Another abandoned City school may soon have a new life as a senior apartment building if plans by LMAC Holdings LLC move forward.
The City of St. Louis Planning Commission will review a blighting request for the property at 2127 North 11th Street at their November 13th meeting. The Webster School was designed by William Ittner and was opened in 1907 and closed in 2007. The plans call for the 68,000SF school to be converted into 45, two-bedroom apartments that average out to be 970SF. An additional 4, two-bedroom villa style units will be built on the West side of the building near Hadley Street. The total number of units in this project will be 49.
According to the Planning Commission document, the units will be limited to people who are older than 55 years old. Rents will range from $360-$575 monthly. Also included in the project are 50 parking spaces, social activities, and health services for the residents. A decent amount of green space, that will replace asphalt, will further brighten up the properties appearance and will give the property a cleaner look.
LMAC Holdings, which is a division of "A Caring Plus", has yet to acquire the building form the City Board of Education but it has the option to do so at this point. The project will be financed by a mixture of Lox Income Tax Credits, Federal and State Historic Tax Credits, and a loan from the Affordable Housing Commission. The City is also recommending a 15 year tax abatement with 10 years at 100% and 5 years at 50%.
Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard (5th Ward) supports the redevelopment project in a letter sent to the Missouri Housing Development Commission. In her letter, Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard said,
This community lacks the quality housing and especially in the price range Mr. McKinney (LMAC) has indicated the units would be offered. These units provide quality apartments at an affordable price, while also redeveloping a neighborhood landmark building.
My office wholeheartedly encourages your office to support the funding of the Webster Middle School development and request you write the Missouri Housing Development Commission expressing the City's desire for this development to be funded.
If completed, the Webster School project will be another great addition to the Old North St. Louis neighborhood. Old North has been growing steadily in recent years with multiple empty houses being redeveloped and saved either by the Old North Restoration Group or private entities. New houses have been built as well.
A Caring Plus's President is Lewis McKinney, who is named in Tammika Hubbard's letter to the State. The company focuses on Senior Residential Housing and Affordable Apartments.
The Webster School project is being designed by St. Louis based Ebersoldt + Associates (E+A. The contractor on the project is Double Diamond Construction. No timeline on the project has been given at this time.