Molly Meyer & Kate Groninger, OmniEcosystems Expansion

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Project Forum - Adaptive Reuse and OmniEcosystems Expansion, Chicago, IL

April 28, 2022

In our sixth WDC Project Forum, we advised Molly Meyer, the founder of OmniEcosystems (Omni) and her partner Kate Groninger, on the expansion of Omni’s headquarters development in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Located in an Opportunity Zone across from an elementary school, Omni has purchased a 2.5 acre site and historically rehabbed a former milk bottling plant into the headquarters for their vibrant business installing and maintaining innovative green roofing systems focused on sustainability. Desiring to bring positive change to their economically disadvantaged neighborhood, Omni is seeking advice on how to redevelop the adjacent building and utilize the rest of their site acreage to create office space and a restaurant plus a showcase for their work, creating a venue that is also a community space for the neighborhood to enjoy. This session will focus on adaptive re-use, placemaking, retail lease structuring, and how to support entrepreneurial tenants.

Marty Jones  of MLJ Insights moderated the experienced panel of advisors including Robin Schabes of the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium, Kim Frentz Edmonds of Ventura Partners and Cathy Sloss Jones of Sloss Real Estate Company.