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Welcome to The POWER List, a regular feature from Finance & Commerce that examines the power brokers who lead and influence Minnesota’s business community.
For this edition of The POWER List, we’ve chosen to focus on the development of commercial real estate. Inside you’ll find profiles of leaders and movers and shakers who are key players in Minnesota’s development community…
Johnny Opara and his JO Cos. have $200 million in projects in the pipeline and opened a $23.4 million affordable housing complex in Brooklyn Center earlier this month.
On behalf of JO Companies I want thank, and recognize everyone that attended our Official Grand Opening for Wangstad Commons in Brooklyn Center on December 12th. It was absolutely AMAZING!…
The TCB 100 is the list of all lists, the essential guide to people in and around Minnesota business likely to make news and drive change in the year ahead. We include not just corporate types, but also leaders in government and philanthropy who intersect with business. We’ve dynamited silos to bridge specialties and industries to introduce you to a group of individuals who may not all be household names, but whom we expect to emerge in that direction in the year ahead. So read on and share in the success of a few old friends and get to know a big bunch of new ones…
The Metropolitan Council in September approved $1,050,000 in Livable Communities Act predevelopment grants for seven projects in five cities and one $50,000 grant for policy development...
Twin Cities housing developer JO Cos. wants to build an affordable apartment complex on Penn Avenue in Richfield. The firm's proposal is for approximately 40 affordable units to be built at 6501 Penn Ave. S., currently a vacant lot that has been owned by the Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) since 2018. JO Cos. CEO Johny Opara presented his preliminary plans to Richfield City Council, HRA and Planning Commission during Monday’s hearing...
Like other metro-area cities, Richfield has identified a need for more affordable housing, larger rental units suitable for low-income families, and investments in key corridors. A local developer’s pitch for a city-owned site in the heart of town could check all three boxes...
Minnesota House of Representatives: House File 4278 (St. Paul; The Heights housing development funding provided from the housing infrastructure program, report required, and money appropriated)
The city of St. Paul has committed nearly $32 million to subsidize affordable housing at the Heights, St. Paul's new mixed-use development transforming the former Hillcrest Golf Course on the city's East Side...
A plan to build more than 1,000 affording housing units at the former Hillcrest Golf Course will need $73 million in state assistance to move forward, development leaders say...
Sherman Associates and its development partners are asking state lawmakers for $73 million to close a funding gap for The Heights, a $450 million effort to bring more than 1,000 largely affordable homes to the former Hillcrest Golf Course site in St. Paul...
After spending almost two decades in corporate positions, Johnny Opara founded the real estate firm JO Companies after being laid off in 2009 during the Great Recession...
Beyond the Skyline is a podcast about economic development, commercial real estate and construction in Minnesota. (...) In this episode, Johnny Opara, the founder of JO Companies, and Don Bernards, a partner in Baker Tilly’s real estate group, talk to F&C reporter Brian Johnson...
Program focused on helping first-time developers of color is gaining momentum in second year and expanding across the U.S...
Emerging developer Johnny Opara of St. Paul-based JO Companies crossed the finish line on his first large-scale development — an $18.4 million, 62-unit workforce housing project called The Hollows – with help from financing partners that include Don Bernards, a partner in Baker Tilly’s real estate group...
Sherman Associates will be the lead housing developer for 1,000+ housing units at The Heights. (…) Sherman will partner with JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat to develop a range of housing options…
The Heights is an approximately $550 million redevelopment of the former Hillcrest Golf Club at the southwest corner of Larpenteur Avenue and McKnight Road in Saint Paul.
Sherman Associates will be the lead housing developer at The Heights. (…) Sherman will develop 700 multifamily units and then partner with JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for the rest…
Sherman Associates will work with JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity as residential developers of The Heights.
The Heights housing project is expected to create up to 1,000 new housing units on the old Hillcrest Golf Course.
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is honored to be a major project partner in The Heights, a $370 million redevelopment of the 112-acre former Hillcrest Golf Course in St. Paul…
Sherman Associates will be the lead housing developer for The Heights in St. Paul, working in partnership with Johnny Opara’s JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity…
Sherman Associates announces its role as lead housing developer in The Heights development, in partnership with the Saint Paul Port Authority and the City of Saint Paul (…) Sherman will partner with JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for a portion of the housing units…
Local developer Johnny Opara is nearing construction on what he calls a “luxury affordable” apartment building that’s been long anticipated in Brooklyn Center...
For this episode of The Larkin Hoffman Real Estate Podcast, Johnny and Megan talk about his decision to move from corporate America into the real estate development world; what he’s building now; and what he wants to build in the future.
Connections between Augsburg alumni and students can make a great impact in the career development of students and their transition to the workplace. The Strommen Center for Meaningful Work, the Alumni Board, and Institutional Advancement staff work to bring together Augsburg alumni and current students. We strive to provide opportunities for current students to tap into the alumni network…