(ABC 6 News) — Years of effort in repairing the historic YWCA in Mason City have paid off, and the artists responsible are inviting the community to see what they’ve done.

Four and a half years of hard work went into breathing new life into the old rundown building, totally transforming it, while still holding onto its historic charm.

“This building’s always been a really important part of Mason City’s history. It was built in 1918 by a group of suffragists,” said Elisha Marin, one of the building’s restorers.

From the beginning, rebuilding the old YWCA was a labor of love.

“When we found it though, it was vacant for about 10 years, and it was in a really sad state of disrepair. The roof was leaking. It was entirely moldy and filled with trash. It was in pretty awful shape, no heat, plumbing, and we fell in love with it anyways,” Marin said.

As the restorers took in the building as it stood, it became clear a lot of work was going to be needed.

“I looked at the building, I looked at the rooms, and I was like ‘these rooms do not belong. These rooms are just choking the building,'” said another of the YWCA’s restorers, Susanne Crane.

As restorations began to take shape, local artists and visitors began to take notice.

“I was here three, three and a half years ago, and they were just beginning and ripping apart layer upon layer,” said Kathy Weed, an artist from Northfield, MN, who’s quilt artwork is on display in one of the building’s new artist studios. Weed recently had four of her quilt pieces selected to be featuring in the U.S. embassy in Djibouti.

The YWCA was a community-oriented space when it was first built, and that history was important for the restorers to keep alive as it transformed into a new space to celebrate art and community.

“I think it’s great to re-have an old building like this instead of just tear it down and build newfangled apartments or something,” said artist Kellylynn Robitaille, who’s glass-blown artwork is also on display in one of the artist studios.

Many of the building’s walls, floors and features are replicas or restorations of the structure’s original look.

Phase 1 of restoration includes dedicated studios for artists to create and display their artwork.

“Mason City has a reputation really as an art center, and what Elisha and Susanne are doing here is a big part of it. You just have to look around to see that,” said Mayor Bill Shickel.

Already bringing artists together, they hope it will also bring together the whole community.

“Look into art, you don’t have to be good at art. I didn’t know anything about it, and there’s stuff I still don’t know,” said self-described “accidental artist” Yvonne Willis-White, who began making art a few years ago after the passing of her son, who was also an artist.

Festivities will be even bigger and better on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with five food trucks, a guest speaker and Marin playing live music, to celebrate what promises to be a bright future for the Mason City YWCA.