J. O. Blanton House

The JO Blanton House Apartments project included the complete renovation of 254 occupied resident apartments. Schaefer worked with the Kentucky Housing Corporation, HUD, developer partner and owner on the preconstruction project phase in order to secure financing, underwriting.

The scope of the renovation included not only the interior updating and refurbishment of the units’ finishes, fixtures, and appliances but also the entire replacement of the mechanical and electrical systems in the building. Additionally, the team successfully navigated structural challenges and site constraints to complete the new construction and addition of an elevator to the existing building. Project phasing was critical, as residents were being moved out, relocated, then moved back into their newly appointed apartments, and communication was critical. The Schaefer team turned 20 units every 15 days, with the second “stack” of units staggered 7 days later. There were 40 units under construction at any given time.
The project finished 6 months ahead of schedule and below budget by $200,000.