By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER – Managing editor
A new flare will be added to the Historic Business District in the near future.
After a public hearing yesterday, Brewton City Council members voted in favor of adding residential and business in the same building of the Historic Business District.
The idea was first presented publicly at a November Planning Commission meeting where John David Finlay, owner of the Robinson and McGowin building, and Terence Breckenridge, owner of the old Pensacola Mill Supply building, asked the group to consider allowing residents to inhabit the top of historic buildings.
Finlay said at that meeting he had been bringing his building up to standard codes in hopes to lure out-of-town buyers interested in purchasing the building. The only stipulation, he said, was that the buyers wanted to put a penthouse on the third floor.
The idea, he said at that meeting, was to intermingle businesses and residential into the downtown area. Finlay was not present at the public hearing.
Breckenridge had said during the midst of renovating his building, prior to Jus Do taking over the bottom portion, he was interested in putting in apartments in the remaining floors.
The Planning Commission took the two businessmen's ideas into consideration and made the recommendation to City Council. The council unanimously voted in favor of adding the additions to the ordinance. City Clerk John Angel said that once the new ordinance is published one time it becomes law.