An apartment renovation project is nearing completion in downtown Jefferson.

Developer Chris Deal says the contractor, Woodruff Construction, is less than three weeks away from substantial completion of their three upper story apartments at 200 East State Street. He talks about some of the highlights of the project.

“We were able to save some of the historical context of it. Obviously, everyone can see the windows and know that we’ve got the historic windows there. One of the fun things that we were able to do was bring the ceiling heights back. Previously, there were eight-foot ceilings and now we took it back up to that original historic ceiling height. So there’s some 12-foot ceilings, as well as some historic wooden floors in there.”   

Deal says there will be two one-bedroom and one two-bedroom apartments above the former Heartland Bank, now Warm Wishes location, with rental rates between $700-$900. He adds some of the financing for the project came from the new Iowa Economic Development Authority Community Development Block Grant for $500,000 for the downtown upper story program, along with state and federal historic tax credits, local funders, the City of Jefferson, Greene County Development Corporation and Home State Bank.
The Jefferson City Council recently approved a $900 expense for administrative costs associated with another downtown apartment project at 123 North Chestnut Street. There are six apartments that will be renovated and City Administrator Mike Palmer talks about why this project hasn’t started yet.

“The contractor is currently working on the former Heartland Bank spot. That contractor is going to be moving over and doing the work on the upper story for The Public House. So it was well worth the wait to have them come over and do a project that they’re very familiar with.”

The six apartment project was also awarded the same $500,000 CDBG grant and is specifically for low to moderate income for at least five of the apartments for five years.