Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte’s biggest local brewery, said Monday that it plans to open a new brewing facility in Cornelius.

The brewery will be located in the 51,000 square-foot building formerly occupied by MacLean Curtis, which moved its manufacturing facilities to Mooresville last year.

OMB, based in Charlotte’s South End, said it has purchased the building and will build a new brewery there while preserving the existing building. OMB co-founder John Marrino said the new property will allow them to expand production. A timetable for the new brewery’s opening wasn’t available Monday.

“We are extremely excited about this property,” said Marrino, in a statement. “We have a long-term commitment to the Charlotte region and we believe that this site will allow more Charlotteans to experience OMB and our beers first hand.”

Real estate records show OMB paid $3.1 million for the property, which totals nearly 25 acres and includes the wooded area across from the industrial building, in a deal that closed Jan. 31.

Local officials also praised the news.

“We are excited that Olde Mecklenburg Brewery chose downtown Cornelius for an expansion,” said Chuck Travis, Cornelius Town Mayor. “I think it is going to be a great re-use of the former MacLean Curtis building, that will add to the downtown culture of our town.”

OMB has been expanding its South End brewery and beer garden, on Yancey Road, which has seating for over 1,000 people in its indoor and outdoor areas. The company won approval in September from Charlotte City Council to build another addition, expanding its buildings and outdoor gathering areas.

“This is a great amenity to the growing old town Cornelius area,” said Ryan McDaniels, executive director of Lake Norman Economic Development, in a statement.

Ely Portillo: 704-358-5041, @ESPortillo

Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.