FERRIDAY

&045;&045; Appraisals are set to be done soon on the old Arcade Theater building, which will be used as an addition to the Delta Music Museum.

The Louisiana Legislature and Bond Commission earlier this year approved $200,000 for the purchase of the building, which is located in Louisiana Avenue in the heart of Ferriday.

The bonds have been sold, Mayor Glen McGlothin told Ferriday Chamber of Commerce members at their Monday meeting.

&uot;We’re just going through the paperwork now,&uot; said chamber Director Judith Bingham.

That building would then become part of the Delta Music Museum, housed in a former post office adjacent to the theater building.

The extra space would be used for performance and additional exhibit space as well as a mini-recording studio for children, representatives of the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office have said.

The project is part of Ferriday’s overall downtown revitalization plan.

That plan will also include building a new fire station at the First Street pavilion site, rebuilding the Pasternack Building into space for businesses and a senior citizen center, and doing sidewalk improvements and other upgrades.

Meanwhile, town officials accepted bids for the Pasternack Building project Friday, but the best of the estimates was around $1 million. &uot;And we only have $800,000&uot; to spend on that part of the project, McGlothin said.

Funding to be used for downtown revitalization includes $200,000 in federal funds the town received through the efforts of public officials, including U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

Also during the chamber meeting, Cynthia Pilcher, a Winnsboro, La.-based area agent of the Louisiana State University AgCenter spoke on the community economic development services available from the AgCenter.

One particular program, the Northeast Louisiana Outdoors program, can help people start businesses that make good use of the region’s natural resources.

Other economic development resources include First Impressions.

Through that program, AgCenter representatives visit an area posing as a tourist or business prospect and give recommendations on what a town needs to do to better attract such visitors.

AgCenter representatives can also educate employees of local businesses on ways to improve customer service, Pilcher said.