Center-city home makeover

The city of Springfield, Urban Neighborhoods Alliance and Great Southern Community Development Corp., partners in the rehabilitation of this house at 1510 N. Grant, held an open house Feb. 15 to celebrate the completion of the project. According to Bob Horton, executive director of UNA, the home is listed for sale at $115,000, but qualified buyers could be eligible for a 10 percent forgivable loan to help with down-payment and closing costs.

The home, built in 1902, was converted into two apartments in the 1950s, and was boarded up in the 1990s to keep transients out. It was abandoned in 1998 and declared a blighted property. In 2003, the city acquired the property after thousands of dollars of unpaid liens were levied against a house. The city sold the house for $1 to Urban Neighborhoods LLC, the joint venture of UNA and Great Southern’s CDC, and rehabilitation began in July.

The home has been converted into a single-family dwelling, and new windows, siding, heating, electrical and plumbing were put in under the direction of ReStyle Corp., the general contractor. The three-bedroom, two-bath home features new carpeting, new hardwood floors and a tiled kitchen floor. A bright color scheme is used throughout, with large windows to let in natural light.

Before ...

... After!