New lofts overlook square

Big changes are afoot at the corner of Park Central East and the square, where a 130-year-old building is being renovated for luxury loft apartments, a restaurant and leasable commercial space by Design Build LLC.

The building has been dubbed The Patriot by its owners, named for the newspaper that had its offices there at the turn of the century.

Loft living

The four apartments, on the top two floors of the building, "are going to have solid oak hardwood floors, all new; stainless steel appliances in every unit; and big picture windows," said Richard Branham, a sales engineer for Trane and one of four principals in Design Build LLC.

Each apartment has two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, dining room, laundry room, living area and a sleeping loft. The design includes exposed brick, ceiling joists and ductwork, and ceiling heights range from 12 feet to around 30 feet, said Steve Warlick, intern architect at Warren Bates Jr. & Associates and a principal in Design Build LLC.

The single-story apartments in the front of the building have curvilinear walls and picture-window views of the square. The two-story apartments in the back are open-plan, the second floor overlooking the downstairs living area, and will have fireplaces. The design is by Warlick and intern architect Andrew York, a recent graduate of the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury University.

Two of the lofts are pre-leased. Rent will be $1,200 per month, and the targeted completion date is mid-September, Branham said. Access is from Park Central East.

On parking, "we've already worked out an agreement with Davis Properties for secured parking" in the garage behind Bank of America, he said.

Downstairs dining

James River Grill will occupy 1,200 square feet of the first-floor space in the storefront on Park Central East, formerly the site of Springfield Pottery and, before that, Glenda's Sandwich Nook.

The location initially will be just a lunch counter, said Bill Dreiling, co-owner of the restaurant with Trip Kadey. It will offer barbecue items, sides such as cole slaw and baked beans, and green salads.

Most of the food will be prepared at James River Grill and transported to the new site, tentatively titled JRG Smokehouse Express, Dreiling said. Plans are for a September move-in.

The express location was Branham's idea, Dreiling said. "Rich Branham has been a frequent guest of ours at the James River Grill for over two years. When he and his partners began developing this property downtown, he decided it was a natural progression for us to bring barbecue downtown."

The first floor totals 3,200 square feet. A second commercial tenant is sought for the 2,000-square-foot storefront at 107 Park Central Square.

The last of the downtown deals

Branham said the attraction of this particular property was simple: "The price." He said a lot of people downtown are asking $30 or $40 per square foot and the space needs renovating. The Patriot needed a lot of work, but the purchase price was about one-third what others were asking.

"It's the last of the downtown deals," he said.

The four partners in Design Build LLC are Branham, Warlick, attorney John Steward of St. Louis, and contractor Derrick Hux of St. Louis.

An open house for the property is planned for July 23, and Design Build has already signed on for the Mid-America Singers Loftwalk in October.