News

ORB Management was recently contracted by the Region 5 Children’s Museum Board of Directors to be their Owner’s Representative for a planned new Wonder-Trek Children’s Museum (WTCM) in Brainerd, Minnesota.  Nor-Son Construction of Brainerd has been contracted to be the architect and contractor for the project, which is anticipated to be approximately 26,000 SF of program space for play and interactive learning, exhibit areas, multi-generational spaces, and support areas in addition to natural outdoor amenities.   Jim Roe Museum Planning has been engaged as the exhibit specialist for the project. 

The WTCM’s audience will be children 12 years and under, their parents, grandparents, caregivers, and educators living in and visiting the five-county region. Visiting the museum, exploring exhibits, meeting friends, participating in programs, will be learners who are social, active and curious.  The project team has been working diligently over the past few months to develop conceptual site plans, floor plans, building elevations and probably cost estimates to eventually be used for funding source applications and community involvement opportunities.

Celadon Partners, LLC (established in 2008 as a low-income housing tax credit syndicator and affordable housing developer) has engaged ORB Management to be their Owner’s Representative partner for multiple senior and affordable housing projects across the upper Midwest and nationally.  Along with State and local representatives, ORB Management recently celebrated the groundbreaking of Maywood Supportive Living, a major historic redevelopment of a five-story, 133,000-square-foot supportive living facility for seniors located at 316 Randolph Street in Maywood, Illinois.

Maywood Supportive Living represents a $50 million investment in Maywood and features the adaptive re-use of the former Baptist Retirement Homes. The property, which was added to the State of Illinois’ National Register of Historic Places in 2017, will be fully renovated into a supportive living facility for seniors age 65 and up. When completed, Maywood Supportive Living will offer 100 units of supportive housing, a commercial kitchen, dining room, resident lounge, game room, movie theater room, general store, a library, beauty shop, exercise room, wellness rooms and exam rooms. The project will create 130 temporary construction jobs and 70 permanent jobs.

There will be as many as 110 beds in the 100 units (83 studio and 17 one-bedroom units) and each will include a full bath, kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave, cabinets and sink, and in-unit nurse call system. Group and individual programming will be led by staff and local partners offering social services and events for residents. Other assistance will include activities for daily living, including medication management, housekeeping and laundry.

Affordable and supportive senior housing is a key component of making the [senior] stage of life possible for residents, regardless of their socioeconomic means.  For more than 15 years, this historic building has been vacant, sitting idle, waiting for a new purpose once again. Eighteen months from now this building will be beautiful and ready to serve its residents thanks to continued perseverance from the community and stakeholders.

Gleason Architects of Sugar Grove, IL and Skender Construction of Chicago are serving as the architect and general contractor, respectively.

ORB Management is the Owner’s Representative on the new Tri-County Health Care project! Ground-breaking was held May 21, 2021 for this $72 million dollar, 125,900 square-foot facility. This hospital will serve the Todd/Wadena/Ottertail County areas.

Here are some photos from the ground breaking ceremony on May 21, 2021.

To see the whole video, click below.

ORB Management is in the process of completing work on multiple projects with Ent Credit Union, based in Colorado Springs, CO.  After assisting with the planning and implementation of over 20 small projects, Ent is now in a position to engage additional staff to manage their significant growth and expansion on the Front Range of Colorado. 

According to Ent leadership, “we wouldn’t be in this position without the expertise of ORB over the past 2 years. The goal of engaging ORB was sort of a test to see how they performed and to build relationship and trust. This was definitely accomplished on these initial projects. ORB will now be in position to be considered as Ent’s Owner’s Representative for their larger expansion projects.”  Jeff Wilkins, VP of Strategic Initiatives stated, “when we find good partners, we like to find more opportunities to work together”.

The construction is underway in Walker, MN where a new Level IV Learning Center is being built! As the project continues, Kim continues to monitor the project’s budget and schedule on the Owner’s behalf. It is scheduled to open for students August of 2021. Thank you to the project partners – Sourcewell, BHH Partners, Norson and Gordian.

Check out some recent photos of the progress below.