Work on old SMS building progressing

(Photo by Kris Todd) Weather held out Monday, allowing crews to lay a concrete sidewalk on the west side of the old Spencer Middle School building. Plans are to also install a sidewalk on the building's north side, as well as an expanded paved parking lot on its south within the next few weeks. [Order this photo]

While lots of progress has been made at the old Spencer Middle School building, the general contractor acknowledges that all involved in the renovation project are entering a crunch time now.

Demolition began in October 2008, reconstruction commenced in late January and tenants are expected to be able to move into apartments on the building's second and third floors by mid-January 2010. While the Spencer school district is expected to maintain ownership of the auditorium, gymnasium and basement, the Spencer Area Activity Center will own and relocate onto the building's first floor. Community Housing Initiatives (CHI) owns the former school building's top two levels.

The Spencer-based 501(c)3 corporation currently has 44 similar properties across the state, which include 1,200 rental units, as well as a dozen other historic properties. Kris Vodraska, who serves as CHI's construction director, said they're excited to have this new "showplace" in CHI's backyard.

"This particular project is very important to us because we do historic rehabs all across the state, but have never done one in our backyard. And so, this is very exciting to all of us -- especially to those of us who have lived here all our life and went to the middle school or the high school, whatever it was when you went there," she said.

In addition to soft costs associated with it, CHI estimates it has spent right at $3 million on the building renovation project to date. Besides footing an approximately $200,000 bill for a new roof, an over $60,000 cost to rehabilitate the elevator and spending $120-$130,000 to re-tuckpoint the old SMS building, lead paint and asbestos were removed from the site in February and the entire sewer system was replaced in August.

"The good surprise is we found all of the skylights that were buried underneath the drop ceilings, in changes that had been made over the years. Bogenrief Studios of Sutherland came in and refurbished the skylights and we were able to place them back around the building. They're going to be a really neat feature," Vodraska said.

(Photo by Kris Todd) Besides granite-look laminate countertops, dishwashers and microwaves, the 16 apartments which will be available to renters who apply beginning tomorrow, and are eventually accepted, will also include Energy Star refrigerators and stoves. For more photographs of a two-bedroom apartment in the old Spencer Middle School building, view www.spencerdailyreporter.com. [Order this photo]

The apartments

When tenants are allowed to occupy the new apartments at the beginning of next year, they'll have their choice between eight one-bedroom dwellings ranging from 640 - 870 square feet and eight two-bedroom apartments ranging between 800 - 1,140 square feet. Each will be an energy efficient apartment with Energy Star appliances and individual HVAC systems. According to Vodraska, water, sewer and garbage costs will all be paid by CHI, and tenants will be responsible for the electricity they use.

"They'll need to keep that in consideration when they think about the rent, because they all have washers and dryers in them, too," she said.

While each unit will have access to its own storage space, a computer learning center, a fitness room and a kitchenette next to a commons area will also be available to everybody on site. Pets and smoking will not be allowed, but assistive animals will be.

Vodraska said the building's elevator has received a facelift. New fire alarm and security systems have also been installed.

Tenants and their visitors will use the south doorway as their main entrance. Apartment dwellers will be allowed one parking space per unit in the newly-expanded parking lot, which is also located south of the building.

"The school has absolutely maintained this property," Vodraska said. "Walking into it, to demolish and reconstruct it as we've done, it's one of the best buildings. It was clean and taken care of; they didn't let it go and let things become ruined. That's a credit to all those people who worked in and on that building."

Potential tenant process

As inquiries about the building's apartments have been processed throughout the year, Vodraska explained that CHI staff have placed dozens of names on a list of potential tenants. Applications, she added, will officially start to be accepted Wednesday.

"To be fair to those who've heard about it all these months and been on this inquiry list, the date that we begin to advertise is the day that we'll send out applications to those folks who are on our inquiry list," she said. " ... When we start receiving applications, that starts our application list and places people in line for an apartment.

"But, because they put an application in, that does not obligate them to take an apartment. Only a lease can do that. It's also not an approval, either. Placing the application places them in line. So, if you're at all thinking you're interested in renting an apartment, putting an application in is a good idea. We only have 16 units and we currently have 30-40 people on the inquiry list alone."

CHI, meanwhile, will rent based on income limits. These, which are detailed below, include the potential number per household and whether they fit into a 40, 50 or 60 percentile ranking for the median income limit set for Clay County.

"Take a look at them, because you may qualify," Vodraska encouraged.

"We do screen our tenants -- not only for income limits and affordability, but to make sure they're going to be a good fit for the property and good tenants for CHI," she added.

As potential renters proceed through the certification process, their paperwork will remain valid for 90 days.

"Once we take an application, we review it and see in a cursory review if people are going to fall within these guidelines. If they're blatantly over, we're not going to hang them out on an application list and keep their hopes up. We're going to talk to them right away," Vodraska said. "Others, though, that we feel will go on this application list once we start processing them, they will receive a packet of information, questionnaires and verification forms to verify their income and assets and whatever pertains to their particular situation, whether it be Social Security, disability income, student verifications or whatever. From there, once all that information is gathered back in with their application, we'll look at it again, do the calculations and make sure where they fall within these guidelines and if they do actually qualify."

While tentative plans are for CHI to host an open house on site with the Spencer Area Activity Center in early 2010, allowing attendees to view the entire building, Vodraska said CHI will not be showing the apartments until the contractor turns the building over to them.

"So, unfortunately when you turn your application in, it will be some time before you actually get to look at it, probably mid- to late-December," she said to potential building tenants.

For additional leasing information, contact Brittany Spieker or Chelsea VanderWeide at 262-5965.

2009 Income Limits

* Rent maximums at opening will be $390 for one-bedroom apartments and $460 for two-bedroom apartments.