A new apartment development in north Springfield plans to do more than simply house people. The first phase of the project by nonprofit Elevate Lives near the former Robberson school seeks to build community.
Tuesday, Sept. 1, Elevate Lives broke ground on the first of two buildings that will include 21 apartment units for low-income families to move toward stability and independent success. The project, dubbed Elevate Heights, will sit along East Turner Street on the Robberson school campus. The former school building now is home to the Elevate Center, a hub for Christian groups that provide life-skills and financial training, addiction recovery support, childcare and education, and youth entrepreneurship program.
Founder Russ Gosselin said each
apartment, spanning roughly 1,200 square feet, will include three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large open kitchen, dining room and living room area.
Living at Elevate Heights, residents will have direct access to financial coaching and other services to continue building pathways toward greater success. Kyler Dennis, an Elevate Lives participant, shared his own story at the groundbreaking. He said the organization helped him correct course from addiction to employment, a stable home, a growing family, and starting his own business.
The multi-family housing project is part of Elevate Lives' mission to build community and recover the neighborly nature of the northside.
"It's not just living near one another; it's knowing one another, caring for one another, becoming neighbors," Gosselin said. "Children will grow up here. Friendships will begin here. Some will learn to manage money here, others will get a better job. People will buy their first home from here. Families will become stronger, and children will see a different future because what happened in their family here."
The goal of the project goes beyond just serving the people living there. Gosselin emphasized the importance of the campus as a whole being a part of the greater neighborhood and North Springfield. As part of this intention, the playground on the school campus will be transformed to be a community greenspace that can host neighborhood events and gatherings.
"I think about Robberson school, and this is the park for this neighborhood here," said Phyllis Ferguson, a longtime north Springfield advocate and a former Springfield councilwoman. "It couldn't have been a better [fit] to do what is going to happen today."
At a time when there is so much to fragment people, Gosselin told the News-Leader creating personal connections is part of making a greater difference.
"As long as we're human beings, I think that we should not let that fall by the side," he said. "It may look a little bit different, but we need to really build community, because that is what I have found the most fulfilling in people's lives."
Second building waits for funding
Elevate Lives is familiar with housing local families, having renovated 18 houses and supported folks in making those houses their homes, though this is the first undertaking of this size for the organization.
This first phase is a $4 million project, Gosselin told the News-Leader. At the groundbreaking Sept. 1, Hawthorn Bank presented Elevate Lives with a $3 million check on behalf of the Federal Home Loan Bank provided in financing for the project.
Gosselin said this first building is expected to be complete in January or February of 2027. For the second building, he said the nonprofit is still waiting to hear about several grant proposals in December. If those are secured, construction could begin soon thereafter, rolling seamlessly into the completion for the first phase. Although the Missouri state budget did include $3.5 million for Elevate Lives,Gov. Mike Kehoe placed the amount on his restrictedlist. Gosselin said this funding would have gone toward the second phase of the project.
"We already have way more than 42 families ready, so the need is there," he said. "It would make a lot of sense being able to do that right along with this first [phase]."
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Apartment project in north Springfield plans to focus on community
