May 21, 2025 | Housing

Saving History, Building Hope: Revitalizing the Coe-Paul House

A once-forgotten historic Cedar Rapids home is getting a new lease on life

A long-deteriorating Cedar Rapids landmark is getting a new lease on life—thanks to a shared vision between Matthew 25 and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

The Coe-Paul House, built in the 1860s, has sat vacant for nearly two decades. Time and weather took their toll on the once-historic home, and many believed it would need to be torn down—erasing a piece of the neighborhood’s history in the process. But in 2022, a new idea began to take shape.

Members of St. Paul’s began asking a simple but powerful question: What would be best for the neighborhood? The answer, it turned out, was not demolition—but restoration.

Their vision? Transform the decaying structure into safe, beautiful, and affordable housing for families in need.

Knowing they didn’t have the skills or resources to complete such a renovation on their own, the church turned to a longtime community partner—Matthew 25. With experience repairing more than 700 homes after the 2008 flood and 2020 derecho, Matthew 25 had the tools and the team to help make this dream a reality.

Together, a partnership was formed. St. Paul’s donated the property and committed $150,000 to the restoration effort. Since then, Matthew 25 has worked to raise the additional funds needed, securing support from the City of Cedar Rapids, Housing Fund for Linn County, Cedar Rapids ARPA, the Historic Preservation Commission, and other generous partners.

We are now just $75,000 away from fully funding the project. If all goes according to plan, the newly restored Coe-Paul House will be home to two families by the end of 2025.

Pastor Jonathan Heifner of St. Paul’s UMC shared, “Our congregation loves Wellington Heights! We feel blessed to call such a thriving, diverse, and historic community our home. As a faith community, we believe in resurrection and new life. We want to do everything we can to bring this house back so that it might give more families the opportunity to thrive.”

Clint Twedt-Ball, Founder and Executive Director of Matthew 25, echoed that sentiment: “This home has had a negative impact on the neighborhood for nearly 20 years. But now, thanks to this partnership, it will bring new life and energy to the entire block. St. Paul’s is leading by example and helping make Wellington Heights even stronger.”

A Home with a Story to Tell

The Coe-Paul House has deep roots in Cedar Rapids. The land was originally part of an 80-acre plot purchased by Coe College in 1854. It’s believed the house was built as housing for a farmer who worked with students on college-owned farmland. The food grown there helped feed students and reduce their tuition costs.

In 1882, the property was sold to the Paul family, who expanded the home by adding a second story. Their daughter lived in the house for many years and even rented out part of it—some speculate to architect Louis Sullivan, designer of the St. Paul’s church building.

After decades in the Paul family, the house was later owned by Ray Westrom, a local antique appraiser, before being passed on to St. Paul’s.

Now, after years of vacancy, this historic home is on track to serve the neighborhood once again—not just as a symbol of the past, but as a space for new beginnings.

Help Us Bring This Home Back to Life

Restoring the Coe-Paul House is about more than saving a structure—it’s about honoring the past while investing in the future of our community.

Want to be part of this transformation? You can help us close the final $75,000 funding gap. To contribute, donate on our website to Coe-Paul House Restoration or to learn more, call us at 319-362-2214.

Together, we’re saving history—and building hope.

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