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Mark O. Hatfield Building tenants are able to literally breathe easier now that a $2.3 million renovation is finished.

An outdated ventilation system that made noises at all hours of the night was replaced, said Ed Blackburn, executive director of , which has owned the 106-unit apartment building since 1992.

鈥淚’ve heard tenants say, 鈥業 can finally sleep again,’ 鈥� he said. 鈥淭he feedback we’re getting from them is overwhelmingly positive.鈥�

The upgrade also included replacement of 50-year-old metal windows, which has helped block noise from neighboring Burnside Avenue, Blackburn said.

Also, significant work was done on the concrete facade that will reduce energy costs by 30 percent, he said. That will let Central City Concern keep rents down for the low-income families that stay in the building.

鈥淚f energy costs remained the way they were going, we could have actually ended up with a building that’s not cash-flowing,鈥� Blackburn said. 鈥淥ur ability to raise rents is really strained by (tenants’) income and the fact that this is a Section 8 building, so this is a huge project.鈥�

The federal Housing Choice Voucher program, also known as Section 8, helps low-income families, and elderly and disabled individuals afford safe and sanitary housing.

The renovation’s first phase, which included work on the building’s envelope, was completed late last year; phase two, which included replacement of the building’s ventilation and hot water heating system, was completed three weeks ago.

Although the building is running more efficiently than ever, Central City Concern is contemplating whether to convert it into a 100 percent Passive House structure.

鈥淥ur staff always has big plans and is always looking to the future,鈥� Blackburn said.