Will the Athens Banner Herald Remain Downtown?

Nichols Land and Investment Company is in the process of closing on One Press Place, the 100,000-square-foot building housing the  Nichols Land and Investment Company brokered the purchase of the property from Morris Communications, based in Augusta, Ga.

Sloane Nichols said her company is performing due diligence on the building and hopes to purchase it sometime in the first quarter of 2012. They are evaluating the heating and air conditioning system, the wiring and other mechanical functions of the massive downtown structure.

About 50,000 square feet of the building is in office and flexible space. The remaining area is in manufacturing, Nichols said. There is 3.1 acres with the building, which was built in the early 1990's, "before today's modern efficiency standards," she said.

She isn't sure whether the Athens Banner Herald will stay in the building and lease space from Nichols or whether the newspaper will move to a different location. Right now, only a portion of the building is being used by the staff, which has shrunk over the last three years.

"I think it's exciting that the whole building is going to be put to use," she said. "It's a win win for everyone. It's just a great location in which to be downtown."