Friday marks a new era in the downtown business district as the dedication of the Cox Building takes place at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Third and Market streets.
Gone are the construction barricades, scaffolding, work trailer and swarms of workers that have surrounded the site since Nov. 10, 2010, the morning after a fire nearly destroyed the building.
“We encourage everyone to come out,” said Duff Giffen, director of Downtown Revitalization and Tourism.
The ceremony is very much a public occasion, as the building was purchased by the city in December 2006 for a purchase price of $200,000.
Since that time, state grant funds, federal funds and an insurance settlement after the fire have fueled the nearly $10 million restoration of the building.
Friday’s activities will not only include the official dedication ceremony featuring U.S. Senator and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, but also public tours of the building immediately after the dedication ceremony.
Giffen said the public will have access to the entire building, from the Maysville Community and Technical College’s Culinary Institute, up to the third floor ballrooms, which include the restored Masonic murals and stained glass window.
Representatives from each organization that will occupy space in the building will also be on hand to talk with the public. Those entities include the Maysville Regional Entrepreneur Center, the Downing Performing Arts Academy, the Ohio River Valley Artist Guild, and the local Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The ceremony begins at 11 a.m., and featured speakers are Mayor David Cartmell, McConnell, Secretary of Public Protection Cabinet Robert Vance representing Gov. Steve Beshear, Marcheta Sparrow, secretary of Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, Lindy Casebier, deputy secretary of Tourism, Arts and Heritage and acting State Historic Preservation Officer.Â
Representatives will also be on hand from Travelers Insurance and Oppenheimer Art Recovery.
Motorists and residents of the immediate area are advised that Market and Third streets will be blocked to traffic to accommodate the crowd. The public tours will take place after the official ribbon cutting.
