A downtown building that dates to the mid-19th century has a new purpose following an extensive interior renovation and the creation of several office spaces.
The owners — Hollis and Marla White and Rich and Jenny Maddux, all of Hopkinsville — unveiled the project during a ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon at 603 S. Main St.
The two-story building now features nine offices ranging from 178 to 300 square feet. Six of the rooms are currently available to rent.
Hollis White said the pending loss of the Phoenix Building three blocks away gave the owners “a new appreciation of what downtown means to us all.”
“During the construction we’ve all had a chance to drive around town and see some of things that are really positive going on and some of the challenges that we face,” he said. “We are glad to be part of kind of renewing downtown.”
Marla White, who managed the renovation process, said the building was constructed around 1849 to 1850. The property has been home to several ventures — mostly recently as the law office for Sands Chewning, who sold the building and built a new office space at 17th and Virginia streets.
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The first floor has four offices, a reception area, full kitchen and dining area and restroom. There are five offices on the second floor, along with a restroom, board room and a shared area with a sink and counter space.
The renovation included installing a glass wall across the front of the building’s first floor, which opened up the space to natural light. Marla White said that change is one of her favorite aspects of the building.
Several old photographs in the reception area show what the building looked like at several points in its history. From the 1880s through 1903, it housed a drug store. A paint and wallpaper shop occupied the space for nearly 20 years, ending in 1970, according to the photo display.
The building’s new name is The Offices at 603. Rental inquiries should be directed to rent.officesat603@gmail.com.
Taylor Hayes, Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, thanked the family for investing in the project. (Hollis White and Jenny Maddux are siblings.)
“They are invested in the community and have been for many decades, and I just want to thank you for believing in the community,” Hayes said. “That’s what it takes for this downtown to come alive.”
Next door, another building is slated for a major overhaul by Rich and Jenny Maddux and her parents, Hollis and Lois White.
Also a former law office, the three-story building next door to the courthouse will have a commercial space available to lease on the first floor and residences on the second and third floors, said Rich Maddux, who is overseeing the project. When it is completed, Hollis and Lois White will reside on the third floor.
It is a more extensive project than the smaller office building that was just finished. A new steel frame will be constructed inside the brick exterior. Maddux estimated it will take another 18 months to complete.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
