Former school building to be turned into luxury apartments
By Chris Fortune
After closing nearly a decade ago, the Woodson building at 3510 Frederick Ave. will serve a new purpose.
A developer is turning the building, which most recently housed the Colgan Alternative Resource Center nine years ago, into luxury apartments.
Developer Doug Williams moved to St. Joseph from Oregon, and after running into difficulties with a development deal in Maryville, he realized the opportunity he had in St. Joseph.
“I was just sitting at the stop sign at 36th and Frederick and looking at it, and I was like, ‘That’s it,’” Williams said. “That’s the building.”
Williams said he remembers the warm welcome he received and the impression it left on him when arriving in St. Joseph.
“It was refreshing to hear that he came to St. Joseph because of the opportunity that existed, but also the people that he met,” Interim City Manager Clint Thompson said.
The classrooms in the building will be turned into luxury apartments with safety features like RFID or touchless entry.
“We want to make it so professionals, young professionals and families can come here and have a comfortable place and safe place to live,” Williams said.
Other modern technology will be included in the building’s renovation as well. Williams said robots will be used to make people coffee.
“They’re basically robot hands that can make coffee, and they’ll make coffee for you,” he said. “Frappuccinos, lattes, cappuccinos, whatever you want.”
Repurposing old structures isn’t a new concept in St. Joseph. The American Electric Lofts Downtown went from a dry goods facility to an apartment building.
“As we’ve seen with some of our older structures in the community, they’ve taken on a new life in a different type of reuse,” Thompson said.
The Woodson apartments will be constructed with an accelerated timeline. Thompson said Williams is highly motivated to begin the project.
“Our target date to have that open is July of 2025,” Williams said. “We’ll have 50% of it open, so people will be able to start reserving rooms, getting layout ideas toward the end of quarter one of 2025. We will be full completion by mid-2026.”
