A building that has been closed for more than 30 years will get an opportunity to breathe life back into Sycamore.

Sycamore resident Phil Cuthbert bought the corner store on California and State in September 2012 to re-incorporate it into the community. The building is located in the city’s historic district. Cuthbert’s renovations may take another year, but he plans to put the building to good use in the meantime.

Cuthbert, a professional artist, has donated the window space of his building to his friends at the Sycamore Artist’s Co-Op Gallery, which is part of Sycamore Art Attack, for additional exposure.

“He approached some people at the Art Attack with the idea that during the rehab process that he’s performing, that we could use the window as an advertisement to come down the street to the actual gallery of the co-op,” said Bill Mitchell, co-op member and a retired art teacher from DeKalb.

The artwork, which has been displayed for two months, has already brought in four members, just as the co-op hoped.

“I said ‘Well, I got this window that’s sitting there. Why don’t you guys put your stuff in there, get a little bit of exposure?’ Literally just sitting there open. We get a lot of traffic,” Cuthbert said.

The former four-story hotel has seen many businesses since the building’s erection in the 1800s, the most recent being Dimarzio Realty. Cuthbert said he purchased the building in January.

Cuthbert has been trying to restore the building’s 1880’s feel by uncovering the original floorboard, tin ceiling and limestone brick wall that has been hidden for years.

While no plans have officially been made as to what will occupy the new area, there has been talk about an antique furniture store renting some of the 2,000-square foot space.

Cuthbert has also been interested in having a national retailer, like Starbucks or a Potbelly Sandwich Shop, in some of the space.

“I’ve got no deals with anybody, but I think a Starbucks would be perfect for there. We don’t have one in town, and Starbucks likes corner spaces. Something along those lines where I can get a national retailer,” Cuthbert said.

Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy is excited about having the property open again. The property held a hardware store when Mundy was a child.

“We are pleased that he has chosen that particular piece of property in the heart of our downtown to restore some business activity there, and we certainly wish any of this tenants all the best as they settle in to that location, which is really ideal for a specialty shop and things that are attracting people to our downtown and keeping our downtown alive and vibrant,” Mundy said.