Preliminary plans are under way to renovate a large building in downtown Sapulpa into housing complex for older adults.
John Errigo, project planner of MetroPlains of St. Paul, Minn., said the real estate company has reached a purchase agreement to buy the 38,000-square-foot Wells building, 208-210 E. Dewey Ave., just west of the Creek County Courthouse.
Ed Wells, 82, confirmed the purchase agreement saying someone younger needed to own the building, which dates back to 1918 and originally was called the Clayton building. Wells has owned the building for 28 years.
MetroPlains plans to renovate the building into a 32-unit senior housing complex, but some hurdles need to be cleared in regards to funding the $5 million project, Errigo said.
The real estate company hopes to finance the project through the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, which requires approval of the planned senior housing complex from the city of Sapulpa, he said.
The city recently passed a resolution to support the senior housing project and to hold public hearings to create a tax increment finance district that would help reduce some of the costs related to renovating the building.
Sapulpa city officials would not comment on any issues concerning the Wells Building.
Errigo hoped the public hearings concerning the tax increment finance district would be held in February.
He said the city will provide a rebate on sales tax for construction materials used to renovate the building but this could not be confirmed with city officials.
MetroPlains specializes in historic rehabilitation of buildings that provide housing for low- to moderate-income people, according the company Web site.
Its projects in Oklahoma included the renovation of the Berryhill building, 16 E. Dewey Ave., in Sapulpa, into a senior housing complex about eight years ago.
The Berryhill building dates to 1909 and is listed twice on the National Register of Historic Places – once as an individual building and again as part of a historic district in downtown Sapulpa.
MetroPlains has similar plans for the Wells building, Errigo said.
The company has nearly 50 historic buildings in the country. Once work is completed on the Wells building, MetroPlains will request that the building be included as part of Sapulpa’s historic district, he said.
Sapulpa historic district includes more than 50 buildings along nine blocks in the downtown area.
“We view Sapulpa as a strong market and have had good success with the Berryhill building,” Errigo said.
He was confident that the company eventually would receive funds for the project.
“I am optimistic that it will come to fruition, but there are a number of loopholes that we have to clear,” Errigo said.
“In the end, it will be a beauty contest winner, and it will be a part of the National Register of Historic Districts.”
Plans to renovate the Wells building include converting the top four stories to housing units and using the bottom floor for commercial and office space, he said.
About a dozen tenants including lawyers, accountants and insurance agents, occupy the Wells Building.
Existing tenants would have an opportunity to remain in the building on the bottom floor once the renovation work is completed, Errigo said.
Insurance agent Ken Rentz, who has an office inside the Wells building is uncertain whether he will stay.
“I would probably feel displaced, but I am not going to worry about it,” Rentz said.
Bert Ellen Davis, owner of the Sapulpa Legal News, has occupied an office inside the Wells Building for at least 35 years, she said.
She did not think many tenants would object to renovating the building into a senior housing complex, as long as they have an opportunity to remain in the building with affordable rent.
MetroPlains hopes to begin renovation the building in August with a 12-month completion date, Errigo Said.
People could be living there by July 2009, he added.
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