Thomasville is seeing demolition activity at 233 West Jackson Street or the “bombed out building,” as it is affectionately known. The City of Thomasville purchased 233 West Jackson Street in 2016 with plans to use the space in the Creative District as a gateway between The Bottom and The Ritz Amphitheater, as depicted in the February 2014 Creative District Vision Plan. With demolition, structural, and landscape plans in hand, the City of Thomasville is currently revitalizing the space.
“We’re excited to activate this space and integrate it with The Ritz Amphitheater,” said Main Street Director Brandy Avery. “Improvements will build on the goals of the Creative District Vision Plan of increasing economic opportunity, revitalizing this historic area, and bringing creative community resources together in this important area of downtown Thomasville. This space is envisioned as a Gateway into The Ritz Amphitheater from West Jackson Street, featuring a ticket booth for ticketed events.
Current construction is taking place primarily within the building footprint. The first phase includes clean-up of the interior of the building with assistance from the City of Thomasville Public Works Department; adding structural aspects to reinforce the walls; and new landscaping and sitting areas. The sidewalk and parking spaces in front of the building will be blocked during these phases. The City of Thomasville will provide signage alerting visitors to the area that construction is underway but all businesses in the area will remain open. Work should be completed by December 2024, just in time for Victorian Christmas, a well-known holiday event that includes this area.
The Main Street Office is available to answer any questions and will provide updates as work progresses. For more information, call 229-228-7977.