The lower end of Marion’s historic downtown has been blighted since a devastating fire.
In October 2021, the Past Time Antique Emporium at 228 E. Main St. in the heart of historic downtown Marion was destroyed in an overnight blaze that impacted the downtown, including causing significant damage to the neighboring structure that was previously used as a private school and church.
That blight didn’t help the redevelopment of adjacent properties, and when the long-time owner of the next-door furniture and appliance store passed away, five storefronts on Main Street were left empty.
Enter Todd Baxter.
Baxter grew up in Marion, and after college in neighboring Tennessee, moved with his family across five different states and they now call north Georgia home.
His sister, Amanda, operates a thrift store on Marion’s Main Street as part of the ministry for First United Methodist Church, and the store was being relocated because their building up the street had been sold.
Baxter and his sister formed their own company, Baxter Southern Properties LLC, and this company bought the former Mike’s TV and Appliance building located at 220 East Main Street, and Helping Hands Thrift store had a new permanent home.
Marion Downtown, the Virginia Main Street affiliate, had been working with the Commonwealth on a new pilot project that was to provide grant funding to assist in developing mixed use in vacant downtown buildings. The organization partnered with the Marion Economic Development Authority (Marion EDA) and applied for funding through the innovative MUMS (Mixed Use on Main Street) program. Last November, the group received notice from Governor Glenn Youngkin that Marion was one of only three communities in Virginia to receive funding through this grant program.
In the meantime, the Marion EDA had purchased the shell of the Past Time Antique Emporium and the adjacent Gospel Armory building. The downtown group had previously received a smaller grant to produce a feasibility study on the properties, showing potential for redevelopment and identifying costs. With all these tools in hand, the buildings were poised for redevelopment.
Baxter saw the potential in redeveloping additional properties downtown, and being next door to his newly acquired building, he approached the Marion EDA with an offer. Earlier this month, the Marion EDA accepted Baxter’s offer pending final approval of the details, and the partnership began.
Both Past Time and Gospel Armory were cleared of remaining debris and hazards. The feasibility study provided floor plans and options. Now, Baxter is considering just how many upper story apartments he can add to downtown, along with three new commercial storefronts.
The MuMS grant of $500,000 to the Marion EDA will be extended to Baxter as a low interest loan, as gap financing on the overall project. As those monies are repaid, the Marion EDA will have a revolving loan fund available for additional similar projects well into Marion’s future.
In the end, more than a dozen new upper story apartments and three new commercial storefronts will grace Marion’s Main Street, new life will once again be breathed into dilapidated eyesore buildings, new jobs, new stores, and new housing revitalizing an underused block of downtown.
“We are tremendously excited to have Todd Baxter back in town as a property owner and investor,” said Ed Stringer, chair of the Marion Economic Development Authority. “It speaks volumes to how he grew up here and is returning to reinvest with us.”
Marion Vice-Mayor Dr. James Gates added, “This is a wonderful partnership we love to see, bringing together the downtown association, the EDA, the Town, and private sector. These projects are what keeps Marion growing!”
Construction on the properties is anticipated to begin this summer, with apartments and commercial spaces available in late 2025.
