Construction is underway at the site of the new Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center on West Main Street. 

The 7,000-square-foot building, located at 311 West Main Street across from Radius Church, is expected to be complete before the end of the year.

The space will serve as home to the chamber and as a welcome center for visitors. 

"The reason for being on Main Street is visibility for the visitors center," said Aida Rogers, visitors and information coordinator for the chamber. "We're sort of more tucked away at our current location on South Lake Drive." 

The chamber plans to open a gift shop in the building where they will sell Lexington memorabilia, such as post cards and t-shirts, Rogers said. They'll also continue to sell a Lexington cookbook and a coffee table picture book of the town.

Apart from serving as a gateway into town, the building will serve as the hub for the chamber and its members. A community room will offer space for events and meetings. 

"Lexington just has a dearth of places to have community events," Rogers said. "This will be a good place to have receptions, but it'll also be a great place for seminars and continuing education." 

The brick-veneer building also will feature an architectural tower that Mayor Randy Halfacre likes to call the "beacon for business," Rogers said. 

Chamber and community members held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building in September.

At that time, the chamber had raised about $400,000 to fund the project. The goal for the fundraising effort, called "Focus on the Future," is $1 million, Rogers said. 

The general contractor, North Lake Construction Company, expects to employ about 100 Lexington people during the construction process.