A century old church in Bellevue, Kentucky that has sat vacant for seven years is about to see new life as contemporary urban lofts.
St. Anthony Church began its life in the late Nineteenth century serving a primarily Irish congregation. Over time, the church began serving the many German immigrants that began calling the area home.
Most recently the church was combined with another area parish which left the building without a congregation.
Ashley Commercial Group (ACG), plans to invest roughly $1 million into the structurally sound building to convert the vaulted interior space into five contemporary urban lofts that will each feature preserved stained glass windows, hardwood flooring, private outdoor living space and dedicated off-street parking.
This is the first project for ACG in Bellevue and is a sign of increased interest in urban redevelopment projects for the group. Both Hargis and ACG’s president, J. Kampinga live in the area and are urban residents themselves. Hargis in particular lives just a short walk away from the
St. Anthony Lofts project and was the one who saw an opportunity in the structure.
"This is a passion project for us and is very important for the community." The end result could have been much different had someone from out of town come in and tried to do something different says Hargis. “We wanted to maintain the integrity of the building.”
“We wanted to keep it as open as possible and utilize the stained glass windows in each unit,” says Hargis who goes on to say that no two units are the same.
St. Anthony Lofts (
map) is located just two blocks south of the vibrant Bellevue business district along Fairfield Avenue, and just three blocks to the riverfront.
Hargis says that once two of the five units are under contract, construction will begin. He expects that the construction process should only take six months to complete. In addition to the reprogramming of the interior space, ACG plans to add skylights into the roof for additional natural lighting.
Another unique feature will be the iPod docking stations that will come standard in each unit. “This is a fun project for us,” says Hargis who hopes to see the historic elements of the building preserved with the incorporation of contemporary amenities and features attractive to many home buyers.
Interest, in the building, has been high so far and prices will start around $190,000 and go up to the high $200,000 range.
Writer:
Randy SimesSource: Jason Hargis, senior property manager, Ashley Commercial Group
Images provided
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