Sun Fresh) at 4209 E 50th, the full-service grocery store that CBKC became owner-operator of in June 2020. Pierson shared the improvements the organization has made such as launching online grocery ordering, upgrading and renovating the physical space and improving product offerings including the locally made salsa, cobbler and candy apples that are part of the new HomeGrown program.
Heading back west, KC Parks staff members gave an overview of the new 15 and the Mahomies Playground at Martin Luther King, Jr. Square Park located at Woodland Ave. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., pointing out the colorful towers, climbing nets, suspended walkway, jumping pods, merry-go-round and a section designed especially for kids ages 2-5.
The next stop on the tour was CBKC’s Offices at Overlook underway at Agnes and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Here Pierson outlined plans for a 64,000-square-foot office building with three stories and private tenant roof terraces. He shared that the building is the first in the 11-acre, $100 million multi-use development that transforms underused and blighted property. The combined Class A office space, mixed-use space and multi-family units with walking trail and outdoor event plazas is another first-of-its-kind in the area.
KC Sun Fresh on Linwood between 31st and Linwood and Prospect that CBKC took over in January was next on the tour. Pierson shared that the acquisition of the 38,000-square-foot grocery store is in keeping with CBKC’s mission to ensure accessibility of nutritious foods including organic and vegan options, competitive pricing, ancillary services and market-rate pay with benefits for employees.
Heading back south, the group’s next stop was CBKC’s Twin Elms at 41st and The Paseo, a senior housing complex that fills an overwhelming need for affordable senior (55+) housing. Pierson informed the group that the 54-unit development was recently awarded funding to undertake a substantial $8.8 million renovation of the exterior and interior that will repair and modernize the 20-year-old property.
Next the tour traveled to 4736 Prospect to see the new location of Emmanuel Family and Child Development Center that provides access to high-quality learning environments for children living in poverty. CBKC sold the land to the center and it opened in the new space in May 2020.
Last on the tour was The Cleveland, the $12.6 million modernization of 80 residential units and the new construction of a community building for resident use, resulting in a full transformation of the property. Renovations will outfit the units with modern appliances and energy-efficient systems, as well as new flooring, bathrooms and kitchens, and the apartments will be priced competitively. The new project will allow residents whose income exceeds 60 percent area median income the opportunity to continue residency.
The three-hour tour concluded where it began, at CBKC’s offices. Overwhelmingly, tour participants gave favorable feedback about the tour and expressed interest in doing it again in the future.
“We’re passionate about our work and it was tremendous to be able to share it with our constituents,” said Pierson. “We truly appreciate that 50 people took three hours out of their weekend to experience our vision with us.”
EastPointe Realty, CBKC-Owned Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management Firm, Finding Success
EastPointe Realty, the full-service real estate brokerage firm specializing in property management and wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Builders of Kansas City, has experienced growth and expansion in the 18 months since its founding. The firm, which serves both the commercial and multi-family markets, has added St. Louis to its geographic footprint and grown to 990 units and 31 employees.
“It’s been an exciting time, with taking over management of 433 units in St. Louis and adding 567 units here in Kansas City,” said Irving Blue, EastPointe Realty managing member, “but the most exciting news is the significant renovations taking place at The Cleveland and Twin Elms to improve and extend the life of the assets.”
EastPointe’s first properties under management, in Feb. 2021, comprised 700 units. Just one year later the firm has nearly 1,000 units. Blue wants to extend the growth by expanding into bordering states that have realtor reciprocity agreements and intends to have 5,000 units under management in five years.
“Another reason for our growth is being part of the significant new construction happening at The Rochester, CBKC’s 81,400-square-foot, $12.6 million project on its campus at 4001 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,” explained Blue. Pre-leasing its 64 units will begin in May.”
Blue said he finds the work of taking assets that were underperforming and changing their trajectory to be higher performing assets both rewarding and fulfilling. “We continue to do assessments of the properties and make adjustments to improve and extend the life of the assets,” he said. “It means a lot to me to be able to play a part in ensuring underserved communities have affordable, quality housing.”
EastPointe Realty was able to grow despite the pandemic, but it wasn’t without challenges. Not only were there the familiar supply chain pain points, but with more residents working from home, repairs and customer service needs increased.
“Ultimately, it was a good thing – it forced us to become more technologically astute,” said Blue. “Before we were using paper processing and now we’re virtual. All our communities are moving toward a virtual platform. By 2023 all rent will be paid and work orders submitted electronically and we’re building a database to better manage resident engagement. Our recent survey revealed that our residents struggle to be electronic so we know we’ll need to address the digital divide as we move forward.”
By 2024, Blue plans for the company to be completely paperless, with the exception of the sales team. “We would never be totally virtual for sales,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to lose that customer relationship, ever. Our motto is ‘We Care’ and we fully intend to carry that through.”
EastPointe Realty Brings Financial Education Program to Residents
Having a bank account, or being banked, provides many benefits: bank accounts are safer, more convenient and cost less than other ways of accessing cash like cashier’s checks and check cashing services. Studies have shown that being unbanked or underbanked is associated with poor saving behavior, poor financial planning and incurring higher costs for all financial transactions. It is estimated that the cost of being unbanked in the United States is around 4 percent of a consumer’s median household income.1
Despite the clear advantages of being banked, minority populations are 5.5 times more likely to be unbanked than non-minority.2 Irving Blue, managing member of EastPointe Realty, Community Builders of Kansas City’s wholly-owned subsidiary brokerage and property management firm, wants to do something about it.
“In talking with our property managers, we learned that 30 to 50 percent of our residents are using money orders to pay their rent,” he said. “Acquiring a money order requires scheduling and the additional time of standing in line to get it – a process that can take up to an hour – and there is a fee involved. Also, a money order is often difficult to process because of legibility.”
Blue contacted EastPointe’s banking partner, Commerce Bank, to come to its properties and meet one-on-one with residents to provide education on the benefits of having a banking relationship and dispel any myths surrounding banking.
After the meetings residents will be surveyed and based on feedback, additional financial education sessions may be scheduled.
Blue said Commerce has not only helped them provide value added service to EastPointe’s residents but has been an excellent partner to the company as well. “We set up quarterly lunch and learns for our employees and it’s been wildly successful,” he said. “It’s our effort to provide more and better benefits to our associates and in turn have a stronger organization.”
The resident program will begin at Twin Elms Apartments, 41st and Paseo Blvd., in July and then roll out to the rest of the EastPointe Realty properties in Kansas City and St. Louis.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7173312/
2 https://www.fdic.gov/analysis/household-survey/2019report.pdf
CBKC Takes Ownership of Sun Fresh Market in the Linwood Shopping Center
In December 2021, Community Builders of Kansas City became the owner of the Sun Fresh Market in the Linwood Shopping Center located at 3110 Wabash. The acquisition is in keeping with CBKC’s mission to ensure accessibility of quality food in the urban core, “We will continue to do whatever it takes to avoid a food desert in the urban core,” said Emmet Pierson, Jr., president and CEO of CBKC. “We’re all about leveling the playing field and all communities – not just suburban – deserve a best-in-class grocery shopping experience.”
The acquisition of the 38,000-square-foot grocery store brings the organization’s supermarket ownership to two locations totaling 90,000 square feet, which adds CBKC to a very short list of African American-led, full-service grocery owners in the country. In June of 2020, CBKC took over ownership and operations of Sun Fresh on Blue Parkway, located at 4209 E. 50th Terr., when the current operator announced his retirement.
CBKC transitioned operations smoothly on February 10, 2022 by hiring most existing staff who worked at the Linwood Sun Fresh with the prior operator and plans to make improvements to food selection and pricing as well as tangential services like online shopping. Healthy and organic food availability is a priority for the organization.
“Typically in urban neighborhoods you see smaller grocery stores with high prices, limited inventory, low-paid staff and few if any service offerings,” Pierson said. “CBKC’s approach is to offer nutritious foods inclusive of organic and vegan options, competitive pricing, ancillary services and market-rate pay with benefits for employees. We can bring that model, along with our diverse management team, to urban grocery stores as we move into other regions as well.”
The purchase allows for operational efficiencies between the two grocery stores and opens new markets, however, Pierson emphasized that the Sun Fresh on Linwood acquisition is not merely a business investment. At its core, CBKC is a mission-driven organization and the supermarket purchase is about meeting the needs of the store’s customers, employees and surrounding community.
Transforming the Historic Development That Led to CBKC’s Founding
Community Builders of Kansas City (CBKC) is preparing to close on construction financing for the complete renovation of The Cleveland, the $12.6 million project will combine Mt. Cleveland Heights and Mt. Cleveland Townhomes into one project. The outcomes will include modernization of 80 residential units and the new construction of a community building for resident use, resulting in a full transformation of the property.
In the early 1990s, Swope Parkway Health Center saw need for an urban substance abuse treatment center. The adjacent Mt. Cleveland neighborhood wanted to organize and start neighborhood development planning. In exchange for neighborhood support of the treatment center, Swope Parkway Health Center committed to help revitalize the Mt. Cleveland neighborhood and thus Community Builders of Kansas City was established. Its first task: to eliminate drug houses and build a safe, family-oriented neighborhood. From these simple roots the Mt. Cleveland Initiative was born, having four objectives:
- Integration of health care services and community development activities
- Incorporation of social services into neighborhood revitalization
- Spurring of community-based commercial redevelopment
- Facilitation of community-based residential development
Through 30 years of CBKC cultivation, the 70-acre Mt. Cleveland project has grown to generate over $150 million of investment encompassing much more than the original housing and substance abuse treatment center. Anchored by the 143,000-square-foot, $18 million Swope Health Center facility and a full-service grocery store, the project also includes more than 150,000 square feet of commercial office space, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail space, a child and family development center, credit union, post office and additional stores and services absent in other local urban neighborhoods.
The Cleveland redevelopment combines what has been two separate properties – the original Mt. Cleveland Heights duplexes built in 1997 and Mt. Cleveland Townhomes built in 2004 – into one entity, The Cleveland. CBKC is the developer of the project and will serve as general partner. Its subsidiary EastPointe Realty will manage the property. Funded with 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), this project offers a range of affordability from 18 Public Housing Authority (PHA) units (serving families at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI)) to 54 LIHTC units (serving families at or below 60% AMI) to 8 market rate units (serving all families). This is an example of the type of mixed-income housing development the City of Kansas City, Missouri is seeking. Furthermore, this project is a testament to CBKC’s mission and commitment to the community; some residents have been living at this property for many years and have increased their income over the years. The new project will allow those residents whose income exceeds 60% AMI the opportunity to continue to be a part of this community.
Located at 51st Street and Cleveland Avenue, the property’s units are all three-bedroom ranging in size from 1,039 to 1,276 square feet, each with a single-car attached garage. Renovations will outfit the units with modern appliances and energy-efficient systems, as well as new flooring, bathrooms and kitchens. and the apartments will be priced competitively.
The new community building will provide space for classes, a computer room, exercise room and flexible space where residents can host small meetings or larger gatherings. On-site programming will offer health/wellness initiatives, job searching and career development and youth-oriented activities.
A partnership with the Beta Lambda Educational Institute will provide student services such as mentoring, access to an annual tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and ACT prep classes to eligible residents.
The development and financing team is made up of professionals with extensive experience in multi-family, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) projects and includes Straub Construction, Rosemann & Associates PC architects, Powell Engineering, EastPointe Realty, LLC, Hardwick Law Firm, Horizon Housing Foundation, LWH Consulting, LLC, RCT Investments, LLC, Raymond James, Sugar Creek Capital, MHDC, the City of Kansas City, Missouri and UMB Bank.
The Cleveland $12.6 million rehabilitation project is just the latest manifestation of CBKC’s mission to change the landscape by promoting equity, access, opportunity and advocacy.