A portion of the historic J.P. Stevens factory will soon see a new use as a local businessman has purchased the building and will relocate five businesses there, restoring the property in the process.

Randale Johnson, owner of R.J.I. Inc. announced this week that the warehouse and office space will be reformed, back into its original condition and will house his seven companies, that could result in a net effect of anywhere from 40 to 100 jobs for the area. Johnson intends to hire local personnel to fill the jobs created. New Age Electrical Sales; Emergency Consulting and Construction, LLC; Power Panels, LLC; All-Purpose Moving and Storage; Old Capital Design and Construction, LLC; ServiceMaster Clean and RJ Marketing, Inc. will all be located in the building which was used at one time, according to Johnson, to house all the computer equipment for the Forstmann plant which operated in the location after J.P. Stevens.

“Our goal is to be an asset to the community,” Johnson said. “We’d really like to clean up this corridor.”

The sprawling J.P. Stevens building stands next to Johnson’s building, clearly empty but waiting for that “right” tenant.

“I’ve been told that this building was used to store fuses for large bombs during World War II,” Johnson said. “Then it held the computer equipment for the mill and had to be kept very cool, so there were huge air conditioning units that cooled it.”

The building has lots of office space and warehouse space that is noted for its brick walls that Johnson says his crew will sandblast and return to the original state. He said he hopes to be in the building by March at the latest.

Through the help of Economic Development Director Angie Gheesling as well as Milledgeville Mayor Richard Bentley and Count Commissioner Bubba Williams, among others, a question over the building’s location in the county and road frontage in the city will soon be settled so the building’s renovation can begin to take shape.

“Angie Gheesling started working with this project two-and-a-half months ago,” Johnson said. “Merrit Massey got me started looking for a business location here after we moved from Eustis, Fla.”

Johnson and his family moved into Greystone in Mid-August after maintaining a lake home in the area for years. His children attend John Milledge Academy and he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Milledgeville Country Club. Johnson is an active fundraiser and said he has supported the hospital ball as well as two casino night fundraisers.

Johnson, energetic and fast-moving, visited the property Wednesday morning and indicated where each office would be located and what the space would be used for.

New Age Electrical Sales will relocated from Florida and will offer wholesale electrical sales. The company has been in existence for ten years and is expected to see revenue of $3.75 million in 2008. Johnson projects that in 2009 the company will see $5 million in revenue. The division will employ six full-time employees.

Emergency Consulting and Construction, LLC is a general contracting business that specializes in emergency construction needs due to natural disaster or accidents.

“Whether it’s disaster, renovations, repair, whatever,” Johnson said. “One phone call takes care of the emergency.”

Johnson predicts that the company will see annual revenue of $1 million through its strong contact of subcontractors and is expected to employ two full-time employees.

Power Panels LLC designs and manufactures electrical panels for marine, RV, pool and spa installations as well as other custom orders. The plant will employ two full-time employees.