Harrill Construction tackles renovation project in Hickory – Hickory Daily Record

HICKORY A vacant building along First Avenue SE will soon find a new purpose as office space for two local companies.

By June, Alex Harrill, owner of the customized home and renovation company Harrill Construction, said the building will have a new paint job and a new storefront.

The front space of the building will be used for office space for both Harrill Construction and the automotive customization business Xtreme Machines.

Its not the first time Harrill and his company embarked on a renovation project in that part of town.

The Block, a mixed-use development that housed both Harrill Construction's offices and the offices ofXtreme Machines across the street from the building being renovated, also was renovated in 2015.

The space at The Block is currently being rented out, while Harrill Construction offices are temporarily located off Highland Avenue until renovations are complete, Harrill said.

Giving new life to old and dilapidated buildings is a passion of Harrills.

"I just really love old buildings," Harrill said. There are buildings that are past the point of being repaired, but there is so much history in these thingsso much thats happened, that I think its important that we preserve what we can preserve.

In years past, the building has been used as a Chrysler dealership and the Ferguson Plumbing company.

Though Harrill said he had not set foot in the building until last year, he does remember it as the Ferguson Plumbing building.

Harrill said that while the building was in "poor condition," he saw a great deal of potential in it.

You know, a lot of people saw something that just needed to be torn down, but I saw opportunity, Harrill said.Its just really cool; the architecture of it and the barrel top roof is really neat.

The front part of the building had leaked and was moldy, Harrill said.

Renovators also had to contend with deteriorated wood in the building, but overall, the project has not been as difficult as the renovation at The Block, Harrill said.

The total cost of the project is roughly $500,000, a cost that will in part be covered by a $20,000 revitalization grant through the City of Hickory.

Community Development Manager David Leonetti said in a phone interview the project would be good for that area of town.

Were very excited to see the building moving toward re-development, Leonetti said.

Once this project is completed, Harrill hopes to continue renovating other buildings around the city.

I think its important that these buildings be refurbished and used, Harrill said. I dont like to see them torn down.

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Harrill Construction tackles renovation project in Hickory - Hickory Daily Record