Abbeyfield property for sale

The former Abbeyfield building in St. Joseph could have a new use soon.

“We have several people looking at the property,” said Steve Littlefield with Littlefield Homes.

Littlefield, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, TREC of Illinois, is the listing agent on the property which is being sold for $495,000.

The property sits on more than an acre of land and has 16 living units inside which have their own bathrooms as well as a community dining, family and kitchen area. Twelve of the units are 480 square feet, two are 290 square feet and two are large suites in the upstairs of the building.

The property, located at 501 Peters Drive in St. Joseph, was originally going to be the first Abbeyfield House in the United States.

The concept was first proposed in 2002 and a groundbreaking was held in 2010, but the project never fully got off the ground. When the idea was first proposed, residents were expected to pay close to $100,000 to buy in, then another $1,200 each month. The purpose of Abbeyfield was for residents to remain in their hometown while sharing communal space and having their own private room.

The building permit issued by the village listed the project’s cost at $1.35 million. Champaign architectural firm Gorski Reifsteck designed it, and Bates Construction of St. Joseph was the general contractor. The house was scheduled to open in 2013 — but it never happened.

In 2015 the village began pushing Abbeyfield to complete a punch list of items and get the building open. The village wanted drainage issues, sanitary service and erosion control issues addressed. Abbeyfield said they thought they could open the building by July 2016 — but again, this did not occur.

Littlefield was approached by the attorney representing the property and was asked to be the agent listing the property.

“He said he made his decision based on the large amount of real estate in the St. Joseph area we sell,” Littlefield said, “and some of the ideas that we had about how and who will be the eventual new owner.”

Littlefield said he feels the property would work great for senior housing, as was intended.

“It would also make a very nice office complex,” he said.

Littlefield said he could see a doctor’s office, chiropractor, dentist, accountant or attorney in the space.

St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges said she is all for something exciting happening with the property, but admitted that due to the building’s design, its use could be limited.

“I would love to see someone still do some kind of private assisted senior living or a private hospice house,” she said.

Littlefield said the building is 85 to 90 percent completed and the new owner will have to finish a small amount of cabinetry, install some sinks and install some flooring for the space to be 100 percent complete.

Littlefield said he believes the property would be a good investment for someone.

“I’m biased. It’s in a great community, St Joseph,” Littlefield said. “In all fairness, if someone can use the facility, you can buy it for a lot less then you could start from the ground up on a new one.”

Fruhling-Voges said she is maintaining a positive attitude about the property and what it could bring to the village.

“It is unfortunate it has sat empty for so long, “ she said, “and I hope soon something fabulous will happen with it.”

If anyone is interested in the property, they can contact Littlefield at 217-202-7950.