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September 23, 2024
Welcome to People and Properties, the Cohen-Esrey newsletter where we celebrate the successes of our team members and keep you informed about what is happening in the Cohen-Esrey world. If you have something you would like to share or an achievement that you would like to celebrate, please send it to Lee Harris at lharris@cohenesrey.com. If you are on a property, please print and distribute this newsletter to each member of your property team. You can also find People and Properties on KnowledgeNet. Click here to view previous editions.
What’s it Like to Live in a School?
Grant Historic Residences
Washington Historic Residences
Old School Apartments
Have you ever thought about what it might be like to live in an apartment that was once a school you attended? Over the years, Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) has managed several such properties including three that are currently part of the portfolio. Grant Historic Residences is a 21-unit affordable property in Goodland, KS, that was formerly a junior high school. Washington Historic Residences is a 23-unit affordable property in Independence, KS, that was formerly an elementary school. Both historic properties were developed by the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG). Two other CEDG school developments were sold in the past few years including Chaumiere Place (35-units) in Kansas City, MO, and Grant School (27-units) in St. Louis, MO. A third-party managed former school is called the Old School Apartments (37-units) in New Orleans, LA.
The adaptive reuse of former school buildings is both challenging and rewarding. Older plumbing and electrical systems must be revamped. Most buildings have not had air conditioning – so that must be added. The layout of apartments is definitely not standardized which can add to the charm of a building. Many older school buildings have higher ceilings, so positioning ceiling light fixtures must be carefully considered – especially when it comes to changing light bulbs. Almost all school buildings have high-ceilinged gymnasiums. Sometimes a few apartment units can be created in such spaces and community/amenity space can also be designed. While the footprint of a school building may look quite large, most such structures don’t yield many units – in our case, only 21 to 37-units which becomes challenging to generate operating efficiencies. Further, there is usually a lot of common space due to corridors, and rooms that can’t be converted into living spaces.
We’ve heard from a few residents who attended a school decades ago who have actually rented a unit that was formerly one of their classrooms. Talk about coming full circle! At Grant Historic, one-bedroom units average 791 square feet and rent from $525 to $552 per month. At Washington Historic, one-bedroom units average 754 square feet and rent from $455 to $555 per month, and two-bedroom units average 1,059 square feet and rent for $650 per month. At Old School studio units average 620 square feet and rent for $673 per month; one-bedroom units average 734 square feet and rent from $670 to $923 per month; and two-bedroom units average 900 square feet and rent for $852 per month.
Amanda Trew (2022) is the Property Manager at Grant Historic; Amber Rodriguez (2021) is the Property Manager for Washington Historic; and Robrelle Murray (2024) is the Senior Property Manager for Old School. Dawn Boyer (2022), is the Regional Manager for all three assets. Paige Bohling (2022) is the Property Accountant and Emily Fletcher (2022) is the Accounting Assistant for Grant Historic. Leslie Whitney (2022), is the Property Accountant and Lana Frank (2022), is the Accounting Assistant for Old School and Washington Historic.
We welcome the following new team members to Cohen-Esrey and the Nexus 5 Group.
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Annie Jett – Windsor Court, Arkansas City, KS – Maintenance Technician
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Travis Collins – Champion at Bluegrass, Lexington, KY – Maintenance Supervisor
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Dessa Longgrear – Park Edge, Lenexa, KS – Property Manager (Rehire)
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Jazmine Hubbard – Sunset Apartments, Texarkana, TX – Assistant Property Manager
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Antonio Hernandez – Loretto at Creekside, Live Oak, TX – Maintenance Supervisor
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John Turner – Lofts at the Grim, Texarkana, TX – Maintenance Technician
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Paosoua Herr – Jefferson on the Lake, Olathe, KS – Leasing Agent
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Melisa Martin – Loma Vista Lofts, San Antonio, TX – Assistant Property Manager
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Shanequia Dean – Lofton Place, Fort Worth, TX – Assistant Property Manager
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Alejandro Ramirez – Preserve at Westover Hills, San Antonio, TX – Maintenance Technician
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Arturo Morales – Pam Apartments, Pampa, TX – Maintenance Technician
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Steve Keylock – Walnut Street Flats, Reedsburg, WI – Custodian
Meet the Lincoln Heights Team
Meet the team at Lincoln Heights. (L to R) Ceylon Land (2024), Housekeeper; Jesse Nuss (2024), Lead Maintenance Technician; Samantha Alexander (2024), Assistant Property Manager; April Hinrichs (2024), Property Manager; and Gage Williamson (2024), Maintenance Technician. Lincoln Heights is a 48-unit affordable community in Hastings, NE that is managed by Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) for a third-party client. This team also provides management and maintenance services for three other affordable communities in Hastings and Grand Island, NE, including Heritage Manor (41-units), the Lee Townhomes (54-units) and Holiday Garden I and II (55-units).
Transformational Construction
Construction continues at Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) future communities.
The Launchpad in Colorado Springs, CO, shows a nice profile as it nears completion.
Corridor construction is close to completion at Panorama Heights in Colorado Springs, CO.
The lease-up has begun at the Loma Vista Lofts in San Antonio, TX, as construction is wrapping up.
Construction of a long retaining wall has begun at the Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX.
Siding and window installation continues at Lewis Lofts in Mankato, MN.
Exterior painting continues at Village Park in Amarillo, TX – formerly called Astoria Park.
Concrete slabs are being poured at the Heritage at Cottonwood Creek in San Marcos, TX.
A huge retaining wall has been constructed at Overlook 157 in Asheville, NC.
Cohen-Esrey Communities Promotions!
We are pleased to announce several promotions within Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC).
Michele Rollo-Burns (2018) has had an impactful role as our Director of Revenue for the past two years, where she has expertly developed and implemented strategies to maximize revenue potential across our market rate portfolio. Going forward, she is the new Director of Leasing and Revenue. In her expanded role, Michele will now oversee our market rate leasing operations, bringing her expertise and insights to further enhance our efforts. Arley Hoskin (2022), our Leasing Strategist, has joined Michele’s team to integrate strategic approaches and advanced software solutions to drive even greater success.
Kristina Viera (2017) who has been a dedicated Regional Vice-President (RVP), has been promoted to Senior Regional Vice-President as part of a realignment of CEC. Kristina has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, particularly in expanding our third-party business, fostering strong client relationships, and focusing on proactive, financially successful operations. Her strategic mindset and unwavering Commitment have been instrumental in driving growth across the portfolio. In her new role, Kristina will play a key role in mentoring and supporting the other RVPs within the affordable portfolio, further enhancing our operational excellence.
Cassie Colston (2004) a dedicated and long-standing member of the Cohen-Esrey team, most recently serving as Senior Regional Manager and Assistant Vice-President, has been promoted to Regional Vice-President. Over the years, Cassie has exhibited exceptional leadership and a steadfast Commitment to our organization, contributing significantly across various areas of the business. She has been a trusted compliance subject matter expert, and her expertise has been crucial in maintaining regulatory adherence and operational integrity. In her new role, Cassie will continue managing her portfolio while overseeing the Compliance Department, where her leadership will be vital in shaping the future of our compliance efforts. Her strong track record and deep understanding of the compliance landscape make her a perfect fit for this expanded role.
Additionally, the Compliance Department is actively interviewing candidates for a Director of Compliance position, and we will begin recruiting for an Affordable Housing Compliance Specialist role to address the increasing workload.
We are also pleased to announce the creation of a third affordable Regional Vice-President position. This role will oversee CEC operations at all current Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) properties, as well as those in development and lease-up, ensuring continued top-tier management and support.
The Lofts at the Grim – Failure to Success
The Lofts at the Grim is a remarkable story. Developed by the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG), the historic Hotel Grim in Texarkana, TX, has become 93 affordable apartment units. Another ho-hum example of an historic renovation? Hardly. The project was started during the early days of the COVID pandemic. There were a multitude of issues. Subcontractor crews were decimated by the virus and the project came to a standstill several times. There were structural issues that arose with the construction of a second stairwell for emergency egress. The project was nearly finished when the National Park Service determined that the architectural design was deficient and the corridors on several floors were too narrow by four inches! This required ripping out the sheetrock in the common halls, removing unit interior cabinets, moving plumbing, and re-installing corridor walls. CEDG was racing the clock to complete the project by December 31, 2023, or risked losing a substantial funding source involving the historic tax credits. Thanks to the efforts of Brian Hall (2007), Project Manager, and Federico Morales (2019), Construction Superintendent, the project was finished in December 2023, and the city issued a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy just in time to save the historic tax credits.
The project had a multitude of cost overruns. Fortunately, additional sources of funds were secured to cover the additional costs – 14 sources in total! The result is a magnificent property that is not only an asset for CEDG but for the entire Texarkana community. Residents love living in a beautifully restored historic landmark and the building has been filling quickly. Thanks also to Samantha Jones (2023), Property Manager, and Alisha Brooks (2017) Regional Manager, for their superb efforts to deliver a 10-star lifestyle! Yes, the Lofts at the Grim could have been a colossal failure but has turned into a smashing success through perseverance and creativity.
“RenOvations” – Applauding Results
By Richard Williams, (2020), Renovation Director
Empowering People to Thrive takes center-stage in Cohen-Esrey’s Commitment to deliver successful outcomes for our investors, residents, team members, and the communities we impact. Playing one of the key roles in that success story, the market-rate properties engaged in renovations bring our business-critical “Best B” strategy to life. From an Olympic-like view each quarter, those standout properties who have championed rent lift, units renovated, and cost-per-unit goal-achievement, take the podium.
What Empowered the Team to Thrive?
Here is what Lisa Ralston (2020), Property Manager at Elmhurst Terrace says about renovations at her property:
“We had obstacles in the beginning with the need for dedicated electric runs to each kitchen that was not planned, and the discovery that painting the cabinets and replacing doors, would not work and all had to be replaced. Once those issues were resolved I would say that the following steps were important to our success.”
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Notice to Vacate Walks let us know what the unit needed. This was really key. We started with classic, partially renovated, and fully renovated units. The partially renovated units could have had hardwood floors, or hardwood floors and stainless appliances, we saw several different features in each unit as we walked them.
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Team communications was a high priority as well. It took time with three different maintenance supervisors on this job, but the current supervisor is communicating well with me, and it helps for us both to work with the vendors to keep it all on track.
Congratulations, Nick!
Congratulations to Nick Emenhiser (2022), who is being promoted to Development Director for the Cohen-Esrey Development Group’s (CEDG) western states including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Based in Denver, Nick joined CEDG as a Development Manager and has proven himself to be very capable working with investors, lenders, and local funding sources to advance our projects as well as representing CEDG and our projects at various city meetings.
Nick’s region has been very active with the completion of the Trails at Lehow (82-units) in Englewood, CO, and two affordable projects in Colorado Springs that are nearing completion including Panorama Heights (133-units) and the Launchpad (50-units). He is currently working on projects in Glenwood Springs, CO, downtown Denver, Salt Lake City, Glendale, AZ, and Mesa AZ. In his spare time, Nick loves to travel. We look forward to the energy and enthusiasm Nick brings to his new role.
Welcome Julie!
We’re pleased to welcome Julie Johnson as a new Market-Rate Regional Manager for Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC). Julie is from Overland Park, KS, and is based in the Corporate Office. She has considerable experience in the business world beginning in the mid-1990s – especially in property management. She managed bookings, pricing, and scheduling for banquets, meetings, private parties, and weddings for one employer. She was the Food and Beverage Manager for a Comfort Suites hotel; an Account Manager and then General Manager for National Corporate Housing; served as a Property Manager for FirstService Residential; and most recently was a Regional Manager Consultant for Midwest Diversified, overseeing the Kansas City region operations to enhance resident satisfaction and ensure efficient management.
Her portfolio will include Carlyle (Shawnee, KS), Park Edge (Lenexa, KS), Lakes at North Port (North Port, FL), Trails at Bartram Park (Jacksonville, FL), and Summit at Osage (Osage Beach, MO). In her free time, she loves painting and photography, is relearning to play the piano, and cherishes moments with her family. These passions not only enrich her life but also fuel her creativity and bring balance to her professional journey.
Thank you for choosing to become a member of the Cohen-Esrey team, Julie!
Cohen-Esrey – A Technology Company?
By Mark Fletcher (2008), Chief Operating Officer
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It is highly unusual for a company the size of Cohen-Esrey to manage its own network and server room. This gives us a distinct competitive advantage, enabling us to create and deploy servers and applications rapidly in-house, with minimal overhead.
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Hosting our own applications in our server room protects us from the cloud outages that frequently affect cloud-based solutions.
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Our custom operational platform, KNET, is exceptionally rare for a company of our size. Most companies like ours rely on off-the-shelf software, which forces them to adapt their business operations to fit the software’s capabilities. This limits their ability to innovate. In contrast, Cohen-Esrey can innovate our processes and develop custom applications to support them.
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Our custom technology stack allows seamless integration with numerous third-party systems like Onesite and Paylocity, enabling us to build integrated solutions. For example, our KPI app integrates data from OneSite, Knock, Paylocity, and RealPage BI, reducing the need for dual entry and eliminating data duplication.
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Our technology stack enables us to pivot quickly and implement customizations swiftly. Companies our size, relying on third-party applications, often wait years for customization requests to be considered and implemented by their vendors.
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Our full-stack development framework lets us code and deploy applications much faster than traditional development environments. Simple tracking apps with a single dashboard take our team less than a week to develop, while even highly complex applications are completed in months rather than years.
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We use standard programming languages, Microsoft servers, and Microsoft databases to ensure our platform is commercial-grade, well-supported, and easy to manage. This also makes it straightforward to train staff and recruit new talent.
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By partnering with commercially robust providers like Microsoft, we benefit from regular, comprehensive security updates that are easier to miss when using open-source applications. This ensures that our systems remain secure and up to date, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing overall security.
Why We Do What We Do . . .
We continue our new feature for People & Properties focusing on stories about why members of our team do what they do. In this issue, Michele Rollo-Burns (2018), Director of Leasing and Revenue, shares another inspirational story.
“Recently, I happened to be walking past the front desk in the Corporate Office where I saw Tiffany McCarty (2024), Customer Fulfillment Advocate talking to a resident from Park Edge. The resident seemed exhausted and was a bit frustrated. I overheard the conversation and jumped in to help. The resident moved into Park Edge a few months earlier and had since suffered a stroke. He was a young guy for a stroke. They moved to the third floor at Park Edge, and he needed a first-floor unit and was not getting what he needed from the office staff (most of them new team members). I jumped in to help him. At that point we set up tours for him to view other units, and I worked with pricing as much as possible to accommodate his wife and him. He even asked if I would mind showing him the units on the property. So, I juggled my schedule and got to spend a couple of hours with a resident that was not happy, find them a new home, and resolved their issues. We kept him as a resident, and he moved into his new home on the first floor at the beginning of September.
I love changing people’s perception of a bad situation and solving problems. Fulfilling others helps to fulfill me.”
A Community Impact Event
We’re excited to announce our next Community Impact volunteer event on September 27th at the Harvesters warehouse in Kansas City. Fifteen of our team members will be dedicating a few hours to packing and sorting food to support those in need. It’s a wonderful opportunity to give back and make a meaningful difference in our community. If you are interested in finding volunteer events either for yourself or your community, the Harvesters website has many volunteer events in several cities: https://www.harvesters.org/how-to-help/volunteer. Please remember to take photos to share with the team! We would love to spotlight your Community Impact efforts! A big thank you goes to Kathleen Williams (2022), Corporate Accounting Assistant for volunteering to be the Team Lead of the Community Impact Team.
Looking ahead, we’re also planning a holiday-themed volunteer event, with more details to come as we approach the season. We encourage everyone to get involved and contribute to our ongoing efforts to support those less fortunate. If you’re interested in participating or have any questions, please reach out to a member of the Community Impact Team.
Members include:
Kathleen Williams (2022) – Corporate Office, Corporate Accounting Assistant (Team Lead)
Eric Kirk (2011) – Corporate Office, Corporate Accounting Manager
Cassie Colston (2004) – Corporate Office, Regional Vice-President
Matthew von Ende (2017) – Corporate Office, Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors Managing Director
Arlette Galvan (2023) – Carlyle Apartment Homes, Assistant Property Manager
Rebecca Grimm (2019) – Corporate Office, Regional Manager
Gina Long (2022) – Corporate Office, HR Business Partner
Emily Robinson (2023) – PreservingUS, Inc., Executive Director
Marilee Scheid (2019) – Corporate Office, Director of Learning and Development
Carolyn Henson (2021) – Corporate Office, Regional Manager
Ryan Rupert (2018) – Corporate Office, IT Infrastructure Manager
Ashley Harper (2023) – Corporate Office, Executive Assistant
Jon Atlas (2015) – Corporate Office, Cohen-Esrey Development Group Managing Director (Executive Leadership Team Sponsor)
Garrett Cook (2022) – Corporate Office, Property Accounting Assistant
Jamina Beal (2023) – Freedom Place, Property Manager
Dee Bosier (2022) – Lofts at Ventura, Property Manager
Your involvement helps us strengthen our community and make a positive impact.
An Empowerment Story
By Connie Wells (2024), Property Manager, Bluejacket Lodge
Connie Wells, (2024), is the Property Manager at Bluejacket Lodge in Shawnee, KS. She was previously the Property Manager at Bluejacket from 2012 until she retired in 2021 We are thrilled that she has returned to Cohen-Esrey and here is what she has to say about her Empowerment:
"Cohen-Esrey went above and beyond to help Empower me to return to work at Bluejacket Lodge after retiring in 2021. There have been a number of great team members – Cassie Colston (2004) Regional Vice-President, Sara Antar (2002), Payroll Administrator; and Lisa Paszkiewicz (2008), Affordable Housing Compliance Specialist, just to name a few, who took the time and went the extra mile to help me feel that I could once again, do the job. Cohen-Esrey also has CE University and OASYS, both which have been very helpful. If I forget something it’s no problem; I can take a course again or look up whatever I need to find. It is busy but inspiring at the same time."
A Fun Photo
Since it’s football season, and in honor of the two-in-a-row Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, we offer this overhead image of the swimming pool at the Carlyle Apartments in Shawnee, KS, that was built in the shape of an arrowhead. Go Chiefs!
This is Not Good . . .
Well, here we are – and this isn’t necessarily rock bottom. The CEC NPS settled a few days ago at +1. You’ll notice that our focus isn’t so much on taking steps to increase the score, as it is on providing overall Customer Fulfillment. The NPS is simply a measurement of how happy our residents are – and at this point, it doesn’t look like they are feeling fulfilled. Frankly, we’re at a loss to understand how members of our team are failing to prioritize the well-being of residents. Our Vision 2026 objective is to achieve a level of Customer Fulfillment that has our residents raving about their experience to the point that we achieve a +50 NPS by December 31, 2026. We are absolutely failing in this regard. Last month, we talked about the negative comment reports each week and how there are so many things that can easily be corrected that cost no money. Property Managers never being available or answering the phone, trash in hallways and on the grounds, weeds growing in curbs and shrub beds, unfriendly encounters with the property team – these are just a few of the complaints we hear from our customers. This month is more of the same – continued backsliding. There are now only 20 properties on a Leaderboard – one less than at the end of August..
Here’s the bottom line question. What are YOU going to do to deliver Customer Fulfillment? Are you Committed to doing so?
Thankfully the Nexus 5 Group is delivering Customer Fulfillment at an extraordinary level, scoring a +88 NPS. And congratulations to Rankin Mills at +87.50, Justin Place at +79.31, and The Boulevard at +95.83 – who are locked in at First Place on our Leaderboards.
