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ST. PAUL, MN - January 6, 2004 - Minneapolis-based nonprofit developer Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT) will renovate the 100-year-old Crane Ordway warehouse in downtown St. Paul to create 61 units of affordable housing.

Completed in 1904, the building is part of St. Paul's Lowertown Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by the renowned Reed & Stem architecture firm, which also designed the St. Paul Hotel in downtown St. Paul and Grand Central Station in New York City. The building has been vacant for 30 years.

"This plan aligns with the city's goals to ensure housing for all income levels," says CCHT Senior Project Manager Kirk Moorhead. The 36 efficiencies and 25 one-bedroom apartments will serve people earning 30 to 50 percent of the area median income. The building will also provide approximately 10,500 feet of rental commercial space.

The project is CCHT's first in St. Paul. The 17-year-old organization has created 1,200 units of housing, most in Central Minneapolis neighborhoods. In 2003, CCHT extended its geographic reach to include the entire Twin Cities Metro Area.

The adaptive reuse development is slated to begin in December, 2004, and last about 12 months.

Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT) is an award-winning nonprofit developer of quality housing for the Twin Cities Metro Area, providing homes for more than 2,000 people annually. Since 1987, CCHT has built and renovated 23 properties, totaling 1,200 units of housing. Its mission is to create and sustain quality affordable housing that strengthens lives and communities.

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