Motiva’s welcome determination to move its office operations downtown is proving to be transformative for Port Arthur, breathing new life into a seemingly moribund area that needed such economic resuscitation.

Last month, the city got this needed jolt: Motiva decided to purchase two treasured — but decaying — historic structures, the Federal Building, built in 1912, and the Adams Building, erected in 1926. Both are ancient by Port Arthur standards — our city was established in 1898 — yet both continue to be imposing. The Federal Building is on the National Register of Historic Places; Motiva intends to seek such historic designation for the Adams Building as well.

Tuesday brought word that Motiva would purchase the Hotel Sabine, a 10-story behemoth built in 1929 that since its decay and closure in the 1980s has reminded locals of what the town once had been. With Motiva planning to pay fair market value and revamp the hotel into usable, short-term living space for company visitors, Port Arthur people can look at the buildings and think about what might be. That’s a transformation not only of a single, imposing structure, but also of a community spirit.

More spilled out about Motiva’s intentions Tuesday: They’ve struck a deal for the old A.E. Scott Furniture Co. building, built in 1911, the mayor confirmed. The city and Motiva will negotiate for the former Merchants Bank, now the city’s Health Department. In each case, Motiva, a global energy giant, has expressed its intention to restore the buildings to their former glory — or better.

Of course, none of this happened overnight. Mayor Derrick Freeman said Tuesday he was grateful that the city had taken the intermediate steps, the long and detailed preparation, that would make investment in downtown possible not just for Motiva but for anyone who wanted to take part in Port Arthur’s rebirth.

That means recognition for the Port Arthur Economic Development Corp., Development Services, the legal department and myriad other city professionals who, over several years, have created and fostered the conditions and situations that encourage opportunities for private investment. That meant conceiving and developing a comprehensive downtown plan, creating historic districts, presenting tax breaks and finding partners for such pursuits as encouraging construction of new homes for working people downtown. All of those small steps were part of a long and fruitful journey.

Now comes $150 million in downtown investment, as the city and its new partners seek to make necessary improvements. Now comes the land rush, as developers seek to establish the businesses and services that will be needed for the influx of office workers.

There are lots of details left to digest. There are plenty of checkpoints along the way. But Port Arthur took some great strides forward Tuesday. That’s worth celebrating.