Jordee Kalk, KCRG TV9
Sun 11:15 PM, Sep 24, 2017
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG TV9)– A historic building in eastern Iowa is in the midst of a major renovation.
Developers at Hobart Historic Restoration want to open the Knutson building in Cedar Rapids by the end of the year. The building will include 18 market-rate rentals.
The Hobarts say construction is on schedule. Crews will start putting up dry wall, starting next week.
Developers say it’s been a process to stabilize this building.
The almost 130-year-old building has had many tenants over the years. Most recently, it was a haunted house.
Developers say they had to clean out moldy decorations and fix crumbling brick all along the exterior of the building. Developers say they’ve worked to maintain the historic feel in these new-age rentals. They also used the river to their advantage.
“The extra special thing about this place is well have a deck that’s overlooks the river. We tried to capture that opportunity of having river right there,” BJ Hobart said.
The Hobarts want to make these new rentals have a campus-like feel.
The Hobarts also own the Mott Building, which is just down the street from the Knutson Building.