Demolition work beginning on former FLS HQ

Interior demolition work has begun on the former Free Lance-Star headquarters building at 616 Amelia Street in downtown Fredericksburg.

Vakos Companies, which is redeveloping the site at the gateway to downtown Fredericksburg, is planning to build a hotel, apartments and commercial space on the 2.1-acre property bordered by Washington, William, Douglas and Amelia streets. The development is called William Square.

Vakos is also developing about an acre of the adjacent property bordered by Douglas, Winchester, Amelia and William streets into a 322-space garage, apartments and commercial space. That block also will include Wack General Contractor’s Liberty Place project, a 43,000-square-foot, three-level commercial building now under construction that will include restaurant/office space for Mellow Mushroom, Burger Bach, Pasta Fresca Cafe, Blue Cow Ice Cream, Cary Street Partners, Atlantic Union Bank and others.

Vakos eventually plans to develop the lot across William Street from the former FLS headquarters that is now being used as a public surface parking lot.

The Free Lance-Star is now located in leased space at 1340 Central Park Blvd. in Fredericksburg’s Central Park Corporate Center.