Ribbon cut on luxury apartment building The Heritage 

Last edited 9:04 a.m., July 3, 2024 [Editor's note: The ownership structure has been updated.]

In the very spot where hungry customers once loaded trays with fried chicken, baked macaroni and cheese and a slice of cherry pie, a luxury apartment building stands. 

The Heritage, a five-story structure with 95 apartment units and available first-floor retail space, is the newest offering from Coryell Collaborative Group, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the development yesterday. The building, located at 1364 E. Battlefield Road, encompasses 87,000 square feet.  

There are three retail spaces on the first floor. One of these has been leased by mattress retailer iSense, and another has been leased by a tenant that is yet to be named. 

Although residents have been moving in since April 1, the ribbon-cutting event marked its public debut, with remarks in the parking lot and tours of the building afterwards. 

Prior to the event, Sam M. Coryell, president of Coryell Collaborative Group, and his son, who goes by Sam Coryell, offered a private tour to Springfield Business Journal. 

Through Heritage Project LLC, Sam M. Coryell and his wife, Jennifer, hold the majority stake in the property at 66%. His father, Sam E. Coryell, is 30% owner, and a silent partner owns 4%. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Sam Coryell holds no ownership stake, but he lives on site with his wife and manages the building through TLC Properties, part of Coryell Collaborative. 

Asked about the investment in the property, Sam M. Coryell said that figure continues to evolve with debt and equity in flux, but he just received an appraisal that put the property at $31.5 million. 

Apartments range from studio to three-bedroom units, and not all floor plans are the same; for instance, a studio apartment might be a micro-studio or it might be what the younger Sam called an artisan loft with 19-foot ceilings and stairs leading up to a sleeping level. 

The 470-square-foot micro-studio starts at $1,219 per month, with prices ranging up to $3,100 for a 1,280-square-foot three-bedroom, three-bathroom unit. 

In its marketing materials, the building points to on-site management and maintenance, including 24/7 emergency assistance. Internet is provided, with speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per unit. 

All apartments have a fully equipped kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Furnished units are available, and some units have a private balcony or patio included. 

The rooms feature smart technology, including an Alexa virtual assistant that is accessible through a small video unit mounted on the wall. The building and the apartments have keyless entry. 

Pets are permitted, with a secure dog park outside, and covered parking is available with electric-vehicle charging stations for all tenants. There is also a Tesla vehicle on offer to tenants for hourly rental. 

On the first floor, a bodega offers snacks and convenience items with a cashless, cardless checkout screen, and free coffee and hot chocolate are available through a machine. 

The penthouse area includes a gathering space, a fully equipped fitness center with a smaller enclosed spin area and an sports simulator with a wall-sized screen where tenants can engage in five-dozen sports, including shooting sports, golf and cornhole.  

A rooftop patio wraps around the north and east sides of the penthouse area, and its amenities include a fire pit and barbecue. 

Outside, there is a pool with lounge chairs both in and around it, as well as a hot tub. A waterfall feature masks some of the sounds of the retail area surrounding the building. 

 Sam M. Coryell said the building offers a feeling of downtown from its location on the southern end of the city. A number of restaurants – from fine dining at the newly relocated Avanzare to casual luncheon fare at Chicken Salad Chick – are within walking distance, he noted. 

He said 82 units have been leased so far, and 50-60 are already occupied, with more moving in come July and August. That puts him well ahead of his goal of having 90% of the facility leased by October. 

“Right now we’re on track to make it by the end of July, so we’re way ahead of schedule,” he said. 

Although the ovens in the rooms include an air fryer feature, fried chicken is no longer offered on the premises. Even so, Heritage Cafeteria is memorialized in the lobby with an original hand-painted sign from the restaurant framed on the wall.