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Work On Another Apartment Project In Downtown Spencer Is Wrapping Up

March 21, 2024 Steve Schwaller

(Spencer)– We told you earlier this week about a project in downtown Spencer in which the upper levels of some buildings in the 200 block of Grand Avenue that were damaged by fire several years ago are being renovated into apartments. Meanwhile, another project to renovate the upper level of some buildings in what’s known as the “Union Block” or the 300 block of Grand Avenue, is wrapping up. Five newly renovated apartments are now available as a result of that project. Spencer Main Street Director Nancy Naeve it’s very exciting as more and more people are looking to live in the city’s downtown area…

“1103 Industries has made a commitment to buying buildings downtown that are in a desperate need of repair, renovation, and they’re making them come to life and adding upper story apartments. 1103 Industries got a challenge grant last year. They’re a year ahead of schedule and are about ready to take apartment dwellers.”

Matt Bathke of 1103 Industries says the renovations were extensive…

“There was broken roof joists all the way down the building from the snow load at some point back in the day, and it required us to basically completely gut everything from the ceilings upstairs, ceilings downstairs, in order to essentially lift the building back up into place. That was a hidden defect in that building that had been there for at least, you know, 10, 15 years if not longer. At a certain point in time if that wasn’t rectified that building wasn’t going to be there, so I think it’s a good thing we did it and I’m glad to see it kind of come to the end and have that new, bright, vibrant building downtown instead of an eyesore.”

An update on the project was given at Monday’s Spencer City Council meeting. Councilman Tom Nelson, who owns a business on Grand Avenue, expressed his gratitude to 1103 Industries and M & M Grand Ventures, the developer involved in a similar project in the 200 block of Grand Avenue, for the work they’ve been doing…

“We’ve been around downtown a long, long, time, and to see this type of investment, it just means a lot. It really does. This is so big for Spencer.”

Aaron Techen of 1103 Industries says the next phase of their project will consist of work on the lower level of the building at 301 Grand Avenue.

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