Ground was broken Sept. 29 for Charless Village, a five-home development in the city of St. Louis on the former site of the historic Charless school. These are the first new-construction homes to be built in the near-southside neighborhood of McKinley Heights in over 25 years.
Construction of the first of the energy-efficient new homes to be constructed by long-time St. Louis housing leader C.F. Vatterott is under way on Shenandoah Avenue six blocks south of Interstate 44, in the City’s 7th Ward. The two-story, three-bedroom, three-bath, 1,598-square-foot homes designed for families are priced from the $210,000s, said Greg Vatterott Jr., Vice-President with Vatterott. “These new homes will expand the supply of quality housing in the neighborhood and should spur additional new development of other currently nearby vacant ground that could dramatically improve this part of McKinley Heights.”
The homes will have brick elevations historically consistent with the neighborhood, but will feature modern open floor plans, full basements, two-car garages and high-efficiency systems as well as 9-foot first- and second-floor ceiling heights. Buyers of the homes will benefit from tax abatement, further increasing their affordability. Two of the five homes will even feature main floor master suites, with one fully accessible – something quite rare in the city.
The ground was formerly the site of the Charless Elementary School, built in 1895, which was torn down in the late 1980’s prior to when Vatterott purchased the property. The site is within one mile of three city parks, and a block away from McKinley Classical Leadership Academy, one of the city’s premier magnet schools.
Funding for construction of the new homes is provided in part by the St. Louis Community Development Agency (CDA) and will utilize Missouri Neighborhood Preservation Act tax credits to make these homes even more affordable.