Maxine and then I looked at the property. At first I said, ‘this is crazy.’ And then Maxine’s enthusiasm just became contagious. Next we met with the City and the Land Clearance and Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) and learned there was a competing proposal to put a flea market on that site, which in my opinion would have been terrible for the neighborhood.” “Honestly, I was motivated to keep that from happening,” continues Bob. “One thing led to another. Delmar DivINe is not a project where Clayco will make money. In fact, we’re going to spend money on it. But I believe that it could be a catalyst for change. There are other people who have interests in the neighborhood too, such as Jeff Tegethoff of Tegethoff Development, who is developing the $90 million Expo at Forest Park at DeBaliviere and Pershing. There will be 287 apartments and 20,000 square feet of retail space including a grocery store. The crime rate in that area is high and you fight crime with activity. Maxine’s plan is to create a lot of activity.” “It’s not the building project that gets me excited. I was interested because of Maxine’s idea of bringing so many things together. I don’t think it has been done exactly like this in St. Louis before -- with this amount of capital investment, this kind of new-age environment, with the right kind of amenities, conference rooms, areas to congregate, and the level of enthusiasm of the leader.” Bob Clark continues, “We’ve lost so many corporate headquarters and we’ve lost so much corporate funding. We need these kinds of projects to make up some of the gap. This project came to be because of creative funding that made the project more complex but viable.” Even though COVID-19 has had an adverse impact on nonprofits, Bob is very bullish on the future and the need for
Delmar DivINe. Citing what happened after 9/11 in 2001, Bob said, “Do you remember after 9/11? I was flying on a plane about eight months after 9/11. A guy sitting next to me told me that there wouldn’t be another hotel built for 10 years in the United States. Two years later there was the biggest hotel building boom of all time. People respond and people come back. Every time there is a crisis there is innovation and new businesses and new technology that comes out of it. I sense that the hope is that Delmar DivINe will be ground zero for this innovation.” Still nearly a year from opening its doors, both Maxine and Bob check on progress at Delmar DivINe every day, oftentimes unannounced and without any fanfare. Maxine quickly deflects praise or attention for her efforts and thanks Clayco for their love of St. Louis, their attention to quality, and for building healthy and sustainable buildings. “They (Clayco) have amazing in-house resources which have allowed us to manage the project from one place without having to play the role of contractor.” As more details of Delmar DivINe emerge, there will be many more stories about the nonprofits, their clients, and the impact to the community. For Maxine and Bob, Delmar DivINe may be their first project together and one of their greatest legacies. Generations of children will love their teddy bear or benefit from the nonprofit programs Maxine has supported. And millions of square feet of buildings will be home base for companies, their employees, and apartment dwellers countrywide. But it’s the investment Maxine and Bob are making in their own backyard that has the power to change St. Louis... and the world. For this, we applaud you in our amazement of your inspiration and action. sl
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