Kevin Buchek and Mike Duffy, Principals of the Oakland Group, a St. Louis-based real estate development company, announced today that Paul Norman has joined the firm as Project Manager. The Oakland Group was founded in 2020 to bring affordable and mixedincome housing to the neighborhoods that need it most.
Paul Norman brings more than six years of construction project management to the Oakland Group. Most recently, Paul worked as a Project Manager for Alco Management, an affordable housing developer based in Memphis, TN. During his time there, Paul managed $75M in multifamily rehab contracts from preconstruction through closeout. Paul began his career in non-profit work, leading construction, workforce training, and community development projects. While working for Harambee Youth Training, a St. Louis-based non-profit, Paul led a youth crew that tuckpointed four homes. After this experience, Paul decided to pursue a career in construction, and became an Apprentice, working on residential, commercial, and industrial projects. From there, he became a Construction Job Training Manager for Binghampton Development Corporation, a Memphis-based non-profit, where he managed rehab projects, trained construction crews, and collaborated with a local technical college to create a carpentry course. When he joined Alco Management in 2019, Paul began learning about affordable housing development, assisting the development team on various 4% and 9% acquisition deals before leading the projects throughout the construction process.
As Project Manager for the Oakland Group, Paul will lead the acquisition and financing of new development deals and will act as the owner’s representative during construction. He will direct teams of design, construction, finance, accounting, and legal professionals, while coordinating with non-profit partners, residents, and other community stakeholders to bring high-quality, service-enriched affordable and mixed-income housing projects to fruition. Paul expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, saying, “I am thrilled to join The Oakland Group and help carry out their values-informed approach to preserving and developing affordable housing in our region.”
“What first struck me about Paul is how we came to know him,” Duffy said. “Paul took the initiative to research St. Louis-based development groups and cold-call those of us he felt a connection to. It’s that kind of bold action that we look for in people we hope to bring aboard. We’re very pleased he picked us!” Buchek added, “We are excited to have Paul join the Oakland team. Paul’s extensive construction and development expertise coupled with his mission driven focus will make him an invaluable addition to our company.”
Since 2020, the Oakland Group has completed Scott Manor Apartments, an independent senior living community in unincorporated North St. Louis County, with two more projects currently under construction. Elm Ridge Apartments, which is the first project to be funded by lowincome housing tax credits in Hazelwood, MO, and Scott Manor Phase II will open this fall.