Local Military Veterans Honored with Commemorative Statue Jan. 17

A group of local veterans are being recognized Jan. 17 with the dedication of a military statue in their honor. Real estate developer MountainStar Partners, St. Johns Housing Partnership and St. Johns County will gift the residents of St. Augustine’s Patriot Place the hand-crafted statue to commemorate their military service.

The commemorative statue depicts a single pair of military boots, helmet and weapon, and was donated by an artist and trusted partner who supports the project. Among those speaking at the dedication include Bill Lazar, Executive Director of St. Johns Housing Partnership; Shastan Johnson, St. Johns County Continuum of Care Housing Lead; Kevin Sweeny, UF Health Chief of Staff; Rob Hardwick, Sheriff, St. Johns County and Commissioner Cynthia Garris, City of St. Augustine.

Located at 79 Masters Drive in St. Augustine, Patriot Place comprises six low-income housing units for area at-risk and homeless veterans. Opened in September 2023, the project joined MountainStar Partners, St. Johns Housing Partnership, the county, UF Health, and others with the common goal of constructing the building and its units specifically for underserved former military members.

Patriot Place is administered by Care Connect+, UF Health’s social health program that links local residents with safe housing, food pantries, counseling services, workplace readiness and transportation.

“Housing is something many people in our area take for granted. The same can be said about living in a peaceful nation and enjoying its freedoms. We can too easily take this peace for granted,” said MountainStar Partners CEO Chris Lazzara. “But our veterans, our heroes, are the ones who have given of themselves to ensure our nation is safe and secure. That’s why we came together to create Patriot Place. We wanted to give our veterans the opportunity to experience the safety and security of living in their own homes. And today, we further extend the acknowledgement of our veterans in a special way with the dedication of this statue in their honor.”

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Established in 2013, MountainStar Partners (MSP) is a private equity group with its primary offices in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and Vail, CO. MSP invests across many asset classes and operates a portfolio of companies with expertise in and a focus on residential and commercial real estate development and direct lending. The company also has a Health division that operates a network of orthodontic educational & clinical facilities in Georgia that is expanding to reach other doctors and communities across the United States. MSP’s mission is to act with the utmost integrity and professionalism as stewards of the investor capital entrusted with us. MSP invests in people, business ventures, and communities that reflect our values and better the world around us. For more information visit MountainStar Partners.