(Spencer)– Work to rehab and renovate a building on Grand Avenue in Spencer that was heavily damaged in a fire back in January of 2023 continues following some setbacks.
Eric Meeter of Spencer and his father purchased the building in October of that same year and founded M & M Grand Ventures. Demolition work then got underway but the project was halted in June of 2024 due to the flood. During that same time, Meeter says they were awarded a grant through the state’s Catalyst program. He says work has once again started on the project, which consists of three phases…
“Phase number one is going to be to fix the upper unit living spaces above the space that still stands. We’ll be turning that into five furnished apartments. Very excited to be able to bring some life back to downtown with five units. And then phase two is going to be the first floor. Our plan right now is going to be turn all three of those units that kind of were separated into one large unit with the hopes of opening a small events, gathering space. And then phase three is that property that burned down all the way, restoring that into a green space while all fixing the facade and everything like that back up to match the aesthetics of downtown.”
Meeter says there’s been another bit of a setback they’ve been dealing with as well…
“This building was built in 1930 and then we think there was an addition in the ’60’s. When they did the addition the roof structure maybe wasn’t where it needed to be so we’ve been working with some great structural engineers to get us on the right path and make sure this is a building that remain for another 100 years. Though that was a small setback, we are excited. We should actually get that structural engineer’s report finalized in the next month and then things are really going to start to kick.”
Meeter says the public can now start to see some of the improvements with 46 new windows that were put in recently and some steel framing for the apartments.
Meeter encourages anyone with historic information about the building in the 200 block of West Grand Avenue to contact M & M Grand Ventures.
