EMERSON UNION
Adaptive reuse of historic school creates affordable housing
LOCATION
CLIENT
CONSTRUCTED
PROJECT DATE
PROJECT SCOPE
PROJECT SIZE
New Ulm, MN
Trellis (formerly Community Housing Development Corporation/CHDC)
1915-1956
2017-2021
Historic tax credit certification, condition assessments, design guidance for historic building redevelopment
90,000 sq. ft., 49 units
Historic tax credits pair with low-income housing tax credits for an award-winning redevelopment project.
CHALLENGE
The former New Ulm High School was decommissioned by the New Ulm School District in 2007. New owners planned to complete a renovation of the building for multi-family housing using state and federal historic tax credits as well as low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC). To succeed, the project needed to navigate the unique challenges of utilizing historic tax credits for a multi-owner site and preserving the historic character of the school while meeting requirements for a residential reuse.
SUCCESS
New History led the historic tax credit application process and worked with the project team to develop design solutions that met preservation standards, including a solution for reusing the school’s historic library space. In 2021, the completed project received a Minnesota Real Estate Journal Award.