MACON, Ga. — A Macon businessman has bought the former home of the Macon Telegraph and says he wants to bring new life to the old building.
Earl Barrs' Due South Investments LLC bought the building at 120 Broadway Friday for $750,000, according to the Bibb County deeds office.
Barr said Monday he's hoping to bring new uses to the 105,000-square-foot building.
"It could be a combination of revitalized offices and warehouses and storage," he said. "Some of the ideas are pretty creative, for everything from theater to warehouses. It's a pretty broad spectrum."
Barr said he's heard from both Macon and Atlanta developers exploring plans for the Telegraph building. Their ideas include projects combining food and entertainment venues, like Atlanta's Ponce City Market or Krog Street Market.
"We hope to bring that property back to life, it's got so much potential," he said. "It'll mean a lot to downtown if we can get it up and running."
Built in 1961, 120 Broadway includes office and storage space and the Telegraph's former printing-press room. Barr says all chemicals on the site are cleaned up.
The building was sold in 2011 after the Telegraph's news and business departments moved out to separate locations.
Barrs' company owns more than a dozen properties in Bibb County. The most visible is the BB&T building on Second Street, which Wikipedia lists as Macon's second-tallest building.
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