New Vandivort owner plans office upgrades

Aaron Buerge, senior vice president of First National Bank, recently purchased the landmark and nearby parking from longtime owner Jim Shirato, who bought and renovated the four-story building in the 1980s.

Shirato said he chose Buerge from seven prospective buyers, but he declined to disclose the sale price, suggesting it was in the “mid-seven figures.”

“He is already a viable member of the downtown business community, and he has the wherewithal to complete the commitments he’s making,” Shirato said of Buerge, who co-owns Trolley’s restaurant and bar on the east side of Park Central Square.

Shirato said he’s focusing his attention on Indian Ridge Resort, a $1.6 million privately funded development in Branson West. The ambitious 1,000-acre project will include an eight-story hotel, water park, marina, 18-hole golf course, aquarium and conference center.

Buerge, who gained notoriety on ABC’s reality show “The Bachelor” in 2002, said he’s been talking to Shirato for three years about acquiring the Vandivort, which houses 48 office suites, a ballroom and a fourth-floor theater that seats 125 people.

“This is his baby, so to speak, and he trusted me to take it to the next level,” Buerge said of the property. “It’s definitely been a sleeper of a building, and that’s due to lack of marketing.”

Improvement plans

Buerge’s got big plans for the Vandivort, starting with the lobby and ballroom – two areas he said are in dire need of updated lighting and décor.

The ballroom, which can accommodate up to 275 people, has lacy white window curtains, mauve and kelly green trim and ultraviolet office lighting hanging from its high ceilings. The room’s saving grace: original hardwood floors in superb condition.

Buerge said he’s toying with the idea of installing a several-thousand dollar audio-video system in the ballroom so the space could be used for business meetings, seminars or sales presentations during the week.

“I think there are ways to make this (room) more elegant and more versatile,” he said.

In the lobby, Buerge plans on installing stamped tin ceilings and marble floors for a classier feel.

Add some artwork, wine and hors d’oeurves, and the space would be a perfect addition to the First Friday Art Walk, he said.

“It needs to have a little bit of a wow factor,” Buerge said. “The bar has been raised downtown … but I think I can create a lot of positive interest.”

Buerge has also replaced the exterior lighting on either side of the Vandivort’s main entrance, replacing white globes with historic lanterns. He said people are already noticing the fixtures.

More than 90 percent of the building’s office space is occupied, and tenants include attorneys, architects, a martial arts dojo and a travel agency, among others.

The Vandivort Center Theatre just entered its 11th year in the building, and Executive Producer Lou Schaeffer said he and Buerge share the same vision for a vibrant downtown.

“The nice thing is he’s a patron of the arts, and he comes to the theater,” Schaeffer said. “It’s nice to have a landlord who takes pride in his tenants and what they’re doing.”

Shirato was also known for his rapport with tenants.

The University of Missouri Extension’s Family Nutrition Education Program – originally housed on the Vandivort’s third floor – moved to a ground-floor suite in October 2001 after Shirato remodeled and repainted the office.

“We really like it down here,” said Cindy Edmondson, administrative assistant for FNEP. “There’s always renovations going on downtown and lots of places to eat when we have trainings. Downtown has become a cool place to be.”

Tenants said rates at the Vandivort have traditionally gone up about 7 percent annually, and Buerge said he’ll likely lease office space for $11–$14 per square foot, depending on whether the suite has been updated.

“I think we’ll create more demand for the space, and with that, people will be willing to pay a little more,” he said, adding that he intends to honor all active leases.