Want to live in this historic Belleville building? Here’s what you need to know
Seniors interested in living in the former Hotel Belleville/Meredith Home can now apply to live in the historic building that towers over the Public Square.
The $14.2 million project to renovate the 90-year-old building is nearing completion and the developers anticipate the first residents will move into the Lofts on the Square apartments in late July.
The six-story building opened as the Hotel Belleville in 1931 and in the early 1960s it was converted into a home for retirees. The Meredith Home closed in 2010 and at one time faced possible demolition.
It is now being renovated by the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority, or SWIDA, and St. Louis-based Bywater Development Group. They have renamed the building Lofts on the Square, which will feature 47 apartments and retail space on the first floor at 16 S. Illinois St.
Residents must be at least 55 and meet income-restriction guidelines.
Mike Lundy, executive director of SWIDA, said about 20 applicants are being considered so far and that the developers are “happy” with the response.
Three to five prospective residents have been calling about the apartments each day, he said.
Lofts on the Square leasing information
If you want to apply to live in the Lofts on the Square or get more leasing information, contact Sugar Creek Realty, which is the property management company for the project.
Here’s how to reach Sugar Creek Realty:
Phone: 314-561-6832
Email: loftsonthesquare@sugarcreekcapital.com
Apartment renovation
A lot of “finishing touches” are being made but most of the work to renovate the building will be completed soon, Lundy said.
The custom-made apartment doors from Wisconsin will not be shipped until July 9.
Once the doors arrive, crews overseen by Swansea-based Holland Construction Services can get them installed and residents could then move into their new home.
The doors have been designed to replicate the original 1931 doors.
However, the new doors will have peep holes and latest hardware. They also will be wider to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The project received $2.1 million in historic tax credits after the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. The designation means the developers have to follow guidelines to maintain the architectural features of the building originally designed in what’s known as the art-deco style.
Along with the historic tax credits, the developer received $7.5 million in federal low-income housing tax credits from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. The agency said developers convert the credits into equity by selling them to investors who use the credits to offset tax liability.
The developers bought the building from the city of Belleville, and since then it returned to the property tax rolls for the first time since the 1960s when the Hotel Belleville closed.
Demolition of the building’s deteriorating interior began on May 4, 2020, and it took four months because crews had to take care to preserve the architectural features.
“We’re extremely excited,” Lundy said. “There’s been a lot of positive feedback from the community, the city staff, the elected officials at the city, everybody’s really good to work with.”
