Dance Factory to build new studio
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MARTINS FERRY -- Passersby likely have noticed a new construction site on Fourth Street in the downtown business district, helping to fill a gap left by a massive fire more than two years ago.
Earth work is underway to make room for a brand new building for the Dance Factory, a dance studio that currently is located on Hanover Street in Martins Ferry. Ashley Pietro, who co-owns the business with Jessica Trout, said they hope the building will be complete in August and in time to start new dance classes in September.
She said they are excited about the future of the studio being in a new location. They currently rent space in a building owned by Grace Presbyterian Church. While the church has been very generous, she added, they are looking forward to having first-floor studio space and new air conditioning.
Pietro said both she and Trout are also dance instructors for the studio.
"Anything you can think of, we teach," Pietro said.
The site is located on both Fourth and Hanover streets. The new building will actually be L-shaped and sort of wrap around the nearby Subway restaurant.
The lots purchased by dance studio were formerly home to the Stecker law office on Fourth Street and the former Primo's shop and New York Life insurance office on Hanover Street. All three of those business locations were destroyed by a massive fire that occurred in the downtown in October 2016.
There still is some green space available next door to the building site. Ground was broken about two weeks ago for the new studio.
Paul Stecker, of the O'Diam & Stecker Law Office, said his family's realty company, Ferry Realty Inc., sold the property to the Dance Factory.
"We're excited something new is going into that location. We hope they have great success there," he said Thursday.
Following the fire, Stecker worked from home for several months before moving into his new location on Fourth Street. His current location was the site of his mother's clothing store, Fashion Manor, which held a going out of business sale in 2017.