7.0. EDSR 07-11-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• ITEMS OF INTEREST years." As president of the Lyn-Lake Improvement Association(a coalition of continued business owners and neighborhood residents working to enhance the Lyndale-Lake area),Meldahl believes the renovation and the turnaround in tenants will lend a new climate to the neighborhood. "Jim's been doing a top-notch job. I perceive it to be a very stabling influence for the area." 0 organize the Soderberg credits teamwork and technology as key components to the rapid success at Uptown Square. "There's also lot of excitement about this project,"says construc- project, Soderberg tion foreman Mark Sponsel. "We listen to the residents to get their ideas,wants and compiled a data base needs. We have a very positive team of employees and vendors who are really of 4,000 problems excited about the project." Soderberg hired a number of small contracting and construction fums for the renovation. That way,he says,the owners are personally and repairs, sorted involved in the work. They're also flexible. In other words,Soderberg had roofers them by apartment, and out on Friday nights when temperatures dipped below zero. posted a 30 point To organize the project,Soderberg created a customized computer program to list and checklist on each door. track apartment upgrades. He compiled a data base of 4,000 problems and repairs, sorted them by apartment,and posted a 30-point checklist on each door. Because units were being leased almost daily,workers often completed apartments just hours before a move in. <;,. F Soderberg seems to have a knack for breaking Twin Cities'apartment building renovation ,-•� and leasing records. He's completed three • .Y _ significant apartment building renovations 'f ' ' u ,., since 1988,when he formed Soderberg-.4 Apartment is _ t „� Apartment Specialists. In business dealings •.• .. .. r �M I. he's conservative and methodical. His . -..... property management style is simple:he takes It things seriously and runs a tight ship. "We de.-1- '^ lc, jr spoil our good residents,but we don't take kindly to troublemakers,"says Soderberg,who . once detained a vandal at his St.Louis Park _ ,_ building by arming himself with a baseball bat ` - , _ = and a cellular phone to dial 911. " Now Soderberg lives every property manager's dream:the luxury of turning away would-be renters. How he and Resident Manager David VanWyk managed to convince people to lease apartments during the height of a messy renovation confounds many. But to hear Soderberg and VanWyk talk with prospective tenants,it's evident that their enthusiasm and sincere belief in this project e spoil our sold tenants. "We would talk to people about what we are doing and,well,they just good residents, but we took a leap of faith,"says Soderberg. Yet one woman's leap of faith was thwarted on don't take kindly a cold day in January. After traipsing over renovation wreckage to reach the rental to troublemakers." office,Soderberg tells her he's sorry,but he has no vacancies. She stands and stares at the artist's drawing of the finished complex. "I know it's hard to imagine right now,"Soderberg says,"but this is what the place will look like when we've com- pleted the renovations." She turns to leave. "I learned a long time ago,"she sighs, "never to judge a book by its cover." PENNY-WISE BANK Like many parents,Miles Chappel gave his children the spare pennies he had in his pocket at the end of each work day. When they had enough coins,they wrapped them, took them to the bank where Chappel had an account,and cashed them in. i or 9