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Live music venue planned to replace Greyhound station in Olde Towne

A new music venue is in the works for Old Town Portsmouth, and it's being designed in an unlikely location: the old Greyhound Bus Station.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WVEC) — A new music venue is in the works for Olde Towne Portsmouth, and it’s being designed in an unlikely location: the old Greyhound Bus Station.

The station, located on the corner of Court and County Streets, was built in 1960 and has also been home to an art studio, military museum and office space.

“We’re going to bring rising national acts that are currently too small to play large public arenas and we are going to bring older acts that used to play those arenas that have a smaller fan base now. And in addition we are going to work really hard to foster our great local talent,” said Judd Mendelson.

Mendelson and his team will honor the bus station’s tradition by calling the venue, The Greyhound.

The plan is to turn it into a two-story, 500-seat music venue, complete with an outdoor courtyard.

It's expected to feature bands that specialize in rock, blues, alternative, country, indie, Americana, bluegrass, and jazz music.

“We think we fit into Portsmouth’s plan to revitalize the Olde Towne Downtown corridor,” said Mendelson.

Neighboring businesses say it’s an exciting time, this is exactly the kind of addition the neighborhood needs to attract new visitors.

“We have the pavilion and the pavilion brings in some exciting acts already but here is the chance to have things coming year-round,” said Christopher Cushna, owner of Olde Towne Arts and Music.

Cushna has been teaching piano lessons across the street from the old bus station for the past two years. He’s been craving an arts district in Olde Towne.

"We’re hoping that by having more people interested in music, it will bring them into our shop for lessons, that would be great,” said Cushna.

Roger Browns said music gives people a reason to come to Olde Towne who may not have come before.

“It’s definitely been rough since the tolls opened, getting people from Norfolk to come over you know, but hopefully something like this is going to draw people to the area in general,” said Ronald Barnett, manager of Roger Browns.

City Council still has to vote on the new music venue which is expected to happen in the next few months. They hope to have the grand opening by next summer.

This is another instance where a city is trying to revitalize Greyhound stations by transforming their venues.

In March, Tidewater Community College announced that the Greyhound bus station in the NEON District of Norfolk would be redeveloped into an academic building that will be home to a visual and culinary arts program.

Click here for more information on the new music venue in Portsmouth.

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