103 S. Main Street, Lockhart
I’ve bought a 100+ year-old commercial building on the historic square of Lockhart, TX. It’s two story, attached, masonry. Having been previously used as an office, the first floor contains a reception room, three offices, a meeting room and restroom. The second floor contains a large attic/storage area, a large conference room and one office. It’s approximately 4840 square feet, total area.
I was inspired to consider property a few years ago, when a house down the street from where I live became available. I wasn’t ready to buy, but it got me thinking about the possibilities. I wanted a space for art-making and exhibitions, which really meant a commercial format. Figuring this would require a commercial loan, I enrolled in an entrepreneurship series at Austin Community College, wrote a business plan and formalized an LLC. I spotted this property in December, and closed in April.
The building is situated on the west side of S. Main St. on the City’s courthouse square. The neighborhood consists mainly of commercial buildings dating to 1900, several of which contain second-floor residential units. Check it out on Streetview, and be sure to swing around to see the ornate courthouse across the street.
Lockhart is within the Austin-Round Rock metro area, about 35 miles southeast of Austin proper. It’s the county seat of Caldwell County, with a population of about 12,700 (Wikipedia). Due to the preponderance of BBQ joints, the city has been proclaimed the “Barbecue Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature. The big three are Black’s, Smitty’s and Kreuz. So there’s a fairly steady stream of foodies and tourists. Also, because it looks just like you’d think a small town in Texas would look, a lot of movies are filmed there. (More on that later!)
My intention is to create an arts project space, and I look forward to posting more about that as it develops.
I’ve tagged this post #wilby in support of Elana Langer’s project, What I Live By.”
Posted June 2015