Aiken native makes 'Top 40 under 40' 11/4/2009 7:40 PM
By APRIL BAILEY Staff writer
A former Aiken resident has been named among the top 40 under 40 by Georgia Trend magazine.
Frank Pendergast was recognized as an entrepreneur by Georgia Trend for his role in helping to revitalize downtown Milledgeville, Ga. Over the last 16 years, Pendergast has purchased and rehabilitated 12 buildings in the Georgia city's downtown area, according to his profile in the magazine. His efforts have resulted in the creation of more than 100 jobs and helped downtown Milledgeville become a model for other downtown areas looking to revitalize and bring new jobs to their communities.
Pendergast graduated from Aiken High School in 1988. He then attended Auburn University in Alabama from which he graduated in 1992 with a degree in marketing.
He said his work began shortly after he moved to Milledgeville in 1993 and opened up a pizza restaurant downtown called The Brick. At the time, most of the buildings around him were vacant and the area resembled a ghost town, according to Pendergast.
"That was my starting point. Throughout the years, as business grew, I started acquiring properties," he said. "Being downtown is great, but it's no good if you're opening next to vacant buildings."
When he opened The Brick, the downtown area had a 60 percent vacancy rate. Now, the area is about 95 percent occupied.
"There aren't really any buildings downtown to rent; it's been a huge swing," he said.
When remodeling a building, Pendergast focuses on preserving its history. Before any work is done, he likes to step back and let the building speak to him and envision its past. He said his goal is to bring back the original intent of the builder.
"I'm more of a preservationist," he said. "I like to bring a building back to what it looked like when it was built."
According to Pendergast, having a historic downtown is important to the fabric of any community. While the restoration work sometimes takes years to complete, Pendergast said the construction is the easy part. The difficult part is finding good tenants for the space.
"Once you have a rehabbed building, it is important to find good tenants to take care of it," he said. "Many times I've told people no because I didn't think they were a good fit for the area. You want a business that will be beneficial to the entire district."
Pendergast, 39, has spent a good portion of his life working to improve his community. He said he really enjoys his work.
Looking back, Pendergast said he never imagined he would have the career he has now. He said it took him a while to find his niche.
"I think my teachers back at Aiken High would be very surprised," Pendergast said.
Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.
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Comment Title: Go Frank!!!
Frank! Wow. You are still Mr. Personality to all of us in Class of 1988. Congratulations on all of your great success.
Posted by: Warren Geiger On: 11/4/2009
Comment Title: Congrats from Texas
Great work Frank we hear your restaurants are fantastic. I remember growing up with you and my family wishes you continued success.
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