Wangstad Commons Grand Opening

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!!!!! I want to especially thank our speakers: Dan Smith from U.S. Bank, Meg McMahan, AICP from City of Minneapolis, Andrea Brennan from Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, Jon Peterson from Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A., James Lenhoff from Minnesota Housing, Council Member Teneshia Kragness from the City of Brooklyn Center, and Mr. Steven Wangstad. I also want to thank Mayor April Graves, Council Member Marquita Butler, M.A., and all the elected officials for the City of Brooklyn Center.

I want to thank our public, and private partners: City of Brooklyn Center, U.S. Bank,Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, Minnesota Housing, Hennepin County, and Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities. I want to thank our development team: Doran Companies, Halverson and Blaiser Group, Ltd., Pope Design Group, WSB, Intentional Consulting Services, and Mahoney Development. I want thank the community, and community partners that has supported Wangstad Commons from the genesis. Your support was consequential to making this happen.I also want to thank Susan Diamond, CSEP from Jigsaw Unlimited who brought to life our collective vision for the Grand Opening!

Lastly, just want to thank my family, and my friends (my tribe) who have supported me, and my company through the thick, and thin.

My goal as a developer has always been to change the narrative surrounding "Affordable Housing", and it not only being known as concentration of poverty, trouble, and the forgotten because of their socioeconomic status. JO Companies will continuously work hard to change that image, and make sure that folks regardless of their economics can still have access to high quality housing, that's well designed, sustainable where residents will be able to live, and feel dignity, pride, and ultimately make a home that they can be proud of!