Vote for Monte Verde!

Finalist for Affordable Housing Finance Reader's Choice Award--Preservation

The MonteVerde Apartments, the Michael Group’s most recently completed project, was named a finalist for Affordable Housing Finance Readers Choice Award in the Preservation category. MonteVerde is one of only 33 finalists selected from more than 140 nominations this year.

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Read more about the finalists in the July 2010 edition of Affordable Housing Finance.

St Stephen’s Apartment Project Begins Today!

There is always a lot of mixed feelings when a project finally begins: excitement, relief, nervousness and more. This is one of those projects that have been in development for years. I’m sure at one point or another along the way, most of partners thought to themselves “is this project really going to happen?”. But sure enough, everything came together and the long awaited renovation of the St Stephen’s Court Apartments begins today! Check back here for regular updates, photos and more!

Fundraising for GEDCO! As Easy as Going Out for Happy Hour!

Join GEDCO staff, former and current Baltimore Ravens and Maryland Terps as they guest bartend at Nc Devins bar at 801 Decker in Canton to raise funds for GEDCO. GEDCO provides affordable housing and support services to low income Baltimoreans many of whom have special needs.

So come out and eat, drink and mingle on Friday, July 23 from 5pm on…for a great night in support of a great organization!

EPA Lead Certification

As most of you know, lead paint is bad news. In 2008, the EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead safe practices to reduce the incidents of lead poisoning. In April 2010, the rule went into effect and is know as the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. What does this mean for contractors? Contractors who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities must, before beginning work, provide owners, tenants, and child-care facilities with a copy of EPA's lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools (PDF) Additionally, contractors must be certified and must use lead-safe work practices.

The Michael Group has become certified in compliance with the EPA ruling. For more information about the EPA rule, check out the EPA’s Website at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

Getting Ready to Start St Stephen’s

The Michael Group and Episcopal Housing Corporation hosted a Kick-off Pizza Party last Thursday night at the St. Stephen’s Apartments. The party served as a way to get residents together and prepare them for the project. It was also a beautiful night (warm and sunny), to get everyone together to meet and mingle and get to know each other.

Dan McCarthy, Executive Director of Episcopal Housing Corporation and Michael Shacklette, President of The Michael Group talk together before the meeting starts. The partnership between EHC and TMG began on the Recovery Community Project and continues today.

The Michael Group’s Project Manager Jeff Hill, introduced the TMG staff, explained the logistics of the occupied rehab and then took questions from the residents. While the residents had lots of questions, they were all very excited about the work that would be done on their units.

After the meeting was over, the residents enjoyed pizza and dessert from Jays Deli and had a chance to talk to the project staff about the upcoming renovations.

We’re all looking forward to getting started on this exciting community project. Check back in the next couple weeks to see photos from the beginning of construction!

A Beautiful Day for the Ribbon Cutting Celebration at MonteVerde

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day for the ribbon cutting ceremony at MonteVerde. It wasn’t really a grand “re-opening” since the building was never closed (we worked with the tenants in place!). It was however a day to celebrate how far the project had come. When Greater Baltimore AHC purchased the building a few years ago, it was “a mess” (said one of the residents at yesterday’s opening). It was institutional feeling, with cinderblock walls and a lot of deferred maintenance. Despite the state of the building, the community of folks that lived there were a great, vibrant community.  Many of these fabulous residents had lived at MonteVerde since it opened 30 years ago. It was time their homes got an update.

Architect Hord Coplan Macht designed beautiful community spaces (hallways, lounges, clinic, living room, entryway) and redesigned the residents units so that they were more open, efficient and homey.

The Michael Group spent 14 months in the building renovating everything from the units and common spaces to the elevators and hvac units. The end result was a transformed MonteVerde. One you would not recognize. One that has been compared to a boutique hotel. It has finally become the home that the residents deserved.

Special thanks to everyone that helped make this project such a success including the Michael Group staff, all of our subcontractors, engineers and supplies, the development team and partners and Greater Baltimore AHC!

Enjoying the Day: David Hunter, Principal at Hord Coplan Macht, Sebastian Soriano, Superintendent for the Michael Group at Monte Verde and Michael Shacklette, President of the Michael Group.

Andrew Vincent, Executive Director of Greater Baltimore AHC and Tarek Saleh, Architect on Monte Verde for Hord Coplan Macht 

A great day for affordable housing: Housing Commissioner Graziano, City Council President Jack Young and Michael Shacklette, President of the Michael Group

 

Time to cut the ribbon

Thanks everyone! What a great project!

A Day of Celebration at the Druid Hill Y Family Center

 

The day finally arrived. A beautiful, sunny, warm day in West Baltimore. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Senator Verna Jones, Congressman Elijah Cummings and Orioles Outfielder Adam Jones all gathered in front of the Druid Hill Y Family Center-to witness and celebrate-it’s reopening.

 

For the past 3 months, volunteers have worked around the clock renovating the Druid Hill Y. As one of the oldest YMCA’s in the country at 117 years old, the Druid Hill had several deferred maintenance projects that were impacting the work that the staff was trying to do.

The Michael Group, along with Peristyle Design and team of dedicated volunteer subcontractors and suppliers were able to get the work done in just three short months. The work included installing a new gym floor, a new computer lab, a new teen area a new childcare area, and a new entryway. Corporate volunteers also spent several days cleaning up the community, planting flowers and plants and renovating an adjacent park area.

Mayor Rawlings Blake tours the new computer lab with Greg Phillips, the Druid Hill Y Center Director and John Hoey, President of the Y of Central Maryland.

As a token of appreciation, the folks at the Y presented the volunteer team with an engraved window on the front door of the Y commemorating the hard work they put into this project.

Dedication on the front door of the Druid Hill Y Family Center. 

What a wonderful day for everyone involved!

Michael Shacklette, President of the Michael Group Inc, Perry Savoy, Owner of Peristyle Design and Gary Moore, Vice President of Allstate Floors pose for a picture during the celebration.

Special thanks to everyone that donated their time and talent including the staff of the Michael Group Inc, Perry Savoy, Wilhelm Contractors, Allstate Flooring, Business Flooring, Silverblatt Electrical, Colossal Contractors, Bay Door and Hardware and Mahogany Inc.

To read more about the Druid Hill Y project check out the Baltimore Sun and the Afro!