In October of 2016, Rise was pleased to celebrate the groundbreaking of East Fox Homes. Rise, Lutheran Development Group, and several affiliated not-for-profits undertook the complete historic rehabilitation of forty-five apartments housed in twelve historic buildings located in the Tower Grove East, Fox Park, and DeSales historic districts.
Messiah Lutheran Church began to recognize the housing needs in the community in 2013 when refugee families who had recently joined Messiah were having difficulty finding adequate housing in the area. Caught between renovated properties with high rents and the deteriorating properties left behind, refugee families were forced to move farther from the church in the search for safe housing they could afford. The struggles of these families inspired members of the congregation to look for ways they could address the needs within the neighborhood and answer the emerging call to build and preserve safe, affordable housing in their neighborhood. This need in the neighborhood inspired the humble beginnings of Lutheran Development Group.
Messiah Lutheran Church and Rise hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on November 5, 2017, at Noon, on Magnolia Ave., between California and Oregon. The neighborhood was so excited about the new development that the event turned into a block party complete with food, a celebratory cake, balloon animals and face painting for the kids, and a brass band!
Here is a list of all the partners involved in East Fox Homes:
Messiah Lutheran Church – (Developer)
Rise Community Development – Development Consultant
Lutheran Church Extension Fund – Predevelopment Lender
Landmark’s Association – Predevelopment Lender
PNC Bank – Investor
Sugar Creek Capital – Investor
EM Harris Construction – Contractor
Urban Werks Architecture and Urban Design – Architect
Fox Grove Management – Property Manager
Sterling Bank – Lender
MHDC – Tax Credit Provider, Lender
City of St. Louis Community Development Administration – Lender
City of St. Louis Affordable Housing Commission – Lender
City of St. Louis Industrial Development Authority – Bond Issuer
Gilmore & Bell – Bond Counsel
Bank of NY Mellon – Bond Trustee
Missouri Department of Economic Development
Missouri State Historic Preservation Office
National Parks Service/Department of the Interior
First American Title Company – Title and Disbursing Agent
Rosenblum Goldenhersh – Borrower’s Counsel
American Family Insurance – Insurer
City of St. Louis Cultural Resources Office
Maurice Benjamin Company – Environmental
Gelateria Del Leone – espresso provider
Thanks to everyone involved and to the neighborhood for providing such a warm welcome.