EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — A 20-home subdivision that provides market-rate housing options and an incentive for buyers has shaped up in East St. Louis.
On Sunday, the president of Lansdowne Up, the non-profit behind the development, looked out over the space at 25th Street and Gross Avenue.
The land was once a beautiful neighborhood park decades ago and had since been abandoned with trash and overgrowth. Mark Mestemacher and his wife occupy the first home on the site.
"We've moved in here about four, five weeks ago and excited about it. It's been a long time coming to get here in East St. Louis but we're here. We're looking forward to having neighbors here. That is for sure," Mestemacher said.
The developer from Collinsville saw something in the city 16 years ago.
Lansdowne Up works to clean up the city, create job development, and partner with entities like the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation just down the road to bring resources into the neighborhood.
Mestemacher said this was just an extension of that vision.
The subdivision has five different exterior designs, with three different options: small ranch, large ranch, and two-story. Each home sits on a quarter-acre lot with three bedrooms, or two or two and half bathrooms and ranges from 1,604 to 1,872 square feet.
Mestemacher noted the convenience of the subdivision in that it is located minutes from downtown St. Louis, is less than one mile from the Jackie Joyner Kersee (JJK) Center, and is near the new headquarters site for District 11 of the Illinois State Police.
He added that the 20 houses are priced from $360,000 and are designed to attract both former and new community residents searching for better housing options in the city of East St. Louis. A 20-year 75% tax abatement is associated with the homes to help make them more affordable.
The developer said the City of East St. Louis was instrumental in a few ways, including providing the infrastructure dollars to provide the roads and sewers.
They were instrumental in us getting a Lansdowne TIF which is a way for the property owners to get a rebate on their property taxes for the next 18 years.
Another notable part of the development is that every house will look over a round green space to foster community.
The development is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024 and interested buyers can visit www.lansdowneup.org or inquire at 618-515-2800 for more information.