What is fast-emerging as the latest jewel in downtown Henderson’s crown — the redeveloped former medical building at Third and Water streets that’s been renamed The Imperial — is nearing completion.
The former Imperial Building has been transformed into 16 condo-style apartments and four commercial spaces, including Dunaway’s Imperial Pharmacy, a longtime occupant, and Core Chiropractic, leaving two commercial units available.
“It’s go time,” Henderson restaurateur and real estate entrepreneur Casey Todd, one of the partners in the enterprise, said in mid-July as finishing touches were rapidly being completed.
Todd and his partners — his wife, Tori; businessman Joey Marshall and his wife, Tonya; and Realtor Melinda Luntsford — have made a $5.2 million investment in transforming a prominent but increasingly vacant space into a property that will make downtown home to more residents.
After 14 months of construction and remodeling, the approximately 40,000-square-foot building has been largely gutted and transformed from medical offices into a collection of two-bedroom, two-bath apartments.
The apartments feature amenities such as kitchens with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and tiled backsplashes; master bedrooms with walk-in closets and private baths with tiled showers; a balcony or patio for every apartment, most of which overlook or have views of the river; and off-street parking for tenants in a lot on the Main Street side of the building.
Floor plans vary and range in size from 900 to 1,500 square feet. Six have already been rented. Because of the differing floor plans, rental prices vary.
Todd sees their residential target market being Hendersonians with a second home elsewhere — a winter home in Florida, perhaps — or retirees looking to downsize.
Though the original portion of the building is nearly 60 years old, Todd said its steel-and-concrete bones are sound. “It’s built like a fortress,” he said.
Further, the functional guts of the building, such as wiring, plumbing and HVAC units, have been newly installed, with a final rooftop air conditioner being replaced.
“There’s not a lick of anything that’s not new,” Todd said.
During a recent walk-through of The Imperial as crews finished interior painting, installing trim and laying down floors, he said, “We’re in the jewelry phase” of making the property attractive.
Already the brick exterior has been painted in a dark earth tone with limestone accents that has transformed its appearance, making it one of the most striking-looking buildings in the central business district.
“It has very sleek lines,” Tonya Marshall said. “It looks very modern.”
Meanwhile, the approximately 60-space Water Street parking lot has been leased to the City of Henderson for $1 a year to provide free public parking, with the city responsible for its maintenance.
“Downtown is booming, and the city will continue to support its success,” Mayor Brad Staton said. “Adding small pockets of parking in strategic locations is part of a greater strategy to better serve our downtown visitors and stakeholders.”
Todd said the project will contribute to the overall health of the downtown area.
“We want to support the other restaurants such as Rockhouse and Rookies as well as (people visiting) the river” and the Water Street water feature, said Todd, who owns Hometown Roots, Roast Coffee and Homer’s Barbecue. “We’ve tried to be involved with other businesses as much as possible.”
Construction of the original three-story portion of the Imperial Building medical center (built on the site of the old Imperial Tobacco Co. warehouse) began in 1964, with a second wing added a few years later.
Occupancy dropped in recent years as Deaconess Henderson consolidated many of its medical practices into Deaconess-owned buildings around town.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is anticipated in early to mid-August.
For his part, Todd doesn’t think the downtown renaissance has peaked: “I think there will be really cool things happen in the next five to 10 years.”
