A Big Day in the West End

Some mornings just feel different. Last Thursday, September 18, we gathered on site to break ground on Albion West End, a 30-story residential tower in the heart of St. Louis. It was a crisp, clear day. The shovels were lined up, the site was prepped, and the feeling in the air was one of pride and purpose.

It’s easy to look at a pile of dirt and some heavy equipment and see just another construction site. But when you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you know that what’s really starting here is a place for people to live, grow, and belong. That’s the part that matters.

The Team That Makes It Happen

The thing I love most about days like this is the mix of people it brings together. Our partners from Albion Residential, the architects and designers at LJC, and of course the Clayco family, all standing shoulder to shoulder. Some in boots, some in blazers, some in both. That’s the nature of what we do.

And it wasn’t just leadership behind the shovels. The hands that will actually build this tower, the laborers, the foremen, the operators, they were right there in the lineup. That’s how it should be. Every person on this job has a role to play, and everyone deserves to be part of the beginning.

What We’re Building

This project will add something special to the St. Louis skyline. But even more important is what it will bring to the streets below: energy, people, community.

We’re building more than a high-rise. We’re building homes. Places where people will wake up, raise families, build careers, and live their lives. That’s always been the why behind the work. And when you remember that, it keeps you grounded.

Moving Forward With Purpose

I’ve been to a lot of groundbreakings, but I always take a minute to really feel it. To take in the people, the conversations, the sense of momentum. This one hit home, literally. It’s in St. Louis, my hometown, and it brings together so many people I’ve built alongside for years.

To everyone who helped get us to this point, thank you. From the earliest design conversations to the folks who placed the first fencing, it takes all of us.

Now the real work begins. And I wouldn’t want to be doing it with anyone else. Let’s get to it.