St. Thomas Historic Residences
St. Thomas Historic Residences began life as the St. Thomas Hospital in the north-western region of Kansas and was constructed in 1941 through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) utilizing brick made in Colby that was salvaged from the old high school on the same site. Community hospitals such as St. Thomas Hospital became firmly established during the Great Depression, some with help from New Deal funding. By 1940, the WPA had funded the construction of 130 new hospitals and improvements to 1,670 more. There were only two known WPA-funded hospitals in Kansas, one in Oswego and St. Thomas in Colby.
The Sisters of St. Agnes were chosen to run the hospital and likely named it St. Thomas, which coincidentally is the county in which it is located.
The Sisters of St. Agnes, founded in 1858 in Barton, Wisconsin, continued to operate the hospital until 1973. Due to population growth in the area and the need for expanded services, the city began planning for the construction of a new hospital, which spelled the eventual demise of the St. Thomas Hospital. The local school district occupied space in the hospital for a period of time. However, the building was in a steady decline and slated for condemnation had Cohen-Esrey not stepped in to redevelop it. Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) identified the building as a potential site for workforce housing, filling in a much needed gap for quality, affordable residences for citizens in a wide range of careers including teachers, firefighters, police officers and administrative personnel. After acquiring the property, CEDG began construction in October 2013 and renovated it, preserving its relevant historic fabric, into 30 apartment units. Construction was completed in August 2014 and the property was fully leased by October 2014. The project was funded through a combination of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, federal and state historic tax credits, and the Federal Home Loan Bank AHP program. Located on a main street that connects to Interstate 70, the property is two blocks from the Colby Elementary and Middle Schools and just minutes from the heart of downtown providing residents with quick access to all area amenities. The county health department and chamber of commerce is located next door providing residents with a wealth of information and services to assist their daily lives. This property remains fully occupied with a waiting list for new residents.