Commercial Building Remodeling in South Metro MN

APPRO Development, Inc. is well known in the South Metro / South of the River area of Minnesota, as a reputable commercial general contractor with a focus on land development and constructing commercial buildings. We have found over the years, people are sometimes unaware APPRO also is an excellent resource for remodeling existing buildings. Our design and architecture team partnering with our project management team, apply the same expertise on a project from the ground up as we do on a remodel or renovation project.

For many different reasons, an owner decides to stay in the same building, verses than making a move. APPRO can walk an owner through the process to determine available options and to navigate the sometimes daunting process of city approvals, or financing options. We take the same care to provide expert advice on a remodel or renovation project as we do on a new building project when we competitively bid out the project, and provide a detailed proposal to the building owner.

We have been working with Imperial Plastics in the Airlake Industrial Park in Lakeville, which just happens to be around the corner from our home office. This office remodel project has resulted in a state of the art space with striking finishes, creating an inviting space to both visit and work.

Remodel Project by APPRO Development - Imperial Plastics Project

If you are considering making some changes to your building, I invite you to take a look at some more of our current projects to see what we are currently working on in both Minnesota and North Dakota. You may also want to check out our past projects to spark some ideas. Or, maybe you need a new, but existing space to move your business – please consider our sister company, CERRON Commercial Properties, who specializes in existing property sales and leasing.

Finally, if you are still looking for more ideas, feel free to contact our office – we can be reached at 952-469-2171 or by email at office@APPRODEVELOPMENT.com. We would consider it an honor to help you with your next project.

Happy New Year!

Redesigning MN: If We Engage People in Shaping Programs, We’ll All Be Better Off

Redesigning MN

By Jack Matasosky

For more than a year, I have been a part of a group of Lakeville leaders – business owners, clergy, nonprofit leaders, elected officials and others – working with 360 Communities to think differently about how our community meets its most public needs. Above all, we’re focused on finding new ways to deliver early childhood education so that our community’s programs and services are reaching more children and getting better outcomes.

We’re redesigning the early childhood education ecosystem in Lakeville to make it work better within the dollars available, even as the demand for service continues to grow, and that’s no easy feat.

But our community is rising to the challenge of thinking differently about our early childhood programs. It’s an exciting adventure to be a part of.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a meeting that brought together representatives from a broad cross-section of Lakeville early childhood programs collectively identify how we could reach more people with our existing programs. The meeting, convened by 360 Communities in partnership with InCommons, an initiative of the Bush Foundation, was the beginning of a six-month process to get our community focused on improving early childhood education and focusing on outcomes. Film crews for Redesigning MN were on-hand to capture our community-driven conversation as a local-level example of the conversations that need to take place to redesign our public services.

Our community-driven effort has continued to move forward in the weeks since this event. We’re thinking about how to make sure every child in need has access to the early childhood education programs that can help them thrive in school, and how to ensure that every Lakeville parent knows about these opportunities offered by our existing network of community supports. And we’re thinking about how we can improve the programs offered to ensure that every Lakeville child enters Kindergarten on track for success.

As a long-time resident of Lakeville, it’s invigorating to see our community coming together – people from the business and faith communities, educators, parents, and other residents – to create better opportunities for our youngest residents. I know that we’re all committed to creating a better future for Lakeville, and thoughtful conversations like the event convened by 360 Communities and InCommons are equipping us to find that shared vision and craft a collective approach to redesigning our early childhood education programs.

At the end of the day, change needs to be driven by the families that need help. We can’t fit people into programs. We need to engage them in these opportunities – and we’ll all be better off for it.

That’s what we’re trying to do in Lakeville, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

ON A MISSION

By Pat Simpkins, Project Manager, APPRO Development, Inc. (A Commercial, Design Build Company located in Lakeville, MN)

Mission to live and work by the Golden Rule

This Christmas, my biggest present will be the presence of my middle daughter, back from nearly six months of mission work in Australia’s Outback and in Uganda. She and her older sister are both currently in full time work as interdenominational Christian missionaries, both based off the west coast of Australia. They are leaders in a much larger group of people that trains together for three months, then goes out to different places in the world where they believe the Gospel message is most needed and where there are other physical needs for which they can help. The work pays nothing, living conditions are often lousy and the work often-times physically and/or psychologically challenging. It is the most rewarding work either daughter can think of doing during this time in their lives, however, as their smiles and countenance show.

I believe a sense of mission is needed in everyone’s lives. Many people in the business community have a passion for their customers, in delivering a good or service that is of such high quality and value that it can’t help but impress. Customers come back, not wanting to sacrifice any part of the great experience they just received, often insisting on that person being their contact for all upcoming work they intend to do with the company. A loyalty is built, upon which many years of upcoming work can be derived, and which usually results in a mutually profitable arrangement for both parties for that extended time.

One example I can think of is a friend of mine in the stock trading business who has always tended to pick stocks very well. He has stated on many occasions that what drives him is doing everything he can to maximize his clients’ portfolios over the long run while minimizing the risks in doing so. Since each investor is different, he goes to great lengths to get to know their investing philosophies, to ensure he is the right fit for them, and to know how much risk-taking in buying and selling stocks he should take with their portfolios. While no trader is a winner in every stock transaction, our stocks have done very well under his guidance. His business has boomed, as new clients have realized how successful he has been for others.

It seems the most successful people in business are successful because they are driven to customer satisfaction, even customer delight. This takes dedication, thoughtfulness, an ability to put oneself in another’s shoes mentally or emotionally, and good overall communication. Like my missionary daughters, sometimes prayer is also involved. The golden rule of treating others as one would like to be treated also always applies. These values are at the center of APPRO & CERRON’s business philosophy of going the extra mile to serve our clients well.

So, how about it? Are you ready to dedicate yourself in your daily business dealings to do whatever you can to take care of your customer’s needs? Even when there’s no immediate payoff, and sometimes involves some personal sacrifice? Why not consider it as your New Year’s resolution for 2013? It may not pay off immediately for you. But I promise that, over time, you will cultivate your own loyal customer base wherever you go, for as long as you press onward for “the mission.”

At APPRO and CERRON, we have been blessed with long time friends, subcontractors and clients who join us in our passion for creating property solutions by striving every day to understand what drives our clients’ businesses, so we know best how to find property solutions for them and meet their business needs. This dedication has earned APPRO and CERRON repeat and expanded business opportunities with many loyal clients in the process. I want to take this time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas at this special time of year. Don’t miss the chance to spend quality time with family and friends whenever possible, to make the most of it. Please remember, too, to let APPRO Development and CERRON Properties take care of your property needs in 2013. You’ll be glad you did!

For those interested in being a part of my oldest daughter’s upcoming mission work in Asia, feel free to give me a call.

Pat Simpkins

Lakeville Manufacturers Appreciation Event – 2012

Lakeville Manufacturers Reception APPRO CERRON Wine Giveaway
Personalized Wine Bottles for APPRO & CERRON Drawing

I had the privilege of attending this year’s Lakeville Manufacturers Appreciation Reception, on October 24, 2012, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event was sponsored by the City of Lakeville and Dakota Electric Association, Frontier Communications, Minnesota Energy Resources, and Xcel Energy. The event was held at the Lakeville Holiday Inn and Suites. The reception was well attended, including Lakeville Mayor Mark Bellows, who gave an optimistic address to attendees and was also joined by City of Lakeville staff and council members.

I was delighted to represent APPRO Development, Inc., general contractor, design-build company and CERRON Commercial Properties, LLC, commercial real estate broker, both located in Lakeville, MN, along side many other Lakeville businesses. I learned a lot about some amazing manufacturers in our local business community.

As a thank you, and to help celebrate APPRO’s 25th anniversary this year, we conducted a drawing for two personalized bottles of wine. We are proud to announce the following winners:

Craig Nelson a Project Manager with BTD Manufacturing was the winner of a bottle of wine (as Craig has a generous spirit, he may be sharing his bottle with fellow friends – thank you for helping to spread the cheer!)

BTD-APPRO Wine Giveaway 2012

The other winner was Andrew Shaffer, who along with his wife Shelly, are the owners of Bass Flexible Packaging, Inc. I understand they were pretty excited to receive the wine and have planned a date night to celebrate!

APPRO Bass wine giveaway, 2012

Congratulations to the winners – thank you for helping us celebrate 25 years! It is our privilege to serve and be a part of our local manufacturing community!