Petersburg visitors center relocated to Farmers Bank building in Old Towne

PETERSBURG -- Petersburg's visitors center has a new home in Old Towne.

But it's not the historic Farmers Market building, as long planned.

The center has moved to another historic building, the Farmers Bank at 19 Bollingbrook St., just a block from the center's former location, the McIlwaine House at 425 Cockade Alley. In March, the city sold that property for $140,000 to a private investor.

City officials said at the time that they hoped to move the visitors center later in the year to the Farmers Market building, 9 E. Old St. But the renovations at the octagonal structure in historic Old Towne had to be put on hold because of funding issues, city officials said.

Petersburg spokeswoman Joanne Williams said the city gathered estimates on costs to revitalize the interior of the building and found the cost exceeded previous estimates.

"It was going to cost over $1 million to renovate the market," she said. "With the current economy, it is not feasible."

Petersburg already has spent $359,000 on construction over the past two years, mainly on exterior work at the building. Interior renovations, including the installation of a heating and ventilation system and electrical work, are needed to make the building habitable.

The visitors center had to move into its new, temporary home in September. The center had operated from the McIlwaine House since 1989.

This week, the city officially approved a one-year lease with Fort Henry Branch of the Association of the Preservation of Virginia, the owners of the Farmers Bank property.

The city will pay $1,025 a month to use the three-story Farmers Bank property and other nearby properties for the use by the tourism department.

Contact Luz Lazo at (804) 649-6058 or .