MARYSVILLE (KSNT) – A Manhattan-based development company is setting its sights on a small town in rural north-central Kansas this year where it plans to inject life into some aging historic structures.
Tyler Holloway with Frontier Development Group (FDG) has some big ideas for downtown Marysville. Specifically, he and his workers hope to transform a block of historic structures tied to the local Koester family into new living areas for local tenants called the Broadway Lofts.
FDG has several other, similar projects going on around Kansas to create new housing opportunities in rural areas. FDG staff have worked on or completed projects in Wamego, Alma, Cottonwood Falls and other places, often taking old historic buildings and converting them into new places for people to call home.
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Holloway told 27 News that FDG is set to transform some of the old Koester buildings into a new housing complex consisting of 12 units. This comes after officials in Marysville gave FDG the green light to repurpose the aging buildings following numerous meetings and a securing historic tax credits for the project. The new living spaces will be a mix of one and two-bedroom units that will feature modern appliances and individual utilities, all while preserving the original historic value of the property.
“We are hopeful to have a majority of the units completed late fall of next year,” Holloway said.
A photo of the future Broadway Lofts in Marsyville, Kansas. Frontier Development Group hopes to transform these buildings into new housing units for the local community. (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group)
The Kansas State Historic Society (KSHS) lists the Koester Block Historic District as consisting of several buildings in Marysville’s historic downtown area that date back the 1870’s. The historic district contains commercial and residential buildings, including the former home of local historic figure Charles F. Koester and old Post Office buildings, according to the National Park Service (NPS). These were added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980.
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Holloway said that FDG worked with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for this project. He said the budget, while still in the works, is around $3.5 million, with cash flowing in from investors and state tax credits.
“This is a unique project for several reasons,” Holloway said. “First, it’s actually three individual buildings, so it required three separate historic reviews, and will be treated as three individual projects by SHPO and NPS. We worked closely with our design team at CES to develop a plan that was mindful of all existing historic fabric, but also allowed for updates necessary for modern apartments and code compliance. One of the solutions we identified was creating an opening in between two of the buildings that will allow all three buildings to share a common corridor for convenience and egress. Another item worth noting is that one of the buildings was built in 1870, making the oldest structure that Frontier has ever worked on.”
Holloway said he believes the project will have a big impact on the Marysville community. The addition of new housing opportunities and the rejuvenation of the Koester buildings are expected to add some new life to Marysville and possibly encourage continued development of the downtown area.
“Marysville has been an amazing community to work with,” Holloway said. “There is a ton of civic pride and a genuine excitement to see residential and commercial development happening in the downtown district. It’s going to be a great project and we’re really looking forward to showcasing what’s possible when everyone works together!”
You can learn more about the Broadway Lofts project by heading to the FDG’s website. You can find out more information on the town of Marysville by going to Visit Marysville’s website.
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