Lieutenant Governor cuts ribbon on school house conversion

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a member of the Missouri Housing Development Commission, joined a large crowd Monday morning, Aug. 8, in Park Hills, Mo., to open the refurbished former Eugene Fields Elementary School. The school, built in the first years of the 20th century, is now housing for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Missouri’s lieutenant governor performed the traditional ribbon cutting at the main entrance to the building. He was joined by representatives of the partners in the project - East Missouri Action Agency and MACO Construction, Inc.

"To see a building like this that's almost a century old be reborn in the 21st Century as senior housing is a delight and pleasure," Kinder said. "The Commissioners and staff of MHDC want to find a use for buildings that have historical value if they're not too far gone. “Historical preservation is one of our mandates."

As lieutenant governor, Kinder is the state advocate for senior citizens and is a member of the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), the agency that provided funding and tax credits for the project.

The $3.5 million Eugene Fields project consists of one- and two-bedroom apartments in the original school building as well as in a new addition. The facility includes an exercise area, community and sitting rooms and an outdoor barbecue area. Because the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, the renovation had to maintain the historical integrity of the building.

Financing for the development includes a $700,000 federal HOME Community Housing Development Organization loan, a $20,000 operating grant and $238,000 in state and federal Rental Housing Tax Credits. The Department of Economic Development also provided $776,984 in Historical Tax Credits.
 

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