[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]City officials and Madison residents celebrated the birth of a rejuvenated office building in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.

Recent construction has transformed one of Bassett Neighborhood's earliest grocery stores into an office building, which will soon house offices for environmental company Midwest Environmental Advocates and the locally based newspaper, The Onion.

"We didn't even really know the building would end up looking like this," property owner John Koffel said. "It's been a really fun project, and there is a lot of history here."

Koffel said the building, located at 551 W. Main St., was originally constructed in 1888 and was home to Daniel T. Trainor Groceries until 1921. After that, Koffel added, the building accommodated a variety of other stores, including numerous grocery stores, a pizza place, and the Madison Children's Museum.

All of the new construction is environmentally friendly, Koffel also said, including the floors, which were recycled from a school's old gymnasium floor.

According to Koffel, the building was completely gutted on the inside, but because one of the inhabitants will be the Midwest Environmental Advocates, much of the old material was recycled.

Everyone was surprised with how well the building turned out, he said.

Yet for Lucy Trainor, Anne Trainor and Mary Kay Miller — grandchildren of the original owner Daniel Trainor — the renovations were more than simply an investment.

Lucy Trainor said the building does have sentimental value, but the new offices will add more beauty and character to the area the women grew up in.

"The old family homes are all gone, but the neighborhood has improved and we now have lovely condos," Lucy Trainor said. "[The renovated building] is going to be very beautiful, and the neighborhood will be even more attractive."

Before the ceremonial ribbon cutting Tuesday, Koffel said it was reassuring to have the support of family members of the original owner.

"One of our biggest bonuses [during the project] was having the Trainor sisters right behind us and our building," he added.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said originally the owners wanted to tear down the historic landmark and build a more modern structure, but after looking into the building they decided to restore it.

The decision was crucial to the character of the neighborhood and made the construction very non-controversial, Verveer said.

"[The owners] decided after further research it was just silly to tear down the building, which I think was a great decision on their part," he added.

Verveer also said the reconstruction of the long-standing building is just the first step in a movement to rejuvenate the Bassett Street region.

"The Bassett neighborhood has enjoyed a tremendous revitalization over the last decade," he added. "Renovation of the historic Trainor Grocery Store is just the latest line of investment in the neighborhood."