Students who live off campus now have one less option when deciding where to live next fall.

Residents of the east building of Lindell Towers must pack their bags by the end of their leases this summer, when the 76-year-old building will close for renovations.

The 15-story building, located at 3373 Lindell Blvd., will undergo a complete renovation and rehabilitation, with the current 123 apartments being replaced by 109 more spacious units.

The $25 million project also includes renovating the west building, though that building will never be completely emptied, rather renovated unit-by-unit. Both towers are scheduled to be completed by fall of 2005, taking 18 months to complete.

Amrit and Amy Gill, owners of Lindell Towers, Coronado Place, Lindell/Vandeventer apartments and the Moolah Temple, have selected BSI Constructors as the general contractor, Amy’s company Checkmate Design as the design coordinator and the Gills’ firm, Restoration St. Louis, as the project developer.

“Lindell East’s systems are a lot more deteriorated,” Amrit said. “There are many maintenance problems.”

The project will be financed without public funds, though the Missouri State Historic Tax Credit and the Federal Historic Tax Credit programs will be used.

Amrit said all leases, except for two or three, will be up by the time renovation is scheduled to begin. Those few leasees will be offered alternative housing.

“We will try to accommodate current residents,” Amrit said, mentioning the number of other buildings they own.

Prices in the renovated building will be higher, Amrit said, though not too much higher. Apartments that currently run $700 a month may move to $850 a month, with many more amenities and services, such as central heat and air conditioning and high-speed Internet service. The price of rent includes local phone service, cable and utilities.

The new east building will also include two penthouses. “Every building should have bragging rights,” Amrit said.

Argyle Wade, director of Housing at Saint Louis University, invites all who will be displaced by the renovation to apply for housing at SLU. While in the past those who lived off campus were put at the end of the list of applicants, Wade hopes that the process will be improved and sped up, allowing SLU to accommodate all students who apply.