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A 5,500-square-foot building under construction across from the Fredericksburg Post Office will house a law firm. |
BY BILL FREEHLING
A 5,500-square-foot office building that will be occupied by a local law firm is under construction near Fredericksburg's post office.
The building is at 308 Wolfe St., near the intersection of Princess Anne Street. It will be the home of Livesay & Myers P.C., which is currently at 1315 Jefferson Davis Highway in the city. The law firm also has a small office in Woodbridge.
Fredericksburg commercial developer Mike Degen owns the land and building. W&G Construction Co. is the general contractor.
Degen bought the land a few years ago. When he purchased, there was a duplex and a single-family home on the three lots, which were numbered 306-310 Wolfe St.
Degen said he purchased the properties thinking they were stable enough for renovation. Upon closer examination, he realized they lacked a foundation and were beyond repair.
He then received Architectural Review Board permission to replace the homes with the office building. He said there was one person still living in one of the homes who had to leave.
Fredericksburg architect George Somers designed the new building. It's intended to blend in with the mostly residential neighborhood along Wolfe Street and look somewhat like the buildings that were there.
From the post office, the left part of the building is designed to look like a duplex. It's three stories, 39 feet at the highest point. The right part is two stories, 26 feet high at the tallest part. Both parts are the same distance from the street as the structures next door.
The first floor will be brick, the second and third floors hardy plank. There's a rooftop deck off the third floor; that space could ultimately be converted into a residential condominium.
Degen said plans for the building were redrawn about a dozen times before being finalized. He said he went in front of the ARB three times before both sides agreed on the project. He said the final product is one that looks somewhat residential but works for commercial use.
"We took something that was very run-down and created the same idea of what was here," Degen said. "We really tried to work with the neighborhood."
John Morgan and Chris White of W&G said they hope to be done with construction in late May.
The building includes space for about 15 offices. There are seven paved parking spots in the back, as well as on-street parking. Kevin Myers, one of two partners in the law firm that will move in, said they'll rent additional spots in the city's nearby parking garage.
James Livesay is the other partner in the law firm, which started in 2003. It has five full-time lawyers in Fredericksburg and one in Woodbridge, as well as paralegals and office assistants.
Myers said the firm has outgrown its current space and plans to use the entire new building, although it could sublease if needed. He said it'll allow them to expand positions and create an internship program.
The city is considering building a new courthouse on the post office site, giving the new office a prime location. Myers said his firm will lease the space at first from Degen but hopes to buy it within five years. He said they're excited to move in.
"Anyone who is familiar with this area loves the downtown and what it has to offer," Myers said. "If you're going to be in Fredericksburg, that's the place to be."
Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com
