Downtown Lofts Will Be Open For Saturday Tour

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BRISTOL, Va. – Workers generated a thin layer of sanding dust on Wednesday, covering hardwood floors throughout a new downtown loft apartment.

After removing her shoes to avoid marring the unfinished surface, owner Karen Hester surveyed the work, joked and offered compliments as workers got ready to apply the first coat of stain.

"This is going to look great," she said. "I just wish we had another week."

The rush wasn’t for anyone moving in, but for invited company.

Hester’s newest project and about 20 other downtown apartments will be on display Saturday during Believe in Bristol’s fourth annual loft tour.

Last year’s event, which is a fundraiser for the nonprofit downtown business organization, attracted about 150 people.

Hester’s spacious 3,000-square-foot apartment is the latest in a series of about 35 downtown apartments developed or improved in the last five years.

The event has historically been held on a weeknight, but this year is being shifted to the weekend, said Christina Blevins, executive director of Main Street Bristol.

"There will be 10 stops with 20 lofts to see and most of them have never been seen before on the tour," Blevins said. "We’re having it on Saturday to try and get the merchants involved. People can come downtown, shop, eat lunch and take the tour, which is self-guided."

Hester, who previously renovated and rented four nearby apartments, said both the large unit and an adjacent 900-square-foot loft are nearly finished. Both are spoken for and she plans to develop additional apartments on the upper floors of the former Hayes Furniture building.

"The very first loft tour, some folks from Richmond and Northern Virginia came down and talked about rehabbing these old buildings into lofts. I had just bought my first building, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do," Hester said.

All of Hester’s current apartments have remained occupied with little turnover and two more in the planning stages are already spoken for, she said.

"We get calls almost every single week," Hester said. "I think people are getting back to their roots, back to downtown areas and urban lifestyles."

About a block away at 509 State St., Eric Blevins and some contract workers are rushing to complete three upstairs units.

Just getting to this point has been a four-year process, he said.

"We had to replace the foundation on the upper floor because it was completely rotten. We installed new windows and had to shore up the rear wall," he said.

Last year, with windows not yet in place and an incomplete roof, a torrential downpour caused extensive damage to the ground floor.

A year later, the roof is repaired, new windows are in and work is progressing inside three units, including a large two-level, 2,300-square-foot loft.

"It’s got a West Coast modern style, like a Malibu beach house," Eric Blevins said.

An adjoining 1,900-square-foot loft has been sold and work is also well under way on another 2,000-square-foot unit.

Eric Blevins said he and contractor Chris Sloce developed the design, which features open beams, few walls and a suspended structural floor in two of the units.

"I wanted people to be able to walk in and see the windows overlooking State Street. That was important," Blevins said.

The loft tour is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on Saturday.

For information or to purchase tickets, call (423) 573-2200 or e-mail info@believeinbristol.org.

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532