Keeley Construction + Keeley Properties: The Power of One

There is nothing better than finding a team that aligns with your goals, understands your vision for a project, and makes you enjoy coming to work every day. This is exactly what we have found since we joined forces with the Keeley Properties team on some of our local developments in St. Louis. When Keeley Properties joined the Keeley family in 2019, it opened the door to endless opportunities and an exciting pipeline of projects that will change and enhance our communities across the country. The ability to partner with Keeley Properties enables the true Power of One. Our teams our nimble and responsive, giving customers peace of mind knowing they are getting competitive but fair pricing, the highest quality in the industry, and 100% goal alignment that empowers team members to exceed their expectations.

Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction completed our first project together at The Euclid in 2020, and are currently building Marlowe at 4545 Laclede, both in St. Louis’ prized Central West End neighborhood. In addition, we are gearing up to break ground on two exciting developments at Olive Crossing and Cortex. These are two incredibly exciting projects in our St. Louis pipeline, so we sat down with four of our team members to discuss what makes this partnership so beneficial and how the teams work together to learn from and push each other towards continued success.

“My favorite part about collaborating with the Keeley Properties team is that we are a united team with common goals of safety, shorter schedules than the market, which benefits our investors, and the highest level of quality that attracts tenants looking to make our properties their home.”

-Jim Lee, Executive Vice President at Keeley Construction

“My favorite part about working with Keeley Construction is that both teams are always going in the same direction, working towards the same end goal. Culturally, everyone uplifts each other, and it is not construction vs. development. This family culture promotes a more efficient, functional environment where everyone can truly thrive and do what they are good at.”

-Mark Rubin, VP of Development at Keeley Properties

Keeley Properties developed the mixed use building, The Euclid in March 2018. When the project was originally completed, the second floor was designed for commercial office use. Keeley Properties courted many potential tenants, but as the market would dictate, we pivoted the use mix to fit out the floor as 13 new apartments along with a state-of-the-art gym space, lounge, leasing area, and steam room to serve the residential tenants. Keeley Construction was selected to update the space, bringing these apartment units to life.

“Both groups are bought-in to the Power of One, so we are always looking out for each other’s interests. When we face challenges, we face them as one team because we are Keeley. The opportunities we have had to work together allow us to look outside of our contractor bubble and learn what is important to development partners. Both sides can see different perspectives around a challenge and understand why decisions are being made. We are always working to help each other grow and understand the client’s needs more comprehensively.”

-Nathan Munie, Director of Preconstruction at Keeley Construction

Marlowe, also known as 4545 Laclede, is a ground-up multifamily residential development in Central West End, offering walkability, vibrant 18-hour density, and proximity to major employment centers. The architecture is a classical approach to an urban solution, a seven-story building designed to house 205 micro, studio, one, and two bedroom apartments with two-levels of attached garage parking. Community amenities are unique and include a courtyard with pool and outdoor lounge, club room and speakeasy, art gallery, flex office mezzanine with collaborative and individual workspaces, and a fully equipped fitness studio.

The redevelopment of a critical corner fronting Olive and I-170, Olive Crossing redefines the pathway from the airport into St. Louis' urban core. The dynamic environment features over 180,000 square feet of Class A office space, a 160-key dual-brand Marriott hotel, a 181-unit multifamily residential building, and several local, regional, and national food concepts assembled to create a culinary experience unrivaled in the area. Retail spaces include accessible and attractive outdoor dining, high ceilings with extended glass frontage, and ample easy parking. The development boasts distinctive architecture and courtyard amenities with seating, water features, greenery, and artwork programmed throughout.

“Keeley Properties is good at putting together distinctive projects that we are confident will succeed in the marketplace. Keeley Construction uses their talents and resources to execute seamlessly and avoid construction pitfalls. Each team owns whatever issues come up and we work to implement creative solutions together. We truly are one family.”

-Rob Lochner, Vice President of Development

​As the major gateway to the Cortex Innovation District, Keeley’s Cortex development offers a diversity of uses within a campus that connects St. Louis' technology hub with the Grove’s strong cultural district. The site fuses live/work/play with dynamic spaces, shared amenities and synergies—both within the two buildings and among the surrounding communities—that are currently unmatched within Cortex and create a true 18-hour environment. The multitenant tech building offers creative, flexible office space with premier highway visibility and access in a high-energy, high-collision environment next to our region's most forward-thinking people and companies. The mixed use residential building consists of 162 residential apartments atop luxury amenities and 30,000 square feet of commercial space.

These projects, and those that are yet to come, have allowed our teams to get to know each other and work in tandem to improve our local communities and pave the way for a brighter future. We could not be more excited for what is to come! Click here to learn more about these projects and take an even further look into our pipeline.

“When it comes to the future, I’m excited to build a high-performant development and construction team that is nationally recognized with billions of dollars in assets of premier properties.”

-Jim Lee

“St. Louis may have its challenges, but it’s still home, and anything we can do to foster a more sustainable, better place to live for everyone will always be a goal of mine. What we do is very tangible, but with these developments comes the opportunity to bring employment opportunities to our community – construction jobs, jobs within the building itself, and growth within the neighboring areas. We are proud of our city, and I am proud to develop where it can spur further investment in our region.”

-Mark Rubin

“I am also excited to see our current pipeline of projects, which we have been working on behind the scenes, come to fruition over the next few years. Of course, we want to continue to grow both teams’ success, both locally and nationally. With both team’s buy-in and support, this success is inevitable and it’s only a matter of time before both sides hit the $1 billion mark.”

-Nathan Munie

“I have lived in St. Louis all my life and I take immense pride in what we do. In this business, you must have a sense of ownership in everything you do and treat it as your own. I am proud that we are known for the quality of projects that we develop, and it’s always a great feeling to see more Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction signs popping up around town.”

-Rob Lochner