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A cherry picker hoists Sam McGill and Rickey Lambert up the side of downtown Fredericksburg's former Purina feed store. TOP: McGill (foreground) and Lambert repaint one of the squares in the tower's familiar checkerboard pattern. |
Construction workers are putting the final touches on the tower of the Purina building downtown.
Sam McGill, who owns the construction company doing the work, expects to finish painting on the characteristic checkerboard pattern by this weekend.
Young-Sweetser Co. built the warehouse near the train station in 1919 and began sharing it with Farm & Tack Supply Co. in 1966. The building remained in use until about 10 years ago.
Hamilton G. Palmer bought the building a few years ago with the intent of renovating it. McGill said he's worked on various projects on the building, including restoring the siding and roof.
"We had to rework a lot of things here," McGill said. "This place was tore up."
Restoring the tower took about 21/2 months, although he'd expected it to take only 30 days. After power-washing the tower, he discovered several cavities that had to be filled.
"It's been a heck of a job," he said, adding that it has also been rewarding.
After painting the tower, he and his employees at McGill Construction will install windows, which will take a couple of weeks. Hamilton also plans to add a wall of steel and glass on the north side of the building, which faces the railroad.
McGill said many train passengers seem interested in the project and stop by to see the progress.
"The biggest question is, 'What's it going to be?' and I'm not sure what it's going to be yet," McGill said.
Palmer, who has said he would like a restaurant or offices there, will have to make that decision. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.
McGill will configure the building's interior to suit the occupant, he said.
