December 8, 2002
House of the Month
McCormack House

By Jo Ann Vatcha
Community Development Administration

McCormack House at Forest Park Southeast, a beautiful and innovative new retirement community, will be open Sunday, December 8th, from 12-3 p.m. It offers assisted living for seniors, including meal service, home health services, a doctor's office, transportation to shopping, housekeeping, and more. Specifically designed for affordability and supportive services, it is owned and managed by McCormack-Baron, a nationally recognized development and management corporation. Their meticulous planning has resulted in successful urban neighborhoods in many U.S. cities. Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood has much to celebrate, including this transformation of the intersection of Manchester and Kingshighway into great new apartments serving seniors in a new and exciting way. A brand new park will be planted on this corner in Spring, 2003, a site for hands-on-science education and intergenerational activities coordinated by nearby St. Louis Science Center.

The inviting entrance lobby of McCormack House features a fireplace, original artwork, classic colors and furniture. There's plenty of room to enjoy friends and family, and additional space is provided on each floor for comfortable socializing. The first floor dining room is like a fine restaurant, with lunch and dinner available through a meal service plan catered by the Salad Bowl Restaurant.

Each of the 89 units in the builiding is fully accessible and designed for beauty and convenience. Kitchens include appliances and nice cabinetry offering storage within easy reach. From the attractive entry into each apartment, the results of good planning are evident. The lighting is especially elegant, as well as functional. Both one and two bedroom units are available, with base rents starting at only $425, including heat. The professional staff provides on-site management and exceptional service.

As an assisted-living facility, McCormack House offers activities and transportation to the grocery store to make life easier. Optional services include a doctor's office located right in the building, a barber/beauty shop and several home health services. The individual selects the type of assistance needed, and choices include personal care and medication, making it possible to continue an independent lifestyle.

The setting for this new McCormack House is no accident. The Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood is adjacent to Forest Park and Washington University Medical Center and near the Science Center, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Central West End Metrolink Station. In 1998, the Medical Center and Forest Park Southeast Housing Corporation coordinated a comprehensive neighborhood planning process in which over 200 neighborhood residents participated. The highest priorities, reopening the neighborhood elementary school and developing a community center, were accomplished in 2001, when a renovated Adams School and Community Center opened.

McCormack Baron and partner, Urban Strategies, were invited to become program managers to implement other key elements of the plan. The neighborhood has worked with Alderman Joe Roddy and the City's Community Development Administration to build over 20 new homes and 64 rehabs in recent years. The City also provided public improvements, including green space and a redesigned cul-de-sac street for McCormack House, adjacent to that part of the neighborhood recently designated a National Register Historic District.

Manchester Avenue has been named a "Missouri Main Street," and revitalization is taking shape with rehabs like the "Potter's Studio", at 4300 Manchester, "La Dolce Via Restaurant", at Arco and Taylor, and "Jaboni's Restaurant", located at 4301 Manchester, which will open on December 11, 5:30-9:00 p.m. when Forest Park Southeast Housing Corporation celebrates the holiday and their 25th Anniversary. View Forest Park Southeast's web page at stlouis.missouri.org/neighborhoods. To reach McCormack House from I-40 or 44, come south on Kingshighway, left on Manchester, and immediately left to 4575 Cadet.