|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue: 1005 Date: 11/26/2009
|
|
Molasky Group to Build NARA Facility in St. Louis County, Retains 800 Jobs
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Louis, MO, November 17, 2009 - Reported to be one of the most complex projects in St. Louis County history, the $100 million new high-performance facility for the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) National Personnel Records Center is just months away from the start of construction, retaining nearly 800 jobs. The first phase of the project is scheduled for completion by May 2011.
It has been fifteen months since the U.S. General Services Adminstration (GSA) awarded the contract to secure 23.5 acres of land at 1829 Dunn Road for the construction of the 474,690-square-foot records center. During that time, the project faced multiple obstacles including the collapse of financial markets and downturn in commercial lending for large-scale projects. Barry Real Estate Companies was able to bring in The Molasky Group out of Las Vegas, NV to secure the project financing. Commitment, cooperation, partnership, perseverance, and tenacity paved the way to the project's ultimate success.
"There are many people who worked tirelessly on this extremely complicated and challenging transaction to ensure NARA and its approximate 800 jobs stay in St. Louis County," said St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. "I am very grateful to U.S. Senator Kit Bond, Governor Jay Nixon and U.S. Congressman Lacy Clay for their long-term support to make this happen."
The project will be built by a joint venture of Hardin Construction Company of Atlanta, GA and St. Louis-based Tarlton Corporation and designed by HKS of Dallas, TX.
"We are delighted to see the project move forward. This team has collaborated for over two and a half years and worked diligently to design a building that will truly be a world-class facility, meeting and exceeding the operational objectives of NARA," said Chuck Moody, senior vice president and project executive for The Molasky Group of Companies.
The National Personnel Records Center will be the largest national archives facility outside of the greater Washington, D.C. area, with a central repository of personnel-related records for both military and civil service employees. In 2005, Congress authorized the release of many records including those of significant historical relevance such as Elvis Presley, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower and sports legends Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson. The facility is the record gatekeeper to government agencies, military veterans, former civilian federal employees, family members, as well as researchers and historians and responsible for over one million record requests annually.
The majority of NARA operations will relocate from the Federal Records Center at 9700 Page Avenue to the new building, which will be located on land previously owned by North County automotive dealer Johnny Londoff. Other local NARA facilities also will move to the facility.
"We are thrilled that construction of this building will soon be under way. The cooperation and support of St. Louis County, the State of Missouri and congressional delegation have helped us overcome tough economic times and put a great project back on track," said GSA Acting Regional Administrator Michael Brincks.
The Molasky Group of Companies, a real estate and development management company, is the project's owner and developer. Molasky has extensive experience in financing and managing build-to-suit projects for federal and state government agencies. Scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2011, the building will meet stringent environmental standards for preserving irreplaceable records and provide more productive work space.
"I was born in St. Louis at Barnes Hospital and am delighted to return to my roots. I am also proud to bring to St. Louis the joint efforts of our company's 60 years of design, excellence, delivery, and reputation for world-class projects," said Irwin Molasky, chairman of the board for The Molasky Group of Companies.
"The Molasky Group of Companies is proud to expand upon its existing portfolio of GSA projects with the immediate development of the NARA project. Not only will this much-needed facility assist NARA in their important mission, it will create needed construction and permanent jobs within St Louis County," said Richard S. Worthington, the company's President and Chief Operating Officer.
About St. Louis County Economic CouncilFounded in 1984, St. Louis County Economic Council serves as the county's economic development agency, driving growth and prosperity in the most economically important county in Missouri. As the only economic development agency in the state to hold the esteemed Accredited Economic Development Organization from the International Economic Development Council, it provides a broad range of services through its six divisions: business development, business finance, economic development collaborative, real estate and community development, St. Louis Enterprise Centers, and World Trade Center Saint Louis.
About GSAGSA was created by Congress to improve efficiency and leverage the buying power of the federal government in order to acquire best value for the American taxpayers. GSA's Heartland Region delivers superior workplaces, quality acquisition services and expert business solutions for federal workers located in more than 400 government-owned and leased buildings in communities throughout Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. |
|
|
|
