A New Chapter for Arbor House

Main Arbor House

Sometimes a commercial real estate transaction is about much more than a building or a lease. Sometimes, it can help an organization continue its mission and create new opportunities for the people it was built to serve.

As a board member of St. Francis House, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to keep the doors open for people in our community who have nowhere else to turn.

Rising costs have meant making some difficult decisions this year, including pausing operations at our facilities while we work to strengthen the organization’s financial footing. But this isn’t where the story ends.

Arbor House Has a New Tenant

I’m pleased to share that we have successfully leased Arbor House to Fresh Start Youth and Family Services, a Jacksonville-based organization opening a Gainesville branch.

Their work supports young women, children, and families as they work toward greater stability and a fresh start.

For St. Francis House, this lease is meaningful in two very important ways.

First, Arbor House will once again be used to serve people much like those it was originally created to support.

Second, the lease provides an important source of income for St. Francis House as the organization works toward stronger financial footing and, ultimately, the ability to resume serving people experiencing homelessness and others in need in our community.

More Than a Real Estate Transaction

This is one of those transactions that reminds me why the work we do in commercial real estate matters.

A building is more than square footage. In the right hands, it can become housing, opportunity, stability, or the foundation for an organization to carry out its mission.

I’m grateful to everyone who helped get this across the finish line, especially the St. Francis House board, Kirstin Megraw with Scruggs & Carmichael, and Michaela Richardson.

It took collaboration from a number of people to make this happen, and I’m excited to see Arbor House begin this next chapter.

There is still work ahead for St. Francis House, but this is an important step forward—and one worth celebrating.

Eric Ligman
Commercial Realtor Director
Bosshardt Realty Services