MADISON — Cliff Hill, a Madison chiropractor, grew up in Boone County. He says about six or seven years ago, downtown Madison and Main Street was nearly a ghost town.

“It wasn’t the booming economic area I remember growing up,” he said. “A lot of the buildings were empty on Main Street.”

Hill wanted to have an office in Madison to serve the community he has loved since he born.

“I decided to take a chance and purchased the old building that shares its fourth wall with the Massey Clinic in the 400 block of Main Street,” Hill explained. “Some told me I was crazy, but I had a plan.”

Hill had an office in Danville, but it was small and his plan included marketing the other office space to others in the medical profession.

“I had sort of a medical mall concept,” he said.

The old building was built in the very early 1900s and offered around 30,000 square feet of space, four floors and a basement.

“I didn’t even know it had a basement when I bought it,” Hill said.

It had been a furniture store for most of its existence and had also been a hardware store. It had been vacant and for sale for years, until Hill came along.

“I turned the first floor into my office and rehab,” he said.

Greg Robinette, who played football at West Virginia University and professionally, then added his business, Southern Fitness, to the mix of medical-related businesses.

Hospice came in and Hill’s medical mall concept began taking shape.

“Madison Medical came in next,” Hill said. “I was so excited.”

Hill’s building is part of the overall rehabilitating and revitalization of downtown Madison.

“Before I knew it, most of the entire building became medical and Madison didn’t really have anything like it,” he said. “A one-stop medical mall, so to speak.”

Hill said that Kathy Hill is doing a great job with Madison’s revitalization efforts.

“We are seeing new businesses, buildings being restored, economic development, streetscape improvement and more participation from business and building owners and the community,” said Hill. “It has evolved into what I wanted. It exceeded my expectations.”

His plan took five years to complete.

“Our building is now filled,” he said. “The only thing left is the awning, which will be done soon.”

Marty Moore, who graduated from Scott High School in 1995 with Hill, said he was excited to start his optometrist office in the building a few weeks ago.

“I was looking at space in Madison and wanted to start my own vision center in my hometown,” Moore said. “Once I looked at it, and his medical mall concept, I fell in love with the idea and wanted to be a part of it.”

Moore said his vision center offers much more than most think or expect.

“I want to serve the area I am from,” he said. “It’s an exciting time to be an optometrist. We have an expanded scope of practice. We offer so much more than just exams and glasses.”

The building includes a coffee shop, Strange Brew Café on the second floor, and a realty company, Homestead Realty. The medical-related businesses include Southern Fitness, Boone Hospice, Hill Chiropractic, Madison Medical Group, Moore Vision Center and Homestead Realty.

“We are planning an some type of open house so that everyone can see what we have here,” Hill said. “My family has played a crucial role with the project and it took a lot of hard work.”

Hill believes one of the groups that have the biggest impact on the success of the revitalization process is the people who own the buildings in the downtown sector. His advise to other building owners and those looking to purchase buildings or rent retail space in downtown Madison is to come in with a vision.

“A vision to restore their buildings or start their businesses on the future forecasted growth of the area as the revitalization movement of downtown Madison gains momentum,” he said. “Don’t overlook downtown Madison for your business. These businesses are truly needed and wanted by our community.”