Frisco
Station Apartments -
Senior Housing
10/23/03 - Frisco project pulls into
station
Grand opening set today at site of former train
depot
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By Wally Kennedy
Globe Staff Writer
The light floods through four large windows into the
living room of Rodney Goold's new apartment.
"I wanted sun, and I got it,'' the 69-year-old
says with a broad smile.
Goold is the first tenant in the Frisco Station
Apartments at 601 S. Main St. Because he is the
first, he got to choose the apartment and floor on
which he would live. He chose a two-bedroom
apartment on the northwest corner of the building's
eighth floor.
"I wanted up high. There's less street noise up
here and fewer bugs. At least, I think there will be
fewer bugs,'' he said.
Goold, who moved back to Joplin from Chicago 25
years ago, has lived in high-rise apartment
buildings before. He recently sold his home in
Joplin to move into the Frisco.
"I really dislike apartment living because I
would rather be out working in my yard. But, let's
face it, I am getting too old for that,'' he said.
"With the 9 1/2 feet ceilings here and the
light, this is the closest I could come to a house
and have covered parking, too.''
As for being the first new tenant in the Frisco, he
said, "I think it's wonderful. They went
overboard on the details with these apartments.
There's a microwave, washer and dryer. It's got
everything.''
After 15 years of standing vacant, the Frisco
Building reopened this week as the Frisco Station
Apartments and is accepting new tenants. A leasing
office has opened on the building's main floor.
The building has 57 units for housing seniors. There
are 29 one-bedroom apartments, renting for $255 a
month, and 28 two-bedroom apartments, renting for
$330 to $345 a month.
Carlson-Gardner Inc. of Springfield, the developer,
and the Economic Security Corporation of the
Southwest Area will hold a grand opening celebration
in the main lobby of the building from 4 to 6 p.m.
today.
The grand opening is by invitation only. But,
visitors can drop into the main lobby for a quick
look at the interior. Tours of the apartments can be
arranged in the leasing office.
The contractor on the $9.2 million project was Larry
Snyder & Co. of Joplin. The Missouri Housing
Development Commission provided much of the
financing, including a $449,000 loan at 1 percent
for 30 years, and federal and state rental housing
tax credits, according to David W. Bryan, public
information administrator for the commission.
Partners were the city of Joplin, which provided a
Community Development Block Grant from the
Department of Economic Development and a $721,000
property-tax break that will be spread out over 25
years, the Economic Security Corporation, Great
Southern Bank, which provided financing for
construction, and the Department of Natural
Resources, which provided historic preservation tax
credits.
Built in 1913 and influenced by the Chicago school
of structural design, the Frisco originally was a
train station. It was built for $1 million by Isaac
T. Cook Construction Co. of St. Louis. The station
once served 26 trains a day. The last train rolled
out of the station in 1955.
Restoration of the Frisco started in April of 2002.
Historic preservation was a significant element of
the project. Historic photos have been placed in the
lobby and the original elevator cage has been placed
on display.
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© 2002 The Joplin Globe
Publishing Company.
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