Adaptive Reuse Archives - Bush Construction

4140 Park Avenue

Posted on January 19, 2026

4140 Park Avenue is part of the historic Liggett and Myers Tobacco processing plant that once stood on the northern 3 city blocks of what is now the Botanical Heights neighborhood of St. Louis. The plant played an important role in the western expansion of the city in the post WWI era and the large inward migration into the city for jobs in plants like this and the surrounding neighborhood. By the 1950’s Liggett and Myers had relocated to the south and east and the property served as a mattress factory until 2008 until it was shuttered and has stood empty since this time.

As part of UIC, now Bush Construction’s 150 plus property redevelopment work in the Botanical Heights neighborhood, they purchased this property in 2017 to preserve it for future redevelopment. Plans are now underway to redevelop the building into 64 market rate studio apartments, 25 affordable artist and maker studios, commercial suites, and shared amenities, such as a community room, fitness center, indoor parking, and rooftop deck.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2025 with apartments available in 2026.

Iowa Mutual Lofts

Posted on May 28, 2025

Bush Construction proudly led the transformation of the former Iowa Mutual Insurance Company building into Iowa Mutual Lofts, a 53-unit apartment complex that blends modern living with historic charm in downtown DeWitt.

Originally constructed in the 1920s, the property has seen several additions over the decades: the 1940s, 1950s, and most recently in 1974, when a three-story building with a parking garage and deck was connected to the original structure via a skywalk. The original two-story building with a basement spans approximately 10,000 square feet per floor, offering substantial space for residential reuse.

As a historic renovation, this project presented a unique challenge: the building’s period of historic significance spanned several eras, each with its own materials, styles, and details. Throughout the process, our team uncovered multiple original architectural elements that required careful restoration or replication, ensuring compliance with historic preservation standards while honoring the building’s legacy.

One of the project’s early goals was to accelerate the renovation of the 1974 building to allow for early occupancy. Despite the logistical complexities of working across two separate structures connected only by a skywalk, our team successfully delivered 15 completed units four months ahead of schedule.

This adaptive reuse project was made possible through a combination of HUD financing, historic tax credits, and support from private investors. Bush’s design, build, and development team have carefully restored the two halves of this building to create a distinct set of apartments that will appeal to a variety of styles.

Today, Iowa Mutual Lofts stands as a tribute to the past, and a vibrant home for the future thanks to the collaboration of committed partners, careful planning, and a values-driven approach to construction.

Kairos Academy High School

Posted on December 10, 2024

Kairos Academies is a high performing public charter school in St. Louis, serving grades 6 to 12. Founded in 2019, Kairos Academies has a unique teaching method involving a high degree of self-directed work that will enable students for the contemporary work environment they will face as adults. This educational method informs the design of the school’s teaching spaces, which include a higher mix of common and breakout spaces than conventional schools.

Kairos has operated in a leased warehouse space since its start. When it became clear that their ambitious model was delivering great results and they would need a permanent home, they reached out to Bush (formerly UIC in St. Louis) to assist in identifying and developing a new home. Having successfully completed the development of two high-performing charter schools in St. Louis previously, Bush had the experience to help Kairos realize their goals.

Bush’s engagement started with programming and sizing of the project, along with site identification and acquisition. In the spring of 2024, Kairos acquired a 4.5 acre site in the Bevo Mills neighborhood. Bush has created designs to rehabilitate the 100,000 sf existing building on the site into a school that will enable Kairos’ teaching method and allow them to continue to grow.

Bush’s development team is working with Kairos and has helped source New Market Tax Credits along with investments and financing for the projects and will start construction on the project in early 2025.

Botanical Heights

Posted on December 10, 2024

Botanical Heights is a new name that replaced McRee Town, which at one point was one of the most dangerous urban neighborhoods in the nation. At the time we moved in, the eastern half of the neighborhood had recently been completely torn down and replaced with new housing by a large regional home builder. The western half was assumed to be slated for the same fate; we had a different idea!

Working with a not for profit redevelopment group, the Garden District Commission, which was formed by the nearby Missouri Botanical Garden, we forged a new plan that stabilized the existing building stock and move forward with an ambitious plan for historic rehabilitation and infill building that would re-create a walkable, sustainable, mixed use neighborhood.

To date, our team has developed, designed and built over 40 new homes, dozens of apartments, a facility for Missouri’s top performing charter school, several nationally recognized restaurants and various office and retail spaces. We have guided over $15 million in investments in the neighborhood thus far with another $10 million slated for the coming two years.

The neighborhood has received local and national praise for both the speed and quality of the redevelopment. By working within the context of this long neglected 100 year old neighborhood we have been able to foster a rebirth with the density, amenities, and charm that make city neighborhoods great places to live and work.

Olio and Elaia

Posted on December 10, 2024

Bush served as design-builder and developer for this new venture by our good friend, chef Ben Poremba. Olio, described as a “grown-up wine bar and eatery,” is located in a former 1930s Standard Oil station that had been covered in plaster and stood abandoned for over a decade. Following a careful uncovering and analysis of the existing structure to determine the original form and brick pattern, we were able to lovingly complete a rehabilitation of this iconic structure. Olio, and its sister restaurant Elaia, are now an important anchor for our redevelopment of the Botanical Heights neighborhood.

Switch Office Renovation

Posted on December 10, 2024

Switch is a dynamic and multi-faceted St. Louis-based advertising agency that works as both an ideas and branding firm, as well as in event production and fabrication. When Switch approached Bush, they had half of their team in a downtown loft building and half in a defunct strip mall, two miles away, with a desire to bring everyone under one roof by expanding their space in the former shopping center, creating one 90,000 sf office and production hub for the firm.

Our challenge was to find a way to expand what Switch had already begun, while also make a new creative office space in a banal 30,000 sf former office supply store, that would inspire a group accustomed to their cozy loft offices. To do this, we embraced the bigness of the space, creating a dynamic open work area with carefully placed break-out spaces, a game room, a bar, and all of it centered around a winding two-story ramp and amphitheater. This ramp and amphitheater can accommodate a customized tour of Switch’s work for prospective clients, or a whole company meeting, creating a hub that fits their unique culture and style. Our first clue that the team would like the space was the razor scooter races that broke out on the ramp before we could finish construction.

Kairos Academy 9th Grade Expansion

Posted on December 10, 2024

Kairos Academies, a Saint Louis-based charter school, partnered with Bush Construction to design and build an 18,000-square-foot 9th grade expansion that supported rapid enrollment growth—without disrupting daily school operations.

Delivered on an accelerated 10-week summer schedule, the project was completed in time for the new school year, ensuring continuity for students, staff, and families while allowing the school to grow in a financially and operationally responsible way.

Design-Build Solutions for Enrollment-Driven School Growth

Kairos Academies’ long-term growth strategy required facilities that could expand alongside enrollment while maintaining a strong student experience. Bush Construction provided integrated development, architecture, and construction services, allowing early planning, fast decision-making, and schedule certainty.

By completing design, permitting, and preconstruction in advance, construction began immediately when school recessed for summer—minimizing risk, compressing timelines, and protecting the academic calendar.

Adaptive Reuse that Supports Learning & Longevity

The expansion is located within the historic Concordia Publishing House, an underutilized office and warehouse building already housing Kairos’ middle school grades. Bush Construction helped repurpose existing space into modern, student-centered learning environments—leveraging high ceilings, abundant natural light, and durable materials to balance character, performance, and long-term stewardship.

The project includes:

New classrooms and flexible collaboration zones
A renovated cafeteria supporting daily student use
Gender-neutral restrooms promoting inclusivity
Refurbished historic wood block flooring selected for durability and character

These design decisions enhanced learning, visibility, and supervision while supporting the school’s educational philosophy.

Built Around School Operations & Stakeholder Confidence

Every decision—from sequencing to material selection—was guided by three priorities:
operational continuity, budget responsibility, and student experience.

The result was a smooth, on-time delivery that:

Supported enrollment growth without operational disruption
Protected leadership credibility with families and stakeholders
Created flexible spaces that adapt as programs evolve

Lafayette Preparatory Academy

Posted on December 10, 2024

Phase 1 – Renovation of Classroom Buildings of Historic Lafayette Church

23,000SF

Lafayette Preparatory Academy is a top-ranked St. Louis City charter school and its reputation continues to grow. Their facility is in the prominent and beautiful neighborhood of Lafayette Square, near downtown. They came to us when they found a building in the area that they were trying to serve – the historic Lafayette Church at the northeast corner of Lafayette Square Park. The building had a lot of potential – though not a lot of land – and that worked for the school from a location and financial perspective. We were able to help with the development of the building, including acquisition, financing, deployment of incentives, and planning.

In order to meet the schedule the school needed to begin holding classes in the building, we divided the project into two phases. The first phase was the 23,000sf renovation of two of the old Sunday School classroom buildings. Both of historic significance, one was built in the 1940s and the other in the 1960s, and both were in terrible shape having been vacant for several years. The design team worked with the school leadership and staff to re-purpose the space into light-filled and spacious classrooms, a library, offices, and cafeteria / multi-purpose room. Once complete, the school began using the facility and we began to prepare for Phase 2. Interestingly, the 1940s building had been designed to have two more stories added to it, but the plan was never carried out. With such little space on the site to build, the challenge for Phase 2 was to fit several more middle school classrooms and a gym on the site.

Phase 2 – Middle School Addition and Gym Addition

16,500SF

After completing Phase 1 – renovation of the classroom buildings – we began planning for Phase 2, which was decidedly more complicated. The design team was able to squeeze a two-story classroom building between the historic church and the 1960s building, and connect the floors. We also designed and engineered the addition of a full-sized gym on top of the existing 1940s building. The original plans for the building called for a vertical addition of two more floors of classrooms. Ultimately we were able to add the gym and successfully navigate the code changes that were made.

Being in a historic district, the new construction portions of the project faced regulatory challenges and approvals required by City guidelines. We were able to work with the neighborhood and the Preservation Board to design a beautiful addition to the neighborhood and a functional facility for the school.

Garcia Properties: Headquarters & Multifamily

Posted on December 10, 2024

This adaptive-reuse transforms a historic auto dealership and showroom into the headquarters for a local real estate developer and construction company. The first floor is an open office space with 15 apartments above.

To maximize flexibility and capitalize on an underserved market in St. Louis, the owner suggested micro-apartments. After exploring more conventional unit arrangements, it was discovered that a self-contained, furniture-like pod including a kitchen, bath, and storage was conducive to semi-transient dwellers, made a more interesting distinction between existing and new, and created an opportunity for an economy of scale for the developer – most of the pods are the same and only change orientation.

The design takes advantage of the existing structure including a concrete ramp- historically used to get cars to the roof- heavy concrete slabs, and rhythmic distribution of structure. While many of the units reference a mechanical sameness, drawing upon the industrial past of the building, the ramp creates a situation in the penthouse for a more unique apartment. The unit is tiered over three plateaus that lead to a roof deck and separate studio with city views.

The renovation included a complete restoration of the building exterior. All of the historic window openings had been made smaller with masonry, and non-historic replacement windows, and covered by large awnings. Now, the exterior features windows that revive the design and transparency of the original structure.

Gadellnet

Posted on December 10, 2024

The new Gadellnet headquarters are located in the completely renovated and re-purposed Lunar Tool Building in the Botanical Heights Neighborhood. Gadellnet, a start-up IT company was looking for an office space that would work well for day-to-day workplace functions, and that would also be a differentiator when it came to recruiting new employees. The Lunar Tool Building was made up of two different warehouse buildings from different decades and both qualified for Historic Tax Credits.

The Gadellnet clients, three partners – were looking for open concept work space, flexible open space to accommodate large and small collaborative meetings, as well as conference rooms and offices of different sizes. Additionally, they needed a gym, and indoor and outdoor recreational space, and a large kitchen/bar area for employees and entertaining new clients. We incorporated many of the interesting features of the existing building into the design, maintaining the warehouse feel with large, glass garage doors, exposed brick, factory windows, exposed steel structure, and barn-style dock doors. An old crane became part of the structure that holds up one end of a new mezzanine in the space.

In addition to creating and building a unique design for the workspace, we worked with the client to develop the property, guiding them through a develop-to-suit process that included acquisition, financing, and incentives.