BY KEVIN HOWELL, OURTOWN.COM

LAFAYETTE -- Nearly a year after completing a $300,000 renovation of the historic Reifer’s Furniture store in downtown Lafayette and opening for business, Bison Financial Group owner Dave Vorbeck celebrated the anniversary with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The event held Tuesday, Jan. 12 and attended by about 40 employees, business owners, Greater Lafayette Commerce representatives and local dignitaries, marked not only the revitalization of the 96 – year-old edifice at the corner of Ninth and Main Streets , but the growing vitality of the downtown area.

Formerly located at Third and Brown Street, Vorbeck said he and his wife, co-owner Tammy Vorbeck, recognized the value of remaining downtown when it was time to grow Bison.

“This is a great downtown location, and we needed more space,” Vorbeck said. “We felt, as we looked for more space, that we needed to be downtown. It’s the heart of the community and this was quite a fit.”

In the years prior to becoming the home of Bison Financial Group, the building – a “ Chicago style designed around steel, brick and elevators” according to Vorbeck – housed the Reifer’s Furniture Co., but in the last couple of decades it has been occupied by other enterprises including Pete’s Power Place – a workout and exercise facility – and was divided into apartment and office space.

The building was empty though when the Vorbecks purchased it in September, 2008.

Recent renovations have not only turned the space into decorative, hardwood-trimmed lobby and office areas, but created office spaces to lease to other businesses.

Julie and Jason Rubsam, owners of Rubsam Consulting, a.k.a. Lafayette PC, occupy a suite on the lower level.

“When you’re starting a small business, anytime you hear of a business on Main Street, well everybody wants to be on Main Street, there’s just a feeling to it,” said Julie Rubsam explaining why the couple decided to locate in the Reifer's Building.

“When we came and toured the building, we right away fell in love with it – it’s a great building and a great location.”

The Rubsams opened their computer consulting business last May and have enjoyed being a part of the downtown community.

Other businesses or organizations occupying space in the refurbished Reifer’s Building include Tippecanoe County Democratic Party , Find Eight Digital, Provision Living, Todd Financial Services, Hoosier Environmental Council, and various writing and arts entities.

Elaine Todd, Todd Financial Services, said her business located to the Riefer's Building by invitation.

“I came by invitation, but I like the location, the professional presentation and I think I’m surrounded by good people,” Todd explained.

“There are a lot of benefits, I can use the conference room, I can use their classroom – it just brought a lot of extra things for my use that I found to be a bonus.”

But mostly it was the location, Todd noted, that attracted her to lease space from Vorbeck.

Jerry Holsapple, a representative of Greater Lafayette Commerce, noted the building is part of Lafayette’s character.

“This is another piece of the character of what is Lafayette and has been for a long time,” he said.

Speakers for the ceremony, actually held four days before the Jan. 16 anniversary date, complimented Vorbeck and Bison Financial for their contribution to Lafayette.

State Rep. Sheila Klinker also presented a certificate of appreciation from the state General Assembly.

“We want you to have a little token of our esteem, ‘Bison Financial Ribbon Cutting, Jan. 12, 2008’,” Klinker read adding, “We’re very proud of this building.”

Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski summed up the benefits Vorbeck and Bison have provided the downtown area.

“Our downtown, the core of our community, is extremely important to us,” Roswarski said.

“So taking a building like the Reifer’s Building and putting it back in play in such a beautiful way is critically important to the downtown and to the neighborhoods around downtown – for that we say thank you.”