Old industrial buildings in downtown Dexter get new leases on life

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 | Source: Concentrate

Just because a building is old doesn’t mean it can't be beautiful. That's what Randy Willis is about to prove in downtown Dexter.

The landlord plans to take two late 19th Century industrial buildings on Broad Street and turn them into showcase structures. One, 3126 Broad, will serve as the new home to an off-Broadway musical company. The other, 3115, will serve as the home for several small businesses.

Both buildings will receive new brick facades, complete with awnings. Willis wants them to complement the other historic downtown structures that are currently being restored, the new ones that are going up and the streetscape improvements being put into place along Broad Street.

"Dexter is changing dramatically," Willis says. "It's such a dynamic little community and it's so vibrant."

The two buildings have had varied pasts, serving as the home for bus garages, beer-and-wine distributors, a dye-and-stamping shop and a bean sprouts grow house.

The Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales and Dexter School of Martial Arts are just a couple of the well-known names that occupy the 12,000 square feet of 3115 Broad. Encore Productions will move into the 8,500 square feet of 3126 Broad in October and hold a grand opening later this year.

Both buildings will also receive a number of infrastructure upgrades, such as fire protection and new water and sewer connections. The $150,000 renovation project is expected to be done by the end of November.

Source: Randy Willis, owner of 3115 and 3126 Broad Street
Writer: Jon Zemke