Commercial Club holds third annual loftwalk

The Commercial Club's third annual Uptown Loftwalk was held Sept. 5 on historic Commercial Street.

The following photos and text illustrate the loftwalk as seen by photographer Valerie Harter.

Along with the featured lofts, Commercial Street boosters also unveiled new additions to the street's sculpture garden during the event.

Participants in a privately sponsored moonlight sculpture walk and wine-tasting got a sneak preview of the new artwork Sept. 3.

210 W. Commercial St.

Drury professor Alkis Tsolakis renovated this building, where the living area is open and numerous windows allow natural light to fall on hardwood floors. Ann Peck, from the Planning and Development Department, of the city of Springfield, was helpful in the renovation of this loft. The space is now for sale.

225 E. Commercial St.

Historical painted advertisements on the brick walls of this Commercial Street space will be preserved, according to Joann Hosmer, who owns the building with her husband Craig Hosmer and her brother-in-law Andy Hosmer. The downstairs will be commercial space, while there will be four lofts on the upper floors. "We love old buildings," Joann Hosmer said. "And we decided to buy when Andy saw the back apartment had a mezzanine." Dennis Olson Construction of Marshfield will be doing the renovation, and Hosmer said Olson is excited about bringing this structurally sound building back to its former style.

201 E. Commercial St.

Fire Station No. 2 was built in 1906 as an infill between two buildings. The building is now being renovated, with plans to repair the ceiling and wood floors. Mary Collette and husband Paul Parker own the building and courtyard. "We want to maintain the open character of the building and keep the original skylights," Collette said. The ground floor is 4,000 square feet, and one proposal for the space includes a new brewing company. "One big investment would turn this area around," she said. The upper floors will have lofts and office spaces. Several sculptures by local artist Larry Frost are displayed in the courtyard and ground floor of the old fire station. During the loftwalk, piano player Jerry Haden entertained people as they waited for the next tour through the building.

202-A E. Commercial St.

Randy Buckmaster's loft is filled with unusual and decorative items that include an organ he was still putting together the night before the loftwalk. "At the last minute, I put some organ pieces up on the shelf and turned the organ cabinet into a computer desk." One unique feature of his loft is a sliding ladder that moves along a metal track to give access to overhead shelves and storage.

330 E. Commercial St.

Owners Mike and Christine Schilling decorated their renovated loft, now available for lease, with artwork by Bill Harmon, a gourd sculpture by Jim Way and specialty fabrics from The Rare Breed, a new store on West Walnut Street. Christine Schilling credits city support for helping promote development on Commercial Street and said the city helped their renovation with a low-interest city facade loan. Schilling added that the ample parking, wide streets and bargain storefront properties on Commercial Street offer a ground-floor opportunity for business owners.

214 W. Commercial St.

Peter Tinson bought this 110-year-old loft about two years ago, but didn't move in right away. The old building was built so well that "it was a tank," he said. The hardest part was taking down the plaster, but after six months of renovation, Tinson was able to move in. "After living in a big city, (Commercial Street) was the closest I could get to an urban area," he said.

408 E. Commercial St.

In 1994, The Kitchen renovated these loft apartments to be used as transitional living space for former Missouri Hotel residents, according to Sister Lorraine Biebel. The Kitchen used federal money to help renovate the property, and it was required to preserve everything of historical value, because Commercial Street is classified as a historic district. The original home of Ollis & Co. Insurors, established in 1885, the building was acquired by The Kitchen in 1988. The lofts were first occupied in 1994. The Fresh Start program donated the apartment furnishings, and the families who live in the lofts learn household management skills for six to 18 months during a transition into the community.

202-B E. Commercial St.

In the 1890s, this loft started out as a hardware store. Now it has evolved into a stylish living space. Charles Davis said he just moved in during June from another apartment four doors down. The main reason for the move was more space, he said, although an antique elevator has made for an interesting conversation piece. One loftwalk participant said the antique elevator looked easy enough to fix, but Davis said it wouldn't be up to city code. "But I did wish it was working when I was moving in," he added with a laugh.