Video: New Event For Tupelo Elvis Festival Features Renovated JJ Rogers Building

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – For months now, workers have been transforming the old JJ Rogers Building into an event space.

It is Phase One of a multi year project that will transform the 109,000 square foot facility into a multi purpose development.

“I wanted have something in Tupelo, where there’s a venue space, a restaurant, other things that people can do and sort of make it into a community,” said Attorney Greg Pirkle, who  bought the JJ Rogers Building, which was built in 1901 as a cotton mill, in 2010.   He says the historic building, and its many possibilities for development were big attractions.  Along with the venue space, plans also call for a brewery,  restaurant, coffee shop,  a movie theater , bowling alley and a boutique hotel.
The age of the building presents several challenges.

“When you buy an old building, it is a labor of love , and a very expensive labor of love, electricity, electrical wiring had to be removed, there was not significant plumbing, no heat and air, which is typical of an old building like this, there’s a lot of cost, and thought that goes into how to make this presentable and usable but still maintain the historic nature of the building,” Pirkle said.

To accomplish that goal, the original light fixtures are being used in the event center.  Also, each window is crafted on site, to be historically accurate.

Pirkle ensivions the Old Cotton Mill becoming a hub for the Mill Village area.

“There are so many people buying properties, renovating homes, that’s happening two streets over, happening just next to this building. We do a lot of things that can go really well with things going on downtown, we feel like it’s a wonderful opportunity to provide people of Tupelo and all of Northeast Mississippi, an alternative experience,” he said.

Pirkle estimates all of the renovations will take about five years to complete.

www.tupeloelvisfestival.com