When it comes to architecture, old often can be better than new.

A rising trend called adaptive reuse refers to the repurposing of existing structures for new use.

Troup County has many outstanding examples. In LaGrange, an 1892 Methodist Church has been the charming home of A Taste of Lemon restaurant for many years; Wild Leap Brewery has won awards, not just for great beer, but for creative reuse of the former Westbrook Tire facility, and the Lofts of LaGrange transformed the Dixie Mill textile plant into luxury apartments, to name just a few.

In Hogansville, among others, a refurbished train depot now hosts businesses and events, the 1937 Royal Theater is being restored as an arts center and the Hogan House at Rose Hill bed and breakfast occupies a lavish 1895 Victorian home. West Point is richly blessed with repurposed buildings, including Burrow Warehouse, an industrial warehouse revamped as a chic wedding venue, and the former freight depot, preserved for community use by the City of West Point.

“Sensitively repurposing historic buildings can help ensure their survival,” said Shannon Johnson, executive director of Troup County Archives.

“Not every building can be a living history museum or remain exactly as the builders intended. In those circumstances, adaptive reuse is a wonderful way to retain part of our cultural heritage,” she said.

While adaptive reuse is not new, it continues to gain both significance and momentum. This edition of Troup Trends spotlights three recent adaptations that are helping breathe new life into old structures.