July 2000
House of the Month
3131 Iowa

The brass band will be playing, and senior citizens will be celebrating, as The Salvation Army of St. Louis dedicates its brand-new 74-unit residential building at 2:00 p.m. today. St. Louis Booth Manor, Inc., located at 3131 Iowa, in the Benton Park West Neighborhood, has been designed to meet seniors' special housing needs and is conveniently set in an historic neighborhood known for its beautiful brickwork. Community support and the leadership of former ninth ward Alderman Martie Aboussie helped move this project from dream to reality.

The Salvation Army received a major grant of nearly $ 5 million dollars from HUD's 202 program, and special financing from the Community Development Agency of the City of St. Louis, for the construction of this five-story, 74-unit residence for senior citizens. Booth Manor is adjacent to The Salvation Army Temple Corps Community Center, which provides a variety of social services, including many senior programs.

Booth Manor has 73 one-bedroom units, as well as one 2-bedroom unit for an on-site manager. Each apartment has a carpeted living room, tiled eat-in kitchen, complete with refrigerator, range, and garbage disposal, carpeted bedroom and tiled bathroom. First floor apartments are handicap-accessible; other units are all adaptable for future needs. Each apartment has its own heating and cooling controls, and there are emergency pull cords in each unit. The building is served by two elevators and contains two laundry areas, a multi-purpose room with a kitchen, and two separate meeting rooms. All units are available to income-eligible senior citizens who are at least 62 years of age.

Booth Manor is managed by Lutheran Senior Services, which owns and operates three retirement communities in the St. Louis area, in addition to managing six other affordable housing complexes. Along with their strong reputation in retirement community management, Lutheran Senior Services also provides in-home services, and spiritual care to fulfill their Christian mission of "Older Adults Living Life to the Fullest."

The Tarlton Corporation was the general contractor for Booth Manor. The architects were Wedemeyer, Cernik, Corrubia; financing for the project came from HUD, the Community Development Agency, and private donations.

Reinvestment in the Benton Park West Area is a continuing goal in the City's targeting of neighborhoods for revitalization. CDA funding of $1,685,881 has leveraged additional investment of $8,288,900, creating not only the 74 senior citizen units, but also 14 single-family renovated and new homes. In addition, the City has targeted nearby Cherokee Street for revitalization efforts. Recently neighborhood-based groups have embarked on a major planning effort, working with Alderman Ken Ortmann and the "Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative". Community anchors include St. Wenceslas Church and Notre Dame Elementary School; Curby Memorial Presbyterian Church, Southside Baptist Church, and Lutheran Church of our Redeemer; Garfield Public School, Southside Day Nursery, and many other services.

The public is welcome to tour several apartments at Booth Manor after the Dedication at 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. today. To reach Booth Manor from Highway 40 or 44, go south on Grand to Gravois, east on Gravois to Iowa, then right to 3133 Iowa. For more information, contact Jeannie Davis or Yvonne Cox, Site Manager, at Booth Manor, Inc., 773-6760.

Benton Park West Neighborhood