TROY — Another historic downtown Troy building is getting a makeover.
A concept drawing included in the Planning Commission packet for the new look of the Masonic Temple building located at 107 W. Main St. in Troy. The building plans include two boutique retail shops and a cafe dining space along North Cherry Street. The second floor will be transformed into residential apartments. The third and fourth floors will remain unchanged as the Masonic Lodge chambers.
Sam O’Neal, owner of 103-107 W. Main St., applied for exterior repairs and alterations to the Mason Temple building located in downtown Troy. Planning Commission members approved the changes which will bring two new stores and a new bistro-style cafe in the heart of the historic district.
Tipp City’s retail store Merchant 31 announced it will move north to the remodeled building and changing its name to The Mason boutique. A grand opening has tentatively been set for mid-April according to its social media. The women’s clothing and accessory shop also has an online store at www.magnoliaoh.com.
The third and fourth floors will remain dedicated to the Masonic Temple organization which built the Masonic Temple as a social hall and commercial building 1904.
The building’s historic inventory notes its Egyptian revival entrance which remains part of the building interior today.
The design plans state a cafe dining space for a restaurant will be located along North Cherry Street with some outdoor dining space.
The second floor will be remodeled into second-story apartments.
Physical changes to the exterior are minimal with its plans to tuckpoint, clean, and seal the brick and stone building materials.
Plans include removing the masonic emblems from the building and returning them to the organization. Other exterior changes include replacing the second-story windows and removing the first-floor awning and canopy.
There are Masonic features near the rooftop and a cornerstone on Cherry Street noting the Masonic Temple’s building, according to O’Neal who spoke at the meeting.
The Masonic Temple Lodge sold the building to O’Neal’s 107 W Main LLC for $670,000 and the sale was final on Feb. 20.
The Miami Valley Veteran’s Museum formerly used the building as its home before moving to its 5,000-square-foot museum space at 2245 S. County Road 25A in Troy.
