The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department has approved a$297,000 grant for renovations of an historic downtown building,according to a chamber official.

Cliff Brumfield, executive director of the Brookhaven-LincolnCounty Chamber of Commerce, said he was notified this week thegrant application was approved for renovations to the chamber’sbuilding, which was built in 1910 as a city hall. Later, a firedepartment was added to the rear of the building.

The grant will be used for refurbish the former city courtroomon the second floor and improve the kitchen facilities on the firstfloor, Brumfield said.

“This is helping build upon a grant obtained through the RuralDevelopment Administration, which helped us replace the roof andwindows in the fire station as well as the older heating andcooling units for the main chamber building,” he said.

The former courtroom will be refurbished as a large communitymeeting room, Brumfield said, and every effort will be made toretain the handmade banister that once separated the judge andattorneys from the public. The banister is still in good shape.

The public seats, however, will be removed. Brumfield said theywould be stored for any future use that may be determined at alater date.

The grant will also allow the chamber to clean and polish thehand-tooled bronze tiles that make up the interior roof and restorethem to their natural beauty, he said.

The kitchen facilities on the first floor will receive afacelift and upgrades to allow the chamber to more properly hostprospective industrial prospects and meetings held at the chamberoffices, Brumfield said.

“This grant is a wonderful blessing in that it is allowing thechamber to use its funding on programs and community developmentissues rather than having to expend membership dues for buildingrenovations,” he said.

Work is not expected to begin on the renovations until fall,Brumfield said, because HUD has not yet allocated the funding. Itwill then take some time to begin the administrative process toaward the project to a qualified contractor.

“I appreciate the efforts of the city in making the application,Congressman (Chip) Pickering for carrying it through and thesupport of the county in making this happen,” he said.

The renovations will bring the building close to completion,Brumfield said. Future plans include adding an office to the oldfire station.