Condemned downtown building could reopen

In January, the former home of Old Books on Front Street was closed after the building. Since then, businesses have evacuated and the building has been empty. Now, it appears the owner wants to bring the building up to code and reopen.

“The owner is planning to bring it back into compliance, fix the building up,” Wilmington Downtown Inc. Executive Director John Hinnant said. “Everybody’s got their fingers crossed and he has signed a contract with a company to do the work.”

If the building passes code, businesses would be able to move in in July or August.