Henry Apartments grand opening brings economic hopefulness to downtown

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MARTINSVILLE (WSLS 10) - Martinsville city leaders held a grand opening for a former hotel, now new apartment building.

They said it took nearly 5 years and over $3,000,000 to renovate.

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The Henry will hold 25 apartment units, and city leaders think the new building could be a catalyst to spur economic development Martinsville.

Rick Martin is the owner of Mountain Jax, a restaurant that has been in Uptown Martinsville for about two and half years.

Martin is one of many business owners who is glad, the new apartment building is opening right across the street.

"I think it's going to be great for us 25 new people coming uptown, hopefully if they're single, and don't want to cook for themselves they'll come over here." Rick Martin said.

The mayor of Martinsville, Danny Turner thinks the apartment building could bring in extra foot traffic.

"Hopefully we'll have a medical school right down the street and hopefully they'll have a 100 students here a year so I think this place will look like a college town." Turner said.

The mayor said he hopes Uptown Martinsville will look similar to Downtown Roanoke, where people can enjoy live music, as well as shop and dine.