Frisco
Station Apartments -
Senior Housing
September 23, 2004
Three developments presented Excellence in
Affordable Housing Awards
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By David Bryan
Missouri Housing Development Commission
Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell presented three Governor’s
Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing for
developments in Kansas City, Joplin and Hillsdale
(St. Louis) during an award luncheon, Thursday,
Sept. 24, at the Governor’s Conference on Housing
held in Kansas City.
This year’s award winners include Hillsdale
Revitalization in St. Louis County; Frisco Station
Apartments in Joplin, Mo.; and Columbia Square
Apartments in Columbia, Mo.
“The recipients of the Governor’s Awards were
chosen for their tireless dedication to furthering
the cause of affordable housing for the people of
Missouri,” said Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell. “All three
of these efforts show what can be done to
reinvigorate a community, a downtown area, and a
neighborhood.”
Hillsdale Revitalization involved an innovative
partnership between the public, private and
non-profit sectors to restore and renew the small
community of Hillsdale, an old inner ring suburb
just outside the City of St. Louis. Several years
ago the late Buzz Westfall, St. Louis County
Executive, called then County Councilman Charley
Dooley, County Community Director Phil Minden and
Hillsdale Chairman Dorothy Moore, to begin to
brainstorm and work together to revitalize
Hillsdale. Much of the housing stock was abandoned
and neglected and many empty lots dotted the
landscape.
St. Louis County asked the St. Louis Equity Fund to
get involved in the Hillsdale revitalization effort.
Together with The Meyer Company, St. Louis Equity
Fund proposed to develop 15 single family homes
using Rental Housing Tax Credits. Sensing a need to
gather more momentum and synergy, the St. Louis
Equity Fund reached out to Habitat for Humanity of
St. Louis, which had been working in neighboring
Wellston, and asked them to look at building in
Hillsdale. Habitat for Humanity jumped at the
opportunity and used Affordable Housing Assistance
Program credits to build 14 new single family homes
with the help of the future homeowners and lots of
volunteers.
Today, the St. Louis Equity Fund is using Rental
Housing Credits to build Leschen Place, which
consists of another 15 new homes in Hillsdale.
Habitat for Humanity is planning to build another 20
homes next year. The Meyer Company with assistance
from St. Louis County is building 4 new homes which
are priced at over $80,000. Three of these homes
have already been sold using conventional financing.
This is quite an accomplishment considering that
prior to this revitalization effort no home had sold
in Hillsdale for over $40,000.
“The transformation taking place in the community
of Hillsdale is truly remarkable,” said Lt. Gov.
Maxwell. The building of Frisco Station Apartments
involved taking a storied, but neglected, landmark
in downtown Joplin and converting it to a seniors
housing community. The Frisco Building was
originally built as a railroad depot in 1913 and was
Joplin’s first modern high-rise office building.
It served as a depot until 1955 and after years of
gradually losing tenants, the building was
completely vacant in 1987. By early 2001 the city
was considering demolition. Economic Security Corp.
of the Southwest Area had tried for years to
rehabilitate the property. In 2001, Economic
Security Corporation saw an opportunity to partner
with a successful private developer,
Carlson-Gardner, Inc. of Springfield, Mo., to
preserve this local landmark and revitalize downtown
while providing greatly needed affordable rental
housing for Joplin’s seniors.
The City of Joplin provided a grant for the
acquisition of the property. Permanent financing was
provided by the city, MHDC and additional equity
came from state and federal Rental Housing credits
and historic credits. This historic restoration
preserved the architectural integrity and beauty of
the building while providing 56 modern, safe, and
comfortable apartments for seniors.
“The historic rehabilitation and innovative reuse
has already returned lost pride to downtown Joplin
and it is a cornerstone for downtown revitalization
efforts. The Frisco Building has truly come full
circle,” said Maxwell. “The same can be said of
some of the current residents of the building who
were delivered in the doctor’s offices that used
to be located in the Frisco Building many years
ago.”
Columbia Square Town Homes, a 128-unit rental
housing development in Columbia, Mo., was acquired
September 2002 by YARCO Companies of Kansas City.
Originally built as manufactured housing, these
units were delivered to the site in 1971. Columbia
Square was plagued with maintenance issues, drug and
other criminal activity and a long history of
resident and management conflict.
In 2002 Yarco received an allocation of tax-exempt
bond financing to facilitate the acquisition and
rehabilitation of this property. Columbia Square
also received federal and state Rental Housing
credits to assure that the rents remain affordable
for residents living there. MHDC provided a grant
for the purchase of adjacent property and the
subsequent construction of a community building for
residents.
Since Yarco’s purchase and rehabilitation, the
difference in this community is truly remarkable.
Comprehensive interior and exterior improvements
such as new roofing, siding, windows, carpeting and
appliances have made a dramatic difference in the
lives of residents. Other site improvements such as
decorative and security lighting, a park and play
fountain, picnic areas and a new entrance have
greatly improved the overall quality of life at
Columbia Square.
On-site social services are now available to tenants
such as a learning center with a computer lab for
children giving them a place to go after school and
do their homework. Columbia Square also has an
on-site human services coordinator to organize fun
and educational activities for the children.
Improved management operations and crime reduction
efforts have all played a part in providing
residents with a better quality of life and a safe
place to live as well as fostering a greater sense
of community at Columbia Square. In short, where
there was no community before, Yarco has helped to
create a community that kids are proud to call home.
As a matter of fact, Columbia Square was recently
honored by the U.S. Department of Housing &
Urban Development (HUD) as one of the best
affordable housing properties in HUD’s portfolio
in Missouri.
Yarco isn’t finished working to improve the
neighborhood. Earlier this year Yarco received
financing and Rental Housing credits to assist in
the rehabilitation of Claudell Lane Homes which are
adjacent to Columbia Square.
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