'An eyesore': Work begins to rehab Monroe Optical building downtown

A barbershop. A tailor. A shoe store. A printing company. An insurance agency.

The downtown Monroe building at 13 W. Front St. with another entrance at 36-38 S. Monroe St. has housed a variety of ventures since its construction in the late 1800s. Better known as the "Monroe Optical Building," in recent years it has become an ironic symbol of local blight and a sardonic monument to a bygone era.

"I always called it the poster child for what's wrong with downtown Monroe," said William Slicker, chairman of the city's Downtown Development Authority.

"An eyesore," added DDA board member Mary Hastings.

The DDA and the city of Monroe are making an effort to change that perception. The DDA finalized a purchase agreement for the building in May and is in the process of a large-scale renovation "that will bring new investors as well as a new wave of other renovation efforts to Downtown Monroe,” said Sicker.

The first phase started this summer even as the DDA still works to establish a clear vision for the future of the site. Dave Olah and Olah Contracting were hired to lead the project, which is expected to take up to a year to get the building ready for future development.

"This property is probably one of the most difficult parcels to rehabilitate in the DDA District," said Slicker. "Regardless, the DDA board acknowledged the tremendous positive impact renovating the build would have on the District's existing and potential new investment."

Decades of neglect have left the three-story structure in poor condition.

Monroe Optical was the last active business to use the building, but it has sat vacant since 2003.

Outside, the masonry is crumbling away with chipped paint and stained windows casting a pall on the surrounding area. The inside is gutted on the first floor while the basement is slowly being cleared of asbestos-laden rubble that rose waist-high at one point. For now, the dark upper floors are accessed through one narrow staircase. Rotted floor boards, cracks in the walls, and scattered pieces of brick and wood wood are covered in a thick layer of dust.

The site also needs a complete overhaul of its utilities with upgrades to the electrical, water and sewer systems. Gas lines have never run to the building and will need to be installed.

Environmental concerns have slowed down the renovation process. Brownfield grants from the city's Local Site Revolving Fund contributed a total of $155,037 to remediation efforts.

The DDA is committing nearly the full weight of its own income toward the project as well.

"It is definitely been a group effort," said Slicker. "We bought the building for $90,000 and we will be budgeting almost a quarter of a million dollars this year for Phase One. When Phase One is done, we'll probably have half a million in this place at least."

The cost of the renovation made it necessary for the DDA to step in, Slicker said. Private investors were unlikely to take on the project with the guarantee of operating at a huge loss for years in the future. Strong support from the city has allowed the DDA to move forward much more quickly than expected based on its limited year-to-year budget, Slicker added.

"The city appreciated the DDA stepping up to facilitate the redevelopment of the former Monroe Optical property as it is recognized as one of the most unattractive and underutilized properties along the main corridor through our downtown…," said Mark Cochran, the city's director of economic and community development. "Development is the DDA's middle name, and it's encouraging to see them taking bold steps to bring vision to reality, and the city is proud to support their efforts."

The future of the building is still up in the air.

Once the first phase is complete, the DDA has the option to either sell or lease the space for commercial or retail development on the first floor. Possibilities that have been discussed include a market or a deli.

The upper levels will be converted into residential space, though the total number of units is still under debate.

"The options are wide open," said Slicker. "We own the building, so we can sell it to a private investor or we can lease the space out and put that income back into the coffers for improving or buying other parcels. … We control who will go into it. We will solicit from local businesses and residents and ask what it is that they want to see."

The goal, Slicker said, is to have the space up and running by 2025. Hiring Olah for the contracting work will help keep that timeline, Slicker said.

"He's very well connected with the city. He knows the ordinances, he knows the history, he knows the architect (James S. Jacobs Architects)," said Slicker. "We're lucky we got anybody, to be honest, let alone Dave, to actually sign up for a very odd project like this."

Olah said he is excited at the opportunity to help transform a troubled section of downtown Monroe. Olah has worked in construction since 1978 and started Olah Contracting in 1987.

"I like doing things that are a little different and this is definitely different," said Olah. "…The biggest hurdle will be getting decisions made on time by a group. There's always going to be a bit of dissenting, but at the same time, we recognize that we're working with public money. You don't just want somebody taking control and be dictatorial about it."

Support for the project has been encouraging, Slicker said. Posts shared by the city on Facebook have generated hundreds of likes, comments and shares.

"It's not about the dollars and cents," Slicker said. "What we're doing is a return for everybody. … It's a plus for downtown."

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Work begins to rehab Monroe Optical building downtown