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.