Case Studies.
The mission of Coalign is to make development projects easier and help create well-paying jobs, vibrant cities and high quality of life for everyone in the community.
01
TIF Creation
To encourage development in key areas, Cathy O’Connor created Tax Increment Financing districts in cities across Oklahoma. This economic tool helps to promote development in blighted, underserved, and economically distressed urban areas as well as attract new investors, businesses and employers to Oklahoma City’s Innovation District, The Jenks Riverwalk, the area around Scissortail Park and dozens of private investments including hotels, apartments, commercial districts and more. Cathy O’Connor has assisted in the development of TIF districts in:
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Oklahoma City
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Tulsa
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Jenks
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Lake Texoma
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Chickasha
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Grove & Grand Lake
02
Affordable Housing Development: We Host Alliance
The Coalign Group partnered with developers, We Are Society, to consult and advise on a new affordable housing development in Oklahoma City, aimed at directly supporting individuals coming out of homelessness. Coalign assisted with project zoning, including categorizing the development as a Simplified Planned Unit Development (SPUD). The development, We Host Alliance, will include 38 units of permanent supportive housing supported by housing choice vouchers provided by the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, and the Homeless Alliance will provide on-site support services.
03
GO Bond Job Creation Incentives
Cathy O’Connor advocated for General Obligation bonds to help fund the Strategic Investment Program (SIP) in 2007. SIP is a deal-closing fund designed to incentivize job creation with companies that are looking to expand or locate their operations in Oklahoma City. SIP requires that companies create at least 50 full-time jobs with a new total payroll of at least $1.75 million, meet specific average wage requirements and make an investment in facilities and equipment in Oklahoma City. Several examples of SIP success include the General Electric and Baker Hughes, and expansion of existing companies, like Boeing and Paycom. Before this, GO bonds weren’t approved for job creation, however, now cities across Oklahoma are empowered to utilize GO bonds to help fund local SIPs to improve local private-sector job creation.
04
Historic Philcade Building
To assist in redefining downtown Tulsa’s hospitality and residential sectors, the Coalign Group joined developers American Residential Group and Morris & Atlas to assist in the redevelopment of the 1931 Philcade Building, by helping to establish a new TIF district. The Philcade will be supported by property tax, sales tax, and hotel tax incentives. After opening, the hotel is expected to generate $1.87 million in new annual city sales, lodging and property taxes each year while also making tax contributions to Tulsa Public Schools and the City of Tulsa.
05
Homeland & New Market Tax Credits
For over 20 years, city leaders, elected officials and developers tried to attract a grocery store to Northeast Oklahoma City, a neighborhood long considered a food desert by the FDA. Cathy O’Connor found the right grocery partner and developed the operating agreement, identified investors and lenders, secured New Market Tax Credits, and compiled the acreage from multiple sources needed for a new 30,000 square foot Homeland Grocery store on the corner of NE 36th and Lincoln. This development wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the New Market Tax Credits, which are a federal incentive designed to spur investment and economic growth in distressed, low-income communities.
06
Georg Fischer Central Plastics
With the incentives of $45M in New Markets Tax Credits, The Coalign Group worked to encourage Georg Fischer Central Plastics to build their second manufacturing plant, a 150,000 square foot, $30M facility, in Shawnee. The Coalign team identified land, secured the New Markets Tax Credits, worked with CDEs to provide the NMTC allocation and secured $3.8M from the State of Oklahoma’s PREP and SITES funds for infrastructure enhancements.
07
City of Jenks
The Coalign Group provided insight and advice on how to better utilize current assets in Jenks and how to attract the right kinds of investment. Coalign helped the City of Jenks reimagine its existing TIF district and strategically design new ones to encompass the Jenks Aquarium, Riverwalk, the new Outlet Mall and a new retail district. Coalign also introduced city leadership to private developers who have a focus on experiential development, helping position the Riverwalk to realize the vision of more mixed-use sports and entertainment development to complement existing assets.
08
Pointe Vista: A New Tourist Destination
Coalign partnered with Pointe Vista at Lake Texoma to establish a TIF district to revitalize the local economy and attract new investment to the area. The Pointe Vista TIF will support the development of a planned resort community and entice attractions, lodging and residential developments. The Coalign Group created the TIF models, developed funding models and provided advice and expertise on how best to reach the long-term investment goals. This TIF is projected to expand local job opportunities and increase revenues for the county government and schools. Once open, Pointe Vista is expected to become a major regional tourist destination, attracting tourists from Oklahoma and other surrounding states like Texas or Arkansas.
09
City of Chickasha TIF at the Airport Industrial Park
The City of Chickasha hired Coalign Group to help establish their most recent TIF district near the Chickasha Airport Industrial Park. This TIF was designed to encourage out-of-state industrial developers to relocate to the park, promote long-term job creation, and reinvestment into the local economy. For this project, Coalign’s work focused on structuring economic incentives, preparing grant applications for critical infrastructure funding, and facilitating public-private partnerships. Coalign previously worked with the City of Chickasha to establish TIF districts downtown and along Highway 62, which successfully spurred redevelopment and job creation.
10
City of Perry & Municipal Budgeting Strategies
The City of Perry hired the Coalign Group for municipal budgeting strategies to sustain its general fund and a strategic plan to improve economic development. Coalign found several areas to quickly reduce expenditures, providing a $1.5M impact on the city’s budget. Coalign also identified and outlined a strategic plan for key areas ideal for commercial, industrial and mixed-use development to capitalize on high traffic volumes along I-35.
11
Omni Hotel
Cathy O’Connor, in her role as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, created a TIF district and the master plan to incentivize development as the city began developing Scissortail Park, a 70-acre urban park on the west end of the city’s new 500,000-square-foot OKC Convention Center. To maximize conference and convention business, Cathy O’Connor connected with Omni leadership, a luxury hotel and resort group, and wrote and finalized a development agreement and public funding method to assist in bring the hotel to OKC.
