Downtown lofts ready to show in annual tour
Published 1:15 pm Monday, March 24, 2014
For Emily Crow, living downtown is all about location, location, location.
“I’m originally from Alabama and I wanted to live somewhere nice, and downtown just has a cool feeling.”
“I love being on my balcony. I like to look out over downtown Washington Street and I have a good glimpse of the Mississippi River and when the sun is setting its gorgeous,” she said.
Crow is one of many that will be offering a tour of their living spaces at the Loft Tours of Vicksburg, which is scheduled from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
The decision to be part of the loft tours was to help revive city living, Crow said.
“I’m hoping everybody can see how awesome it is to live downtown.”
Crow added that her location also offers easy access to shopping and the convenience of a coffee shop within walking distance.
Such living options are growing in Vicksburg, tour organizers contend.
Kim Hopkins, the executive director of the Vicksburg Main Street program, said it’s a great opportunity to showcase a sample of real estate available for city living and the tours will raise money to bolster amounts raised yearly to support events the program sponsors, such as RiverFest and downtown parades for Christmas and Mardi Gras. Amounts up to $1,000 may be raised to help renovate a building’s façade, Hopkins said.
Living spaces featured this year offer tour-takers a little of everything — those that are occupied, properties recently put up for sale and developments that are near completion.
“We are very excited about the Lofts at First National, the Aeolian and The Warehouse,” said Hopkins, all of which will be available for tour.
Daryl Hollingsworth co-owner of The Warehouse said some of his tenants will show their living spaces and the public will also be able to view some lofts that are still under construction.
“We are hoping people can see how nice it is to live downtown. We are a quaint little village with a growing community and we watch after each other and take care of each other,” Hollingsworth said.
The space located below Peterson’s Art and Antiques, which is located on the corner of Washington and Crawford streets, is one of the properties to be included in the tours.
“Peterson’s has a really neat apartment,” Hopkins said. “It shows what you can do with the side of the building.”
Bobbie Marascalco says she likes to refer to it as a flat, and the space can be rented furnished or non-furnished, she said.
“It (the flat) has a washer and dryer and the rent includes all utilities, Wi-Fi and security, making it an ideal corporate apartment,” she said.
It is currently under contract by an employee working the outage at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant, she said.
Tickets for the tours are $20 and are available at the Old Depot Museum, 1010 Levee St., Suite D, Paper Plus, 1318 S. Washington St., Walnut Hills, 1214 Adams St., and the H.C. Porter Gallery, 1103 Washington St.
A wine and cheese will be offered at the gallery following the tours, Hopkins said, and for those seeking transportation to the different venues golf carts will be available.
Properties for viewing include 1101 Washington St. (the Attic Gallery), 1103 Washington St. (Lorelei Books), 1216 Washington St. (the home of Norma Habeeb), 1208 Washington St. (the Audubon building), 1301 Washington St. (Lofts At First National), 1423 Washington St. (The Valley), 1408-1416 Washington St. (The Warehouse), 1509 Washington St. (Sears Quarters), 1512 Walnut St., Apt. B, 622 Crawford St., 1300 Cherry St. (Aeolian) and the H.C. Porter Gallery.
For more information, call 601-634-4527 or visit www.downtownvicksburg.org.
If you go
The Loft Tours of Vicksburg are scheduled from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $20 and will include the tours and a wine and cheese at the H.C. Porter Gallery, 1103 Washington St. For more information, call 601-634-4527 or visit www.downtownvicksburg.org.
The tours include the loft spaces at the Attic Gallery, Lorelei Books, the home of Norma Habeeb, the Audubon Building, Lofts At First National, The Valley, The Warehouse, Sears Quarters, the H.C. Porter Gallery, Aeolian, 1512 Walnut St. Apt. B and 622 Crawford St.