USA, VA: Warrenton officials mark the start of site work for the Wort Hog Brewing Co.

Ceremonial gold-colored shovels were put to pavement as Warrenton officials and others gathered recently to mark the start of site work for the Wort Hog Brewing Co. in Old Town, fauquier.com reported on June 27.

The transformation of a former auto repair shop into a brewery and pub holds the promise of bringing more people to the downtown business district and spark other investment.

That was the hope expressed at the June 16 ceremony attended by town and county officials, the Wort Hog partners, architect, builder and bank representatives.

Town Manager Brannon Godfrey Mayor Powell Duggan and Council members Jerry Wood and Robert Kravetz attended, as did Town Planning Director Sarah Sitterle, Fauquier Chamber of Commerce President Joe Martin, Fauquier County Economic Development Director Miles Friedman, Warrenton economic development manager Heather Stinson, project architect James Hricko of Warrenton, Dominion Construction Group President Phil Clarke and representatives of Fauquier Bank.

Wort Hog partners – Matt Lutz, Lou Oliva and Cris Bezdek – were present as well.

Bezdek expressed gratitude for the support shown by town, banking and retail interests. “We're really happy to be here,” he said.

“We want the town to embrace it as their brewery,” added Lutz.

Oliva said they would encourage anyone considering Warrenton as a place to do business to do so.

Godfrey said the county and town worked together to bring Wort Hog to Warrenton.

The state provided a $600,000 loan for renovation costs.

“They really do fit right into the entire spirit of Warrenton,” Godfrey said of the brewery partners. “This is everything you could want in economic development – a new business redeveloping property that was becoming blighted.”

Friedman said he believes the brewery can be a “transformative” project.

Besides the former auto shop, the brewery will be taking over two buildings now used by Fauquier Bridges, a social services agency that will be relocating.

Phase I work involves removing the existing windows, doors, roof and concrete slab of the auto shop building.

The new roof will go atop the building in July and August, then interior work will commence.

The brewing equipment will move in probably in September. It's hoped that doors will open for business in the fall. A brewmaster has been hired.

Lutz said the business can open without the two buildings occupied by The Bridges social service agency, which may not relocate until until next spring or summer. That space will be gutted and renovated as well.

“A commercial grade kitchen will go in one of the buildings,” Lutz said. “The second building will be gutted to the rafters and dining and entertainment will go there.”

The brewery will have a beer garden and tap room. “This is going to be a great draw for the town,” Lutz said.

The renovations “have been designed to include a roof-top bar and an abundance of natural light within the contemporary interior space: all while preserving the historical charm of the area and the buildings' history,” the partners said in a statement.

03 July, 2016