T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Peter Cutler of Cutler Developments and building owner Janelle Carter pose for a photo in front of the recently unveiled front windows at the Hopkins and Willards buildings on West Main Street.

Janelle Carter is excited to show the public what she and her team have been working on at two iconic adjoining downtown buildings, and she looks forward to revealing the finished product, hopefully in the year.

Through a combination of private investment and state grant funding, Carter has been rehabbing the Hopkins and Willard’s buildings at 32, 34 and 36 West Main Street, and she’s worked hand in hand with Cutler Developments throughout the process.

Since buying the buildings in February of 2021, Carter had a vision for a modern office or business space with upper story housing — 14 units will be available when all is said and done.

Within the last week, the windows were revealed, and one tenant is already secured for the Hopkins building: the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, with plans to move in by the end of June.

“Now that the front plywood covers have come off, we are proud to showcase the transformation that has been going on within our future office space,” Chamber President/CEO John Hall said. “We absolutely love the updates that have been taking place in the buildings and are more than ready to get our offices moved downtown this summer.”

Plans for the Willard’s building remain undetermined, but Carter is confident about the potential to find a business looking for space in the historic downtown district with a modern flair. She estimates about 3,000 square feet at Willard’s and 4,400 at Hopkins, and “work/live space” has also been created.

“I don’t want to stifle anybody’s creativity about what they could put into this building, so it’ll be fun to see what happens with it,” she said.

One major hurdle remaining, according to Peter Cutler of Cutler Developments, is the installation of an elevator, and due to the structure of a historic tax credit they’re receiving, he doesn’t expect that to be wrapped up until the end of the year.

The total investment on the project is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $5 million, but with work continuing and excitement building for the future of downtown, Carter and Cutler are confident it will be well worth it in the end.

“I think you can see, based on what was here before, the difference that this makes on a corner. I think we’ve seen it happen in other parts of the Main Street, so our expectation is that it’ll do a similar thing, really clean things up and make it really nice for people to be here and probably invite businesses in,” Carter said. “That’s the hope.”

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.