OUT OF THE PAST, INTO THE FUTURE

14 LOCAL THE HOPEWELL NEWS Friday, February, 2009

PHOTO BY ELLIOTT ROBINSON

The building as it stands today

PHOTO COURTESY JACK DANIEL

The building in its heyday

◆ By ELLIOTT ROBINSON
After not one but two rounds
of applause from the audience
after the developer's presenta-
tion, City Council unanimously
approved selling of the former
Butterworth's Furniture Store to
Butterworth Lofts LLC for
$50,000 Tuesday evening.
The sale of the building, a
former hotel that dates to just
after the Hopewell Fire of 1915,
will represent a $4.1-million
investment into the city when the
building is converted to nearly
4,000 square feet of commercial
space and 32 luxury residential
units. The renovation work is not
a partnership between the city
and the developer and it will not
use any city funds.
"I'm really excited about it,"
said Christina Luman-Bailey
during the meeting. She is the
Councilor for Ward 1, the loca-
tion of the building.
Proposals for the building
began in April 2008 and two
development teams were chosen
to present in August 2008, said
Assistant City Manager March
Altman. The chosen developers,
an entity related to Monument
Construction LLC and
Commonwealth Architects. many of the historic features of mer furniture store will be divid- "Congratulations on putting ments in March, the developer
"We see this development as the hotel — such as pressed tin ed into up to four retail spaces a great project together," said can file permits and preliminary
a big benefit to downtown," ceilings, large corridors and light and the rear of the building will Ward 3 Councilor Kenneth work could begin on the building
Altman said. wells — and add many modern be the separate entryways to sev- Emerson. soon thereafter.
Monument Construction, amenities as well. The residential eral residential units. Ward 5 Councilor K. Wayne "The City of Hopewell has
founded in 1998, has worked on units will washer and driers, The current alley between Walton asked perhaps the most committed significant resources
projects such as the conversion stainless steel kitchen appli- the warehouse and the main burning question of the night: and passion into their long term
of the former Hanover Christian ances, granite countertops and building will be converted into a "When can you start?" revitalization plans for down-
Church in Richmond to 7 condo- hardwood floors. The rooms landscaped courtyard to tie in the On the developer's side of town and are we are committed
miniums, and the reconfiguration will average about 700 square two ends of the development. things, only a few finishing to completing a high quality
of an apartment building at 1630 feet with the smallest being no The warehouse will become sev- touches have to be made before project that will bring energy to
Monument Avenue in Richmond less than 555 square feet. The eral living spaces as well. their work is finalized. Hopewell and will hopefully be
to condominiums. second floor will have a patio for Overall, council members Upon final approval of a few the catalyst for future redevelop-
Projects for Commonwealth the use of the residents and were impressed by the prospects minor aspects of the project by ment projects by our team and
Architects, founded in 1999, restaurant patrons, if one were to in what is viewed as the start of a the Board of Zoning Appeals other developers,” said Marc
include the Mayton Transfer open in a retail space. On East new wave of redevelopment Feb. 18, the city and Butterworth Gault, a partner with
Lofts on East Bank Street in Broadway, the front of the for- downtown. Lofts LLC could finalize docu- Butterworth.
Petersburg, 326 E. Washington
St. in Suffolk and the Miller and
Rhodes Building in downtown
Richmond.
"We're real excited to be in PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMONWEALTH ARCHITECTS
Hopewell," said Christopher The proposed exterior design
Johnson, a member of
Butterworth Lofts LLC.
The Butterworth's Building
began its life around 1915 as the
Larkins Hotel. One of the first
tenants of the building, Eva
Larkins, is the great grandmother
of Judge Kenneth Nye. One of
the commercial tenants of the
building before Butterworth's
was Metropolitan Chain Stores.
The renovations will retain

BUTTERWORTH LOFTS
Built: Circa 1915 as the Larkins Hotel. Eva Larkins, great
grandmother of Hopewell Judge Kenneth Nye, was the first
tenant
Location: 245 E. Broadway and former warehouse space
at 244 E. Cawson Street
Sale Price: $50,000
Project Scope: $4.1 million investment
Square footage:
- 34,000 with 3,947 square feet of commercial space in
Broadway building
- 6,662 square feet of living space on Cawson
Number of units: 32 with an average size of 700 square
feet and no unit smaller than 555 square feet.
Rent: Estimated between $775 and $1,250.
Amenities: Washer and drier in unit, stainless steel appli-
ances, granite countertops, hardwood floors
Expected annual real estate tax revenue: $44,700

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COMMONWEALTH ARCHITECTS

The alley before renovations

(above) and after (below)