Waynesboro Main street building construction completes phase 1A

Two new food establishments are set to come to Main Street as downtown improvements progress at 21 E. Main St. 

According to Bill Kohler, director of economic department for Mainstreet Waynesboro Inc., tentatively the building is set to house a brick-oven restaurant and a brewpub within a year. 

“It’s a very old building in downtown, and we’re glad we’re making progress on the renovation,” Kohler said “We had a few hiccups in the project, like COVID setting us back about 10 months in our timeline, but we got through it.” 

Kohler said the makeover includes new windows, a storefront, cleaning and repointing of the bricks, a new awning, a steel beam to reinforce the structure as well as new trim work, concrete entrance steps and hand railing. 

In addition to the tenant spaces in the building, Mainstreet’s office will be housed there, Kohler said. 

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Renovations were made possible through a $192,000 Keystone Communities Grant MSW received in 2018.

“We’re also looking to launch a capital campaign in the near future, and we’re looking forward to partnering with the community,” Kohler said. “The community has been very supportive of Mainstreet in the past and we're optimistic that will continue for the future.”

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The next phase, 1B, is set to start in the coming months. “We’re looking for the total completion of the project and commercial tenants to be in their space by this time next year and open for business,” Kohler said. "The next step is to expand the building toward the back of the alley about 127 feet and the outside shell as well as outfitting for the restaurant inside. It's an expensive step and we're discussing our options at this point." 

An estimated 12 to 16 new jobs are projected to be created by the downtown addition when completed.