When work crews began demo work on part of the old train Depot on Main Street this week, the buzz began.
It seemed a sure sign that, at last, progress on bringing the historic building (erected in 1886) back to life was just around the corner.
The building’s owner, Gayle Gunyup, urged patience. Yes, she said, there are plans being discussed for how the old building will be used. She has ruled out turning the Depot into an apartment building. She is studying the possibility of bringing in a combination of a micro-brewery and restaurants.
But it may be some time yet before any real decisions are made on what the Depot will ultimately become.
Gunyup will tell you she is more of a preservationist than a developer. She has previously bought old buildings in Columbus, most notably, the Oddfellows Building, and her goal has always been to save the building first, then find a tenant who will maintain the property.
What is happening at the Depot is consistent with that philosophy. The part of the building that is being torn down, about 850 square feet, was not part of the original structure. Removing it is the first step in returning the building to its original appearance.
That effort, she said, is really independent of any plans to lease the property to a tenant.
That is not to say no progress is being made on that front. If she is satisfied that a micro-brewery is a good fit for the building, she plans to find an experienced Mississippi micro-brewer to recruit to the building. Meanwhile, another local entrepreneur is discussing the possibility of adding restaurants to complement the micro-brewery.
We like the idea of the micro-brewery/restaurant combination because it will add something new to the mix downtown.
In addition, a successful business at The Depot may change how we think about downtown. Although it is technically considered to be part of Main Street Columbus, the building stands at the eastern fringe of downtown. If successful, the Depot may extend the boundaries of downtown as we think of it.
Development of the property aids the city in another way by affirming the Main Street corridor and downtown as a key aspect of the city’s retail profile.
Those familiar with retail development say a city’s downtown area is essential in providing a diversity of retail offerings. Virtually all downtown businesses are locally owned, independent operations. As such, they are a counter-balance to the big-box national chains we find along the Highway 45 corridor.
The blend of big chain stores and smaller local stores are attractive to shoppers and important to our overall economy.
When a person goes to the doctor for a check-up, the first thing the doctor does is check the heart-beat.
A city’s downtown is its heart and a heart that is weak is a threat to all other parts of the body.
In that respect, we are encouraged by the signs we see at the Depot.
The downtown pulse is good and getting stronger.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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