“We asked them for money for the project, but they turned us down,” Cowdell said. “But they can’t deny the project.”

EDIC, who is working in partnership with Neighborhood and Development Associates (NDA), went back to the drawing board and came up with a plan that Cowdell called less modern, more traditional but definitely workable. The plan leaves the exterior of the building virtually unchanged, right down to the green panels above and below the entrance.

However, Deer Hill Architect John Crowell did add in one accessory that he and Cowdell both said ties in with the city’s history. A rendering of the new building shows what looks like a watermark of a high-heeled, high-button shoe circa 1900. Crowell said the image is created by laying a large film over the front of the building.

“The idea is it will look much different at night than during the day because of the light in the apartments and if shades are down,” he said.

Of the eight living spaces, Crowell said four will be one-bedrooms and four will be studio apartments. Peggy Phelps from NDA said the retail space on the ground floor could essentially be anything — a store, a gallery, even a coffee shop.

Phelps said it is nice to see the project finally get underway, and despite the plethora of new apartments in the downtown area, she believes there is a need for the artist workspace.

“We’re taking a blighted site and turning it into something nice,” Cowdell said. “And we’re even tying in the city’s history.”