Restored historic buildings spur interest in Downtown Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Now showing at the old Hardy's Theater in Downtown Fresno: a "for sale" sign.

Not many people have ventured inside in recent years.

But you'd be surprised to find a three-story theater inside this 100-year old building.

It's on the market for $949,000.

Commercial broker Jared Ennis of Keller Williams says it's drawing a lot of interest, and not just for the theater. "We've shown it to multiple developers both in town and out of town. We've had many uses from technology to office uses. We've also had some craft brew interest as well."

Ennis says that years ago, a building like the Hardy's Theater would have been a very tough sell.

Next door, renovation work continues on the Rowell Building so the Fresno County District Attorney's Office can move in later this year.

Ennis says the re-opening of Fulton Street has energized the downtown real estate market. "We've had a lot of interest from people not just looking at Fulton deals but also surrounding areas and they've seen the investment. They see it's improving."

The old Guarantee Building also fits perfectly into this trend of restoring old buildings for new purposes. The State Center Community College District just bought it for $10.5 million to bring employees in one central location.

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand says it all sends a strong message about Downtown's future. "There's not one single event or project that will revitalize Downtown by itself. We all know it's going to take some time but you can't deny there's a new energy here."