By: City of St. PaulJuly 8, 2013
The Schmidt Brewery on West Seventh Street has a long history in Saint Paul. It all started in 1855 when the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company was founded. The company was once one of the largest employers in the city and the seventh largest brewery in the nation. Brewing of beer stopped in 2002 and today two of the historic buildings on the site – the Bottle House and Brew House – are being renovated to become affordable rental housing for artists.
In the early 1900s, the current buildings at the Schmidt Brewery on West Seventh were constructed.
In January, Dominium Development broke ground on the $122 million rehabilitation project to convert the buildings into 247 units of housing. By the end of 2013, the first residents of the Schmidt Artist Lofts will move into their new homes. Thirteen new construction townhomes are also part of the project.
Crews pour cement around forms for egress windows that are being installed for garden-level units at the Bottle House
The Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority issued $69.3 million in tax exempt bonds and provided additional financing for the project. One of the largest funding sources came from tax credits (low-income and historic).
Kitchen in one of the renovated units at Schmidt Artist Lofts
Site amenities will include creative spaces for artists such as clay, sound, dance and craft studios, a gallery, performance theater rooms and rooftop deck.
