Downtown buildings looking for buyers

By Harry Loomis

Two Downtown buildings are up for sale, bringing opportunities for new businesses to take part in revitalization efforts.

The St. Joseph Trunk Company, located at 716 Felix St. across from Coleman Hawkins Park, is up for sale after being vacant for 20 years. It’s currently listed for $423,000 and has the potential for additional residency or office spaces on the second floor.

“It’s in a great location, right by the square and the Children’s Discovery Center,” said Sarah Weaver, real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway. “There’s a lot of momentum in that Downtown area right now. If somebody would be willing to look at that property and has a vision for it and can see the potential and the possibilities with that property, it could be really exciting for Downtown to turn … something that was vacant and turn into something really usable and exciting for the community.”

Also available for new business is the Downtown Court Building at 321 North Seventh St. Unlike the Trunk Company, the Court Building is seeking multiple tenants, with space going for $8 per square foot per year.

“There’s a commercial kitchen where there could be a coffee shop or a catering business,” Weaver said. “That might be a great opportunity for somebody to launch a business or kickstart a new idea for a business or a company that may not be established yet, that doesn’t have an address but needs a place to do some commercial cooking. This would be a great opportunity for them.”

These two buildings have garnered interest since they hit the market, Weaver said, which shows the desire to own a business Downtown.

“We’re in a really good spot,” Weaver said. “We’re seeing a lot of revitalization Downtown and people wanting to rehabilitate some of these older properties and breathe new life into these properties that have sat vacant for years. I’m excited about the opportunities that there might be for both of these buildings.”