Published: March 26, 2008 09:36 am         

New apartments right on schedule; FSU ready to move into renovated Lyric Building

FROSTBURG - The renovation of the Lyric Building on Frostburg's Main Street is right on schedule and renters will be moving into 11 luxury apartments in late June or early July, according to the developer.

"Actually, sometime in May, Frostburg State (University) will open an annex of its bookstore on the ground level," said Michael Joy of Washington, D.C.

The building, which once housed Gandalf's Restaurant and Pub along with other businesses as well as apartments, burned badly in 2004 and was eventually given by its owner to the city. The city, in turn, sold the building to Joy for $289,000 - the same amount of grant money that was used to stabilize the structure - and will refund the purchase price once the building is occupied and begins to generate tax revenue.

"In about a month, we will remove the walls hiding the front of the building and people will be able to see the restored facade," Joy said. "The facade is a reconstruction of the original."

Four of the apartments will have decks, which will offer elevated views in three directions, according to Joy. The luxury apartments feature amenities such as granite counter tops and maple cabinetry, and are similar to those already occupied at Liberty Lofts, a Joy project in downtown Cumberland.

B.J. Davisson, an FSU vice president, confirmed Tuesday that not only would a branch of the book store open at the Lyric Building, but the Office of University Advancement would locate there as well.

"The bookstore will sell things that won't compete with existing merchants downtown, such as sweatshirts and other souvenirs," Davisson said.

"The mission of University Advancement is fundraising, so we don't need to be located on campus. We think our presence will help breathe some additional life into downtown and create more foot traffic there. We are enthused about it. We think we will be in our new offices in early summer."

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.