The Austin Veterans of Foreign War building is in its final stages of renovation.

“It’ll just be a nice, updated club for our members,” VFW Commander Scott Wiechmann said.

The renovations are expected to finish by the end of August or early September. According to Wiechmann, the project has used almost all local contractors.

“It’s a busy time of year for the contractors and everybody’s busy,” Wiechmann said.

The project has put in five new windows, a new handicap entrance with push buttons, making the building fully handicap accessible, new steel siding on two of the outside walls, new carpeting inside, new doors and much repainting.

“Now we have a fully handicapped entrance on the east side,” Wiechmann said.

This is especially important due to the large number of members or guests who are in wheelchairs or use walkers.

The project still has to finish tuck pointing on the front and west facade, bricks that are getting replaced and repaired on the front facade, a new awning and VFW emblem on the front of the building, and new lighting on the front.

“We’re getting close,” Wiechmann said.

Renovations started this summer on June 1. The VFW was able to utilize the Austin Downtown Project for the project.

“It was suggested that we talk to the Austin Downtown Project to see if we were eligible for any of those funds, and we were,” Wiechmann said. “It just seemed to make a lot of sense to take advantage of that program while it was available, and we’re glad that we did it.”

The Downtown Project has since ended, and Wiechmann said they were fortunate to get in and be allowed to finish what they started.

The architect who worked with the VFW and the Downtown Project designed the new steel siding on the outside walls. The walls were previously made of a glazed tile brick and had gas lines and electrical wires underneath that were not in use.

“We just wanted to clean it up and make it look nicer,” Wiechmann said.

The project’s budget is about $100,000, and Wiechmann said they are on schedule to come in a little under budget. The grand opening of the renovated building is set for Nov. 11, which is Veteran’s Day. But that isn’t the only thing happening that day.

Besides the grand opening, there will also be the dedication of the fallen soldier memorial, put up by Sam Hagan. He is working to build a memorial featuring a 3 ½-foot tall, 150-pound statue made of solid bronze. The statue features a pair of boots with an army gun propped up out of them and a helmet at the top. It will also have a bronze plaque, and the artist is looking into the idea of attaching bronze tags with the VFW symbol. The statue will be placed in the corner of the VFW parking lot.

Nov. 11 will also feature a flag retirement ceremony, which means members can bring in old flags and the VFW will properly retire them.

Wiechmann is excited for the project to be completed.

“It’s been a long summer,” he said. “It takes a lot of energy to do this sort of project; takes a lot of time and commitment from our members who are helping.”

The VFW hopes to get the area clean enough for the concert on Friday night. The concert, which will take place in the VFW parking lot, will start at 5 p.m. with bean bag toss and a grill. Music by local band Cosmic will start at 8 p.m. and will go until around midnight. Cost is $5, and money will help fund the renovations at the club.