A major restoration project nearly four years in the making in downtown Hattiesburg is coming to fruition, as the former Komp Equipment Company – now known as the Komp Building and Lofts – has been converted into residential and commercial space and should be ready to accept the first tenants some time in April.
Joel Ingram, owner of Hub Development, acquired the 115-year-old building at 319 East Pine Street in 2020. Along with architect James Polk and investor Chad Edmondson, Ingram set about restoring the three-story facility into one story of commercial space and two stories of lofts for residential space.
“The downtown Hattiesburg area is very fortunate to have as many structures that have been maintained and preserved over the years,” Ingram said. “However, we have lost several of our structures in downtown over the years to perils like fire or storms, and also to some decisions that have been made regarding development, such as more parking lots and things like that.
“So any time that a downtown area has an opportunity to save or preserve any of its historic structures, it’s important to take those steps to do that. We’re just glad that the Komp building is among those that have been structurally sound, and conducive to preservation and renovation.”
The building features a total of 18 apartments on the second and third stories, ranging from one-bedroom, two-bedroom and studio units. The first floor offers 5,000 to 6,000 square feet of commercial space, which Ingram hopes to rent out soon.
“We’re just about finished (with the residential space) – we should be finished in a couple of weeks, and hopefully start moving some people in (there) in April,” he said. “(For the commercial space), we hope to have a coffee shop and possibly an art gallery, and some commercial or professional offices.”
The Komp Equipment Company building was constructed in 1909 by George Komp and his family as Komp Machine Works. The company supplied Hattiesburg’s bustling rail and mill industry, until the facility closed in the 1990s.
“Between (then) and today, the building has had a couple of different occupants, but for the most part it’s just been vacant,” Ingram said. “So we saw an opportunity to add useable space in downtown Hattiesburg, so we (decided to do that).”
To help fund the project, Ingram participated in a historic preservation tax credit program offered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
“The building is in the Hattiesburg Downtown Historic District, so it’s a contributing structure in the district,” Ingram said. “So we’re very pleased that we were able to come in and preserve a beautiful, historic piece of architecture in downtown Hattiesburg.
“(This project has) taken an old building and repurposed it for modern use, while preserving the historic charm and features of the original building.”
To that end, Ingram and his team are keeping many of the features of the original building in place for its new use.
“Originally, the building was constructed of heavy timber and beams, with a brick shell set on a concrete slab, so all of those elements remain there,” Ingram said. “The heavy timber posts and beams are exposed, so when you walk into and through the building, those are the elements that you see and feel.
“Obviously, the exterior of the building has been preserved – we did have to replace some windows on the east side, but all of the windows on the front façade were preserved. So we’ve gone to quite a bit of effort to follow the guidelines of the historic preservation rules that are set out by the archives and history department.”
The sign on the exterior of the building, which reads “Komp Equipment Company,” also will remain as-is.
“We really are leaning into the original naming and all of that of the building,” Ingram said. “We just think it’s a cool aspect of the whole project, to leave all that in place.”
Anyone interested in leasing a space in the building can submit an application online at www.hubdevelopment.com, which also contains information on pricing and floor plans, or by calling Ingram at (601) 270-9590.
“It takes a great deal of vision, courage and commitment to invest in a project like this,” said Andrea Saffle, executive director of the Downtown Hattiesburg Association. “We are grateful to Joel and Chad for taking time on this project and seeing it through to completion.
“Revitalization requires having both living and retail opportunities in downtown. We are excited about the addition of this beautiful living space and look forward to seeing it fully occupied.”
