In March 2022, Keeley Properties, in partnership with Keeley Construction, completed construction on Marlowe, a bespoke, luxury apartment complex in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, MO. 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 Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction have found since joining forces, providing the true Power of One to customers across the nation.
“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, Keeley Properties
“The Keeley Properties team has been great to work with. It has been awesome to be part of a team that has a true vision for Design Develop Deliver. The collaboration with Keeley Properties has allowed us a fresh perspective, seeing the job from start to finish, only ending when our new residents move into their new homes!”
-Rob Grzyb, Field Operations Director, Keeley Construction
Marlowe is a 205-unit, amenity rich multifamily development raising the bar for apartment living in the Central West End. The inherent complexities of development bring challenges, but having one, cohesive Keeley team meant one united vision. Both Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction understood each other’s needs and goals, leading to a strong, mutual trust in each other and the decisions being made through every phase of the project. Understanding the WHY behind the development, property management, and construction of Marlowe led to incredible successful execution and seamless integration from the first shovel in the ground to the first resident moving in. Each team understood the high demands of the other and worked together to find creative solutions to exceed expectations.
“As the property manager at Marlowe, I was educated by our construction team from the ground-up. This made it so much easier to make operational decisions in the building, having a full understanding of how every part of the building works and knowing how it was built!”
-Lily Hanlon, Property Manager, Marlowe
The project started in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, which meant challenges – including procurement, labor, and constantly moving deadlines – were compounded. The unified team implemented weekly meetings that gave everyone a voice to discuss how these challenges were affecting their work and the greater team. In these meetings, everyone walked in ready to listen and use what was discussed to move forward and make informed decisions that would benefit the project overall.
“Internal accountability to each other means total accountability to the client. In a collaboration like this, customers can have confidence that the end product is truly a better one.”
-Scott Tribl, Special Projects Manager, Keeley Properties
From the start, the teams knew that clear, effective communication was going to be the key to success, from the smallest details to major construction and design changes. Every single person, from laborer to VP, had a voice and an impact on the project. One of the best parts about this entire process was the daily encouragement the team received. High-fives were a regular occurrence between the construction and onsite management teams. Lease an apartment? High-five from construction. Solve a construction issue? Construction team got high-fives from the leasing team. The mutual respect, excitement for reaching milestones, and overall camaraderie is not something you find on every construction project.
“The communications between our teams was ongoing and seamless. It’s not easy to move in residents while construction is wrapping up, but I would (and will!) do it again & again with the Keeley Construction team. They’ve made our clients their clients, our priorities their priorities – all for the shared success of the project. We call it 5-star service at Keeley Properties, and every touchpoint matters. We’re so pleased to be able to extend that 5-star level of care from our construction partner as well.”
-Julie Panagos, VP of Property Management, Keeley Properties
The partnership between Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction has opened the door for many more opportunities in the future. The team is excited to build off the success of the Power of One collaboration at Marlowe, taking it to the next level for the next project in the pipeline—The Clover, which is currently being built and expected to open in Summer 2023. The Power of One is a unique Keeley offering that can provide a truly sensational project experience for customers. A collaborative spirit and culture is easily fostered when all teams involved are guided by the same mission, values, and vision. This directly results in better communication, higher quality work, exceptional safety, and empowerment to exceed every expectation. When Keeley Properties and Keeley Construction come together, both sides are able to see the full picture. Understanding the construction of the project helps with operations, and better operational decisions are made with more confidence. Understanding how every construction decision affects the end customer leads to a successful integration and project experience for all parties involved.
“It was fun to tell the Marlowe story to prospects on a tour. I could speak from not only my operational views, but also from a construction standpoint, telling the complete story, from ground-up, of the Keeley way including our vision and values, so they understood and came to TRUST that it truly is the best project around.”
-Penny Wagner, Community Marketing Manager, Keeley Properties
Click here to learn more about Marlowe!