A historic building in Fresno may be getting new life

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – A proposed collaboration was announced on Thursday between two local businesses; Producers Dairy and Radio Bilingue.

The partnership will bring new life to a historic building in Fresno that was once the home of the Central Valley Cheese factory on the corner of Roosevelt and Belmont Avenues.

The building has been empty for decades, but it may soon be the home of Fresno’s ‘Radio Bilingue’ radio station. Local business owner, Eduardo Sixay, said the change is welcome.

“You know, it’s a beautiful building,” Sixay said. “I hope it definitely does get a refurbish, and reevaluated, and everything like that.”

Sixay’s sandwich shop, “My Guy Market,” is located directly across the street from the empty property.

“You know, the building has been vacant for decades and it’s become a blight to the neighborhood,” said Fresno City Councilmember, Miguel Arias. “So today we’re making a significant announcement where two historic companies headquartered in Fresno are going to come together.”

Jose Martinez-Saldana, the executive director for Radio Bilingue, says he and his team are currently discussing the potential partnership with Producers.

“We are in conversations about this potential partnership being an opportunity for Producers to donate this property to another building so that we can go ahead and construct our new public media and cultural center here,” Martinez-Saldana said.

Arias says the move would be good for the area.

“They’re actually also going to result in removing all truck traffic from this residential neighborhood, which has been a point of contention for the neighborhood,” said Arias. “There’s also been constant break-ins and now vandalism is occurring. This finally brings a new purpose to a historic building by building a cultural art center.

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