Former Eddy Elementary School undergoing transformation in St. Clair
Where kids once read library books in Eddy Elementary School is now home to gym equipment and classrooms will one day be office space and senior apartments.
The former school at 301 N. Ninth St. in St. Clair is undergoing a transformation and will soon be home to different tenants and mixed uses, including Viking Fitness and local nonprofit Friends of the St. Clair River.
Background on the project
St. Clair County Board of Commissioners Chairman and Viking Fitness owner Jeff Bohm said the school is 50,000 to 60,000 square feet and most tenants will be in the space in the next 60 to 90 days.
There are a lot of people interested in leasing there and he foresees filling the space in a short amount of time. He said the building is probably pushing 10 tenants.
A travel volleyball team and the St Clair Recreation Department will utilize the school’s former gym, Friends of the St. Clair River is taking front office space and Bohm said Viking Fitness will be in the school's former library and cafeteria.
He said the four classrooms on the second floor lend to office space with good internet connectivity. He is working with an art association and has taken a day care provider on a tour of the school.
Eddy Elementary School closed in 2019 and developers worked with the St. Clair County Land Bank Authority to purchase the property from East China School District.
Tenant excited for building's future
Sheri Faust, Friends of the St. Clair River president, said construction began on the building earlier this year and she’s excited to see the place bustling with life again.
“Every time I come here there’s something new and different to see,” she said.
She said the demand for the nonprofit’s services has grown and it needed a space for its future Thumb Coast Watershed Center that is centrally located, visible and accessible.
"Our Thumb Coast Watershed Center will provide the region with greater access to our on-the-ground technical support, environmental services, and educational programming,” she said in an email.
The school redevelopment project coincided with its search for a brick-and-mortar and now the nonprofit is actively working on its future 3,000-square-foot space with a move-in date of Dec. 1.
Faust said it’s an estimated $8,000 for the renovation, move-in and furnishing costs. The first $4,000 has been raised with grants and sponsorships and the nonprofit aims to raise the remaining $4,000 by Nov. 30.
The nonprofit is accepting cash gifts, donated items and unused office furniture, but people will also have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand at its “Get ‘Er Done Work Day” from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Faust said the nonprofit has a long list of tasks to tackle Saturday and anyone from a 10-year-old to a skilled handyman can help.
People can RSVP for the work day at info@scriver.org.
What it could mean for the community
Bohm said the county has been trying to tackle old school redevelopment and there were seven vacant schools in the county at one time.
And he thinks there’s more to come, with school populations shrinking statewide.
He thinks the Eddy Elementary School project will give the area a footprint to show other developers what they can do and hopes there are more developments like this moving forward.
“It’s gonna be a nice community reuse project,” he said.
Faust said the building is trying to keep its history and the revamped school is designed to serve as a co-op working space and community center for businesses, nonprofits and community groups to operate.
“I envision this transformed space will be bustling with energy and activity all week long, bringing with it more excitement, foot traffic and recreation to St. Clair,” she said.
People interested in leasing or touring the space can contact Bohm at (810) 874-6554. People can contact Friends of the St. Clair River at info@scriver.org.
Contact Bryce Airgood at (810) 989-6202 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.
