Photo by Brent Warren.

Local architecture firm Schooley Caldwell is now attached to a plan to redevelop the former Hoster Brewing Company complex in the Brewery District.

The collection of large, interconnected buildings includes the former Wasserstrom Company headquarters, at 477 S. Front St., as well as the brewery’s former mash house, which has been empty for years. Also included within the scope of the project is a surface parking lot, which could potentially be developed with new buildings.

Local developer Dwight McCabe, of McCabe Companies, bought the parcels through an LLC in January, for $6.4 million. Prior to closing, in December of last year, McCabe discussed in general terms his plans for the properties at a special meeting of the Brewery District Commission. He mentioned offices, a boutique hotel, and an indoor market as possibilities.

Planning has advanced since then, according to members of the team working on the project at Schooley Caldwell, but plenty of work remains before it is ready to be brought back to the commission for a formal presentation.

One of the avenues being pursued is a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Still in process, the listing would include the buildings proposed for redevelopment as well as several others in the immediate area that were at one time associated with the Hoster Brewing Company.

Schooley Caldwell recently posted an “early concept presentation” of the project on its website. Architect and Executive Vice President Sam Rosenthal said that the video was part of the work that the firm did “in order to be considered for the project…it’s more just ideas, and those ideas have spawned new discussions.”

Even if the renderings included in the video do not represent a firm plan for the property, they offer a good view of the scope of the project, and of its potential to transform the northern end of the Brewery District at a time when the Interstate 70/71 split project will be bringing its own set of changes to the area.

Phase 4R of the ongoing highway redesign — currently scheduled for 2020 — will see the start of work on a new ramp onto Fulton Street from I-70 East. This phase will also include an upgraded Front Street bridge featuring two-way traffic in and out of Downtown.

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A view of the buildings from South Front Street, photo by Brent Warren.

A view of the buildings looking north towards downtown, photo by Brent Warren.

A aerial of the site, from a video produced by Schooley Caldwell.