Demolition of the southwest quadrant at Martin Luther King and Reading Road began in early October to ensure that the area is ready for future development by the end of 2022.
The site clearance consists of removing two buildings and all paved areas and general grading of the site. Battle Axe Construction, a Black-owned demolition contractor, is handling this phase of the site clearance—and they have been involved with demolition in the area since 2015.
Battle Axe is a minority business enterprise (MBE) success story in Uptown. In 2015, WEB Ventures, LLC, strategic management, diversity and inclusion consultants tapped by Uptown Consortium, Inc. (UCI), started working with Battle Axe as part of a robust economic initiative to proactively ensure that existing residents and minority contractors benefit and grow with the new development.
WEB has been—and continues to be—a critical component of UCI’s inclusion efforts and has utilized different strategies and opportunities to help Battle Axe grow and identify opportunities for bids. The relationship between Battle Axe, WEB and UCI has helped the company grow and increase its capacity and capabilities to seek out other demolition projects. Fast-forward to 2022, Battle Axe is now managing the entire Southwest quadrant site clearance.
Franz A. Stansbury, UCI’s Director of Real Estate Development and Joe Jackson, CEO of Battle Axe Construction stand at the southwest quadrant at Martin Luther King and Reading Road where demolition is continuing to ensure that the area is ready for future development by the end of 2022.
"Web Ventures and UCI have been a very consistent and reliable networking alliance for BAC,” said Joe Jackson, CEO of Battle Axe. “Since 2015, our relationship continues to grow and flourish, resulting in business growth, increased capacity, client retention, workforce development and awareness of additional bid opportunities. We are looking forward to a bright future thanks to WEB Ventures and UCI.”
WEB’s support helps MBEs like Battle Axe win new contracts and connects owners with other critical professional business support services. The Battle Axe success story is one example of WEB and UCI’s many engagement efforts when helping to build the capability of minority and women-owned enterprises to do business on Uptown projects and beyond.
“UCI’s partnership with WEB ensures that Uptown residents and minority and women-owned businesses have contracting, job and investment opportunities in Uptown development projects,” said Beth Robinson, President and CEO of UCI. “WEB’s coaching, mentoring and advocacy of Battle Axe is an excellent example of how our vision for breakthrough economic inclusion on Uptown projects is coming to life and is the result of planned and collaborative groundwork.”
To learn more about Battle Axe and the services they provide (site development, demolition or trucking needs) visit www.battleaxeconstruction.com.