This is an update in an occasional series of stories about the City of Vicksburg’s attempts to clear decrepit and vacated housing and residents’ attempts to save some of the properties.

Robert Ware’s restoration of a historic building in downtown Vicksburg got the final go-ahead Tuesday with approval by the Board of Architectural Review.

&#8220We’re planning to start construction this week,” said Ware.

A California native, Ware said he fell in love with the charm of structures at 1412 and 1414 Washington St. last spring while touring the country in an RV. By August, he had started the process of obtaining building permits and is now ready to convert the building into seven apartments and three commercial spaces.

&#8220By the end of this week we hope to have the masonry work and framing of the apartments done,” he said. &#8220Hopefully the apartments will be completed in the next four months and the commercial spots ready by Hit the Bricks in the spring.” Hit the Bricks is a Main Street promotional event.

The two buildings date to the late 1800s, and Ware said it is important to him to keep the buildings’ architectural style if possible.

Since the early 1900s, the buildings have been home to the Bijou Theater, W.C. Welch fruits, Louis Fried Grocery, The House of Fashion ladies’ wear and Fried’s Department Store. Most will remember them as Karl’s Men’s Store, which also had a ladies’ wear department.

Ware said he worked closely with the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation to discuss what could and couldn’t be changed architecturally in the historic district.

Nancy Bell, executive director of the Foundation, said there’s a basic set of guidelines based on a national standard for historic refurbishments.

&#8220We, of course, have to tailor it to Vicksburg,” she said.

Bell said the Foundation collaborated with the new owner to figure out what would work best with what is already there.

&#8220In this case, the entire facade of the building was changed in the 1970s, so we probably won’t be able to re-create the original historical architecture of the buildings. It wouldn’t be financially feasible,” Bell said.

She said one of the main recommendations she made to Ware and the Architectural Review Board was to cut windows into the bricks. The buildings were damaged by the tornado of 1953, and the owners boarded up or bricked-in windows instead of repairing them.

&#8220There were windows there, but it’s been bricked up. We need to make the building look alive again with light, especially since it will be a residential area,” she said.

Bell said she’s excited about Ware’s project because it’s time to get the property cleaned up. She said Ware had big plans to clean up the rear of the building, too, including rewiring the electrical system underground.

&#8220No one really entered in the back side of the buildings long ago, but now with residential properties opening up, that’s the main entrance. We need to make it pedestrian-friendly, especially since it’s seen from the parking garage,” she said.

The Board of Architectural Review approved construction on the front, north and rear sides of the buildings, and had only positive words of encouragement for Ware.

&#8220Good luck,” said board member Tom Pharr, owner of Anchuca Bed and Breakfast.

Bell said the renovation of old buildings will make the downtown area, which underwent a makeover in 2004, look even better.

&#8220It’s a great opportunity to make a real difference down there. Hopefully it will inspire others to rehabilitate these old buildings,” Bell said.