VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Exciting changes are coming to Valdosta.
The city approved a $250,000 loan application for the renovation of a historic building downtown.
"It's just important for people to see that there is a building in our historic core that people are investing in it," said Ellen Hill, Valdosta Main Street Director. "They're bringing in business, they're bringing in retail options and it just helps build the vibrancy of our downtown."
And construction is underway to transform the Converse Building that has its roots in 1900. It was originally built for the Converse brothers, one of Valdosta's first retail shops.
But activity has slowed for the brick and mortar since then.
The building has been vacant for six years. The project isn't just designed to bring new life into a historic building, but also help downtown Valdosta transform, attracting businesses and residents to the area.
Hill says about 15 new jobs will be coming to the downtown area thanks to the renovations.
The building will eventually house the headquarters for a real-estate company, with space available for offices and retail.
"People are really starting to invest again, bringing in all those new businesses," said Hill. "And we're really hoping to do a push for more retail and more restaurant space, too."
Hill says somewhere between $3 and $5 million will be invested into the project, which will preserve the building's historic inside and outside.
Which, in the end, is the goal, retaining the past as the city grows into the future.
"We had 10 and a half million dollars of investment last year and that brought 138 jobs to our downtown. So I think that this is just a trend that is moving forward into 2019," said Hill.
The Valdosta Downtown Improvement Authority says they hope to have businesses up and running in the old Converse building in the next few months.
