The community is invited to the opening of Blackjack Office Center as a Dublin cornerstone building is given a new lease on life.
The building will be open for all to come and see from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.
Many people in town know it as the Rotary building although it has also housed a grocery store, furniture store and a restaurant.
“This was built in 1909 and until us, it only had two owners,” said Vision Development Group’s Karen Wright.
Those owners were the Knights of Pythias and the Dublin Rotary Club, both of which are honored in a waiting area on the left side of the building with framed art and a fireplace. The area is also next to a bookcase featuring many historical books from the library of the late Mary Yantis, Dublin’s Museum Lady.
The waiting area greeting those entering the building includes a huge indoor fountain with lily pads and its quality and detail mirrors the planning that went into every facet of Blackjack Office Center. Wright said initial designs included a tabletop batterypowered fountain. Wright was asked about expanding it into a wall fountain and Luis Juarez Rock from Stephenville built it into an impressive feature that immediately makes an impression on those who enter.
Wright called the workers artisans and said they asked to come back on a weekend after it was finished so they could show it to family members.
Wright praised the work of contractors Eddie Weiss and Byron McCamey throughout the project, saying the building filled with tiny details like hand routed window and door frames, whichallleadtoaprofessional and thoughtful design.
This even extends to luxury bathrooms- a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” themed bathroom for women and a NASCARthemed restroom for men. A kitchenette is also available to tenants.
“I can’t say enough about Eddie as project manager,” Wright said. “His ability to space plan is something.”
She reported that the layout of the offices basically doubled the useable space within the building. Each space also has its own air conditioning split and has soundproofing so that one business doesn’t interfere with another. There are also onsite mail lockers and pickup/delivery for tenants.
Wright also said the building has quality networking and internet, which is a boon to those renting the meeting room and need video conferencing. (That space can be booked online and comes with refreshment options that can be laid out in advance.)
Wright, as a member of the Dublin Historical Society, past publisher of the Dublin Citizen and past director of the Economic Development Corporation, knows the value in honoring and serving the community.
This is why she is proud that the building is bringing many new businesses to Dublin while not taking a tenant from any other Dublin landlord.
“We have 18 and we’ll still be inviting more,” Wright said of the offices and potential of the site. (A single space and a double space on the ground floor are still available.)
Further opportunities will open up as the upstairs including the Knights Theater is restored. In addition to office space, the upstairs will have a bridal suite and dressing room for those wanting to rent the space.
The Office Center currently includes:
■ The leasing office
■ Hot-Tempered Chocolates (Susan Branham’s homemade candy business now with its own counter and retail space)
■ United Country Real Estate
■ E.G. Weiss & Associates (homeland security consulting, personal and executive security response training)
■ GNZ Concrete Construction
■ A temporary suite with internet which can be rented by the hour or day (discounted for college students)
■ A soundproofed recording studio with provided equipment
■ Oasis Restoration Ministries
■ Office suite, available by the hour or day
■ Meeting and conference room
■ A CPA
■ A single-room with storage perfect for an artist
■ Ladyman Law Offices from Abilene Wright is excited about being able to grow the downtown business options and hopes the Dublin community will be able to benefit from the new services and retailers.
For more information, visit visiondgroup.com.