High-end lofts ready for tenants
Open house scheduled for Thursday
EL DORADO — Creviced between Creative Means Picture Framing and Main Street Antiques is a door that leads to a new set of fully furnished apartments for incoming business recruits, executives, retirees and more, an official said.
After the Main Street El Dorado meeting on April 11, Board Member Buddy McAdams guided everyone in attendance through the recently renovated loft apartments located above Main Street Antiques on the downtown square. He is scheduled to host an open house from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, at the apartment location.
McAdams and Howard Cupp Jr., who represent Mac’s Rental Properties, LLC, own the building — that houses Main Street Antiques — and have been working on turning its upper floors into high-end lofts to draw more people into the city, McAdams said.
“We saw a need for housing company executives and project managers and tried to make it as accommodating as possible,” he said. “For example, if something happens at Lion Oil and a plant manager has to come in for a year, we want to give them an opportunity to live in a nice spot near the square.”
Third- and fourth-floor renovations at the antique building are completed with five apartments available to rent: two 2-bedrooms and three 1-bedrooms. The apartments are furnished with kitchenware, furniture, bath ware, smart TVs, high-speed Internet, and more, McAdams said.
“All you need to bring is your suitcase,” he said.
The apartments have a southern-modern flare with industrial touches, like exposed brick walls and pipes, McAdams said.
Apartment prices are based on square footage and an all-inclusive contract, which varies from room to room.
Also, on the fourth floor there’s a conference room McAdams referred to as “the man cave” with a bar, piano, four TVs, couches, dining table, and large windows overlooking Main Street.
One of the board members asked if the room could be rented out for parties and functions.
“Right now, all of the spaces are rented already (including the conference room) but down the road this could change,” McAdams
said.
McAdams said he and Cupp have owned the building for eight years and have always intended on using the space for downtown living, but other projects kept them busy until recent city developments.
“With the new arts district, thriving downtown and upcoming Festivals & Events plans, we decided to move forward with the antique building lofts,” he said.
This is the second building Mac’s Rental Properties have renovated. They first worked on the Jim-Welk building, at 301 N. Washington Ave., which has five apartments inside: three 2-bedrooms and two 1-bedrooms.
“I think they’re a great addition to the downtown area,” said Beth Brumley, executive director for Main Street El Dorado.
Mac’s Rental Properties have more partnerships and properties located 2-3 blocks from the square; they’ll be developing these in the near future, McAdams said. The next building McAdams and Cupp are scheduled to renovate will be the Barton Building with plans to have seven apartments inside with a New Orleans theme.
“I like that they left a touch of the old building showing in each apartment,” said Holly McDonald, executive assistant for Main Street El Dorado. “They were refreshingly modern. I didn’t feel like I was in El Dorado, it felt like I was in a major city.”