Wilson Lofts
217 5th Avenue South, Clinton, Iowa
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Units: 33 Residential Rental, Two Business Incubators
$15.6 Million Investment- Apartments $1 Million- Business Incubators Awards: Preservation Iowa "Preservation at its Best" Award for Adaptive-Reuse/Mixed-Use Development After nearly 10 years of hard work and determination, GROWTH completed the Wilson Lofts at 217 5th Avenue S, downtown Clinton, IA in March 2023. A community open house was then held where more than 500 members of the community toured some of the available apartments and the ground floor commercial incubators, Clinton Culinary and Makers on 5th.
“Today marks a big day for all of us… a major redevelopment milestone for GROWTH and the Clinton community that is the result of a collaborative planning effort spanning nearly 10 years that required hard work, determination, resilience, and coordination by many partners,” Brian Hollenback, President/CEO for GROWTH said. “We’ve been extremely fortunate to have built a strong team of partners that believed and trusted in each other and believed and trusted GROWTH to get it done. The historic Wilson Building has been transformed into a catalyst for downtown, aligned within community plans, and has already demonstrated its ability to stimulate additional investment into downtown Clinton.” Total investment exceeds $15.6 million. The development attracted over 12 layers of complex financing to make up the capital stack and includes Federal New Market Tax Credits, State Historic Tax Credits, Federal Historic Tax Credits, Tax Increment Financing from the City of Clinton, Brownfield/Grayfield Tax Credits, Downtown Revitalization Grant by the Iowa Economic Development Authority through the City of Clinton, and private debt by IHMVCU, BankORION, and American Bank & Trust. Additional support includes Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District 2 funds from the Downtown Clinton Alliance and grant support by the Clinton County Development Association made possible through the Gateway Area Foundation/ Grow Clinton. The development plan was further enhanced with an additional nearly $1 million investment, creating the community's first business incubators, Clinton Culinary and Makers on 5th, providing opportunities to help small businesses start, open, and grow, and supporting the Wilson Lofts redevelopment effort. This bold decision underscores GROWTH's commitment to nurturing a dynamic and diverse community while maximizing the potential of the Wilson Lofts redevelopment. Brian Hollenback, President/CEO oversaw the Wilson Lofts from concept in late 2013 to its completion in 2023.
Other GROWTH team members involved include:
Wilson Lofts Development Team:
Clinton Culinary, the kitchen incubator opened on the ground floor of Wilson Lofts, welcomed its first commercial tenant, Soi 5 Thai, in December 2023, marking the first Thai restaurant to open in Clinton, IA.
Makers on 5th, the retail incubator opened on the ground floor of Wilson Lofts, welcomed its first retail tenant, GEOME + Ph.yla store. Owner Anna Zimmerman nna saw the raw potential in Clinton’s Main Street and established roots, leading to the birth of GEOME + Ph.yla: a jewelry, plants and home décor store within the Makers on 5th incubator.
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Once a beacon of the past, the historic Wilson Building has been transformed into a dynamic mixed-use development. Boasting 33 meticulously crafted apartments and two business incubators, Wilson Lofts epitomizes modern urban living while preserving the essence of its storied past.
Wilson Lofts prior to the start of development. Photo taken in 2014.
 Ribbon cutting celebration held in March 2023.
Above: Progress photos of the residential rental units and business incubators within the Wilson Lofts. Below: Logo for Wilson Lofts and view from the 5th floor of the Wilson Building.
Interesting Fact
Built in 1914 as Clinton’s largest and most modern office building, the Wilson Loft stands six stories tall, making it the tallest building in Clinton’s downtown business district. Catalyst for Investment
GROWTH's redevelopment of the Wilson Lofts celebrates the building's history while creating market driven housing that has ignited additional investment in downtown Clinton. The Wilson Lofts is intended to advance commerce and economic prosperity in the downtown. By redeveloping historic buildings and putting them to use, the downtown economy is stimulated, citizens are provided with equal, fair, and quality housing opportunities, local contractors are provided with work, and local tax rolls are fed. “We understand what downtown housing creates. It’s not just about redeveloping a building; it’s about redeveloping downtown as a lifestyle, and impacting the overall community. The project will serve as a catalyst for further investment in downtown Clinton.” Brian Hollenback continues, “We intend to use a comprehensive approach to provide new resources for the overall Clinton community.” 
Ground floor of Makers on 5th prior to the incubator redevelopment.
After: Makers on 5th retail incubator.
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