ALMOST OPEN — Joe Ward, district operations manager, and Mary Marmie, district customer service manager, of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation pause for a photo in front of the utility provider's new location in Sparta, which is slated to open on July 29.

Blue Ridge Electric will open new office

While the new location of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is actually in the former Lowe's Home Improvement building in Sparta, few vestiges of the old retail store remain.

The building has had a complete makeover, from a large protruding façade and drive through window in front of the building to lowered ceilings and office space in the center.

In addition, a 40 by 66 additional garage has been added behind the building and another area has been put under roof, boosting the total square footage to about 30,000. Crews were busy putting finishing touches on the building this week, in preparation for the official opening date of July 29.

"We are very pleased with the way it's turned out," said Renée Whitener, director of corporate communications. "It really does look nice as people come into Sparta."

The renovations to the building cost less than $1 million, Whitener said. However, she noted that a more specific figure was not available. The work is being supervised by CBSA Architects out of Hickory. The work is running a month or more ahead of schedule, Whitener said. "We've been trying to alert members to the fact that we are already prepared to make the move," she said.

Joe Ward, district operations manager, said the new building will improve safety for everyone.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News! Back