Revitalization

boosters in downtown Fayetteville have won a major

victory with the announcement that one of the city's

largest empty buildings may soon be filled.

Western

wear retailer Otto Meier has purchased the former A&T

Grocery building at the corner of Jeff Davis Drive and

Ga. Highway 54 west, which has been vacant for about two

years. Purchase price was reportedly $650,000.

"This

is exciting news," said Sherri Anderson, director of

Main Street Fayetteville, a program aimed at historic

preservation, revitalization and building a sense of

community in the city's downtown area. "We're hoping

some really neat businesses can go in there," she

added.

Owners

vacated the 10,000-sq. ft. building soon after it opened

in 1997 as a new home for a small grocery that had

occupied the corner for years. SouthTrust Bank, holder of

the construction loan, took over ownership.

Over the

last two years, city officials said, there was a lot of

interest from potential buyers, but the store, ideally

situated at the westbound entrance to Fayetteville, was

too large for some, too small for others.

The Wiley

Real Estate Group took over marketing of the property

three months ago and handled the sale to Meier. The

company will continue to work for Meier, leasing and

managing the property.

Johnny

Easterling, broker for the company, said he will try to

find a single lessor, rather than breaking up the

building into smaller stores or offices.

The

building could be used for either retail or office

activity, he said.

Lease price

will probably be in the range of $9.50 a square foot, he

said.

"We've

had several bites on it already," said a spokesman

for the company.

Meier,

owner of the national Western Stores retail chain, is

currently in the process of opening a new Horsetown

clothing store in Locust Grove, Ga., said Anderson.

"He's

very enthusiastic about this building," Anderson

said of Meier.

Local

leaders have expressed concern about the growing number

of vacant buildings in Fayetteville, as large retailers

like Wal-Mart have moved out to the new Fayette Pavilion

shopping center.

The A&T

sale is welcome news, said Anderson, adding that it

dovetails nicely with the city's street scape improvement

plans.

Within the

next few weeks, crews should begin installing brick

sidewalks and period street lights along Hwy. 54 in front

of the store.

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