RöK Lofts is scheduled to finish construction on its first building on the right in September. The second building on the left could open as soon as mid-October. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A one bedroom apartment at RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A RöK Lofts studio apartment (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A galley style kitchen included in one-bedroom and studio layouts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A two bedroom kitchen area in building one of RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
The second floor hallway of the RöK Lofts building scheduled to open later this month. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A two bedroom apartment under construction in the secondary RöK Lofts building. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
Construction continues in the hallway of RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
A one bedroom apartment in RöK Lofts under construction. The concave area on the left hand wall will house a washer and dryer. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
These light fixtures will soon hang in Saga Beauty Collective. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
This open space at the ground floor of the second RöK Lofts building could house one or two new downtown businesses. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
RöK Lofts is scheduled to finish construction on its first building on the right in September. The second building on the left could open as soon as mid-October. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
The sound of hammers driving in nails and the whir of industrial lifts in downtown St. Peter will soon give way to the bustling footsteps of new residents and the hum of hairdryers emitting from the city's latest beauty salon.
This month, the first of two downtown residential/commercial buildings making up RöK Lofts is expected to finish construction and open its doors to new tenants and medical spa Säga Beauty Collective.
A one bedroom apartment at RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
The second of the pair of three-story buildings now dominating the previously bare parking lot on 410 S. Minnesota Ave. may be complete by mid-October.
A RöK Lofts studio apartment (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
Combined, the apartment complexes will bring 36 new residential units to downtown St. Peter — consisting of 24 one-bedroom, four two-bedroom and eight studio style layouts.
Designed by 20-year St. Peter resident Matt Borowy, owner of Bright Pixel Design, RöK Lofts takes its name and design from St. Peter's historic Swedish heritage.
A galley style kitchen included in one-bedroom and studio layouts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
"The big thing with downtown buildings is these historic buildings were built up over basically 100 years or more, so you can't come in and put something that looks totally modern and really big and expect it to fit in," said Borowy. "… We wanted it to look, as people are driving into town, they wouldn't go 'Oh, look, there's a new building.' We wanted it to look like an extension of the neighborhood that's already here."
To achieve that historic storefront look, the decision was made early on to split the project into a pair of 30-foot storefronts instead of a single large complex.
A two bedroom kitchen area in building one of RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
The design choice also allows for the construction of a paved, outdoor courtyard and patio area in between the buildings. An iron fence with an archway reading "RöK Lofts" will be erected above the courtyard facing the street. While the patio will largely serve residents, Borowy said it will be accessible for public gatherings.
The second floor hallway of the RöK Lofts building scheduled to open later this month. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
"I think the buildings are very harmonious with our historic area," said Mayor Shanon Nowell, while taking a tour of the new buildings. "That's the point. They're not supposed to duplicate historic or be replicas of historic buildings; they're supposed to be harmonious, and I think [Borowy] really achieved that."
Apartment units, largely occupying the second and third floor of the buildings, have been constructed with convenience in mind. Each unit includes its own thermostat, a mechanical closet for heating and cooling and washer and dryer for laundry. The laundry machines are stacked in most units and side-by-side in ADA accessible units.
A two bedroom apartment under construction in the secondary RöK Lofts building. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
Kitchens in the single-bedroom units are galley style, with the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, cabinets and cupboards running along one wall. In the two-bedroom units, the kitchen curves in an enclosed C-shape, with the refrigerator facing away from the door, the oven and cupboards on the left-hand wall and kitchen cabinets running up against an exclusive barstool seating area.
Construction continues in the hallway of RöK Lofts. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
On the ground floor of the first building, there is one unit built to accommodate residents with disabilities and three more that can be adapted into ADA compliance, while building two has one ADA accessible ground floor apartment.
Taking inspiration from historic downtown buildings, each unit features elongated narrow windows and high ceilings. The ceilings are a little over 10 feet in the ADA accessible apartments and around 9 feet in the second and third floor units.
A one bedroom apartment in RöK Lofts under construction. The concave area on the left hand wall will house a washer and dryer. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
Due to its proximity to retailers like Family Fresh, the St. Peter Co-Op, Family Dollar and downtown bars and restaurants, Borowy said the location was an optimal place for new apartments.
These light fixtures will soon hang in Saga Beauty Collective. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
"The thing that's so cool about this is the neighborhood is already here. We aren't hoping for a neighborhood to spring up, we already have all those things," said Borowy. "You really don't need a car and with people working from home I can see that being really attractive for people. Who [else] can walk to get their groceries?"
Each building will also house new downtown businesses. Säga Beauty Collective is a new endeavor by the owners of Frey Salon and Spa, focusing on cosmetic services, like lash extensions, lip blushing, brow microblading, spray tans, botox injections, chemical peels and dermal fillers.
The ground floor of the second building could be occupied by one or two different businesses. What kinds of tenants may buy space in the building is still a mystery.
"I see this as probably being another retail, maybe a dental office or an eye clinic or something like that. All bets are off," said Borowy. "The one thing we're thinking it probably won't be is a restaurant."
Web Construction has been working non-stop on the development at the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Grace Street since breaking ground last November. Due to supply shortages, construction has continued past the initial target date of June 2022. But progress is now moving faster than anticipated.
This open space at the ground floor of the second RöK Lofts building could house one or two new downtown businesses. (Carson Hughes/southernminn.com)
"Ultimately, we had a few snags here and there with the current state of availability of things," said WEB Construction CEO Josh Williams. "For example, in this building, we've been missing a couple of HVAC units and some of the stackable washers and dryers, so for any of those units that get leased out, we have to get creative. If they're not going to have laundry for a few weeks, we'll give them a credit or something, and thankfully there's a laundromat right across the street."
Reach Reporter Carson Hughes at 507-931-8575. ©Copyright 2022 APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All Rights Reserved.
Data included is taken from the Minnesota Department of Health Daily reports. Because all data is preliminary, the change in number of cumulative positive cases and deaths from one day to the next may not equal the newly reported cases or deaths.
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