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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — They’ve come to the end of the line at a former row of warehouses in downtown Johnson City, and a 7,000-square foot building is converting to four apartments and a main floor commercial space.
The project by Triple G Ventures could be done around the beginning of 2023. Grant Summers is a partner in the group and said the approximately $385,000 renovation is the final phase in a revitalization that’s transformed the connected buildings that face King Commons Park in the front and overlook the Norfolk Southern Railroad in the back.
The “back side” of the warehouse row faces the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Buffalo Street. 
Windows in the front two-bedroom apartment will look onto King Commons Park, looking out from 113 Commerce Street. 
Living room view of the “Johnson City, Tennessee” sign in King Commons Park. 
The back apartment under construction. 
The back half of the first-floor space.
“That whole street at one time was kind of a distributor/warehousing street,” Summers said, adding that the “back side” of the buildings opens onto a concrete platform that once served to help load and unload goods off the railway.
Within the past few years, Summers and his partners have transformed a larger space once known as the Swift Building. A restaurant and salon are among the commercial businesses on the ground floor, while 12 high-ceilinged apartments with polished concrete floors are on the upper floors.
Nancy Fischman bought another section of the row and opened an art gallery and bakery earlier this year.
“One of the apartments is going to have a great view overlooking King Commons,” Summers said.
That will be a two-bedroom of about 1,000 square feet. The other apartments will be one-bedrooms of 600-800 square feet with expected rents between $1,250 and $1,950.
Triple G does not yet have a tenant or tenants for the first floor.
“We’re just getting it to a shell space, replacing the storefronts on both the Commerce Street side and the platform side.
Summers said the combined row of buildings that total more than 60,000 square feet have even more potential should public redevelopment along the back side occur. The Johnson City Development Authority has allocated funding in the past for a potential walkway from West Market Street toward Roan.
Cleaning up the facades on that side and creating a public walkway to give the buildings viable “storefronts” on both sides is “absolutely critical,” Summers said.
“Not just for the functionality of those buildings but just the view from Buffalo Street,” he said. “That’s a main entrance into downtown. We’re hoping the project will come back around. We’re investing in these buildings, (Fischman) is investing in hers.”
WHAT: Renovation of 7,000 square foot, two-story building into four apartments and first-floor commercial space.
WHERE: 113 Commerce Street, Johnson City. East end of a row of former warehouses facing King Commons Park.
WHO: Triple G Ventures. Triple G partner Greg Cox originally paid $65,000 for the building in 2014 before deeding the building to the development company in 2019.
WHEN: Building permit obtained July 2022. Apartments expected to be ready for occupancy in early 2023. Commercial space will be available then and finished out to suit tenant.
YOUR TAX BENEFIT: About $12,000 in annual property tax revenue based on estimated built out value of $800,000. Sales taxes from commercial tenant.
