Monroe Group,
Steele Properties
UX DESIGN | BRANDING
Designing human-centered brands for a property management and real estate investment company
Steele Properties, a national real estate investment company, specializing in the acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction of affordable multifamily rental properties, needed a refreshed brand and website to elevate their impact and credibility to facilitate landing larger portfolios. They have completed over $700 million in acquisitions, sales, and development activity involving over 50 properties and 5,000 units, including over 40 tax credit projects.
Monroe Group, one of the fastest-growing affordable housing property management companies and the property-management partner company of Steele Properties, has grown to become one of the country’s fastest-growing affordable housing property management companies with a portfolio of more than 50 multi-unit properties in 15 states across the country serving families, seniors and persons with disabilities.
These two sister companies needed a refreshed brand and web design that told a unified, complementary human-impact story that resonated with stakeholders.
Photo credit: Monroe Group
DESIGN RESEARCH
Using a photo-centric design to support the two brand messages more effectively.
Monroe Group needed to focus more on the people and concepts of “home” and “community,” whereas Steele Properties needed to focus on properties, given that their core audience was potential investors.
This website redesign was an opportunity to energize and grow the Monroe Group and Steele Properties audience, engage stakeholders, build their network, and encourage support. The new website needed present Monroe’s work in a way that inspires and connects users, with easy ways to get information and engage with the organization from any device. I simplified the site architecture and design greatly by using a photo-centric design to communicate the brand message more effectively for both brands.
Monroe Group winning moodboard - “Dedicated, Forward-moving, Empowering, Bold”
Steele Properties winning moodboard - “Sophisticated & Cutting-edge”
BRAND DEVELOPMENT
Developing two fresh, inspiring, and unified brands that showcase human impact.
I partnered with a talented designer to co-design the brand, then lead the development of the brand language and digital design, site architecture for the marketing and property sites, and renewed user experience from scratch to bring them to the next level, support growth, and help achieve their mission.
We developed the brand guidelines for both companies and website design for the marketing site and property sites.
Elements from the Monroe Group brand guidelines, created by Lacey Ankenman.
Elements from the Steele Properties brand guidelines, created by Lacey Ankenman.
DIGITAL DESIGN
Monroe Group
The redesigned website built off of the newly established brand identity, featuring messaging about why the organization exists, the challenges they were are addressing, and how Monroe Group works toward achieving their mission and commitment to improving communities by providing quality, affordable housing, delivering the highest standards of property management, and supporting their residents.
During the website redesign phase, Monroe Group had a collection of high-quality images that supported our initial photo strategy recommendations. Instead of using stock images, I utilized the new images that painted Monroe Group as a high-impact, human-centered organization. Coupled with bold typography and playful design elements, I used original photos to create an authentic user experience and telling the story of how Monroe Group was helping families.
DIGITAL DESIGN
Steele Properties
In contrast, Steele Properties visual language and brand needed to appeal to investors. We utilized serifs and property images to communicate an authoritative and reputable brand story that would reinforce the history and credibility of Steele Properties, as well as showcase their ability to acquire large portfolios.
RENEWED Digital BRAND Experience
The Next Frontier
With a renewed brand and website design, Monroe Group and Steele Properties have the tools they need to grow their impact and mission. At the time the project began in 2016, Steele Properties planned to transition from acquiring single units to portfolios, and consequently, Monroe Group expands their property base to provide more homes for families.
From 2016 to 2018, I worked with both companies as a UX and brand consultant, coordinating with developer Scotty Starkweather and designer Lacey Ankenman on a variety of projects, such as their marketing site, brand guidelines, and internal employee portal. As their lead UX designer for over two years, I was glad to have had the opportunity to collaborate with both organizations and to have provided them with a digital platform and brand to share their story.