Restoration Work On Track At Steam Plant Square Project Downtown

There’s still no word on when restoration of the Davenport Hotel, stalled for years by wrangling over an oil spill, might begin.

But just half a block away, workers are busy restoring the abandoned old steam-heat plant that sprang a leak and caused all the hullabaloo.

“We are under way,” assures developer Ron Wells, who is converting the landmark industrial plant into an eating, drinking, shopping and recreational establishment. His partner in the project is the former operator of the plant who spilled the oil in the first place - Washington Water Power Co.

“They are very committed to making this project a success,” said Wells, arguably the Inland Northwest’s foremost restoration developer and by far the most active in downtown Spokane. “Wells & Co. is very fortunate to have WWP as a partner.”

Steam Plant Square, as the project will be known, is expected to cost up to $4 million. The steam plant’s twin stacks, massive brick spires towering 250 feet, have been cleaned using a “special restoration detergent,” said Wells. “We’ve ordered the remaking of some terra cotta architectural elements that are missing from the exterior.

“We are cleaning up inside and repairing broken glass in skylights, and we have set up a project office in the building. We have bids from contractors for interior demolition work.”

Machinery and equipment not needed to maintain the historic integrity of the plant will be removed. “We want the new interior landscape to incorporate an authentic steam plant into an economically viable and aesthetically appealing retail and office environment,” said Wells.

That should produce useable space on “about five levels or tiers,” he said, “but no level will be altogether accessible.”

Wells said he is talking with prospective tenants, but is still working up a “tenant profile” of businesses that would create a fun place to go. “This is such a unique project,” he said, “that it may be that we will want to show people more of what it looks like before we find the best mix of tenants.

“So, it may be late spring before we know just who the tenants will be.”

Hospital group launches on-line service

Without ever leaving their homes, area residents can learn more about the community’s health. In addition, they can tap into the latest research. Find out who runs health care around here. See how their county’s health stacks up against the nation. Learn what public events of interest are coming.

It’s all available on line at www.wahealthcare.org. The Washington State Hospital Association unveiled the Internet website at its recent annual meeting in Spokane. The site was created by the association and its affiliates to help people better connect with the health care system.

Fitness specialist off to fast start

Mark Shockman’s fledgling business is squirreled away deep in the bowels of an upper floor of the Lincoln Building Annex, a place few ever go or even know exists.

A more visible location would cost the start-up exercise specialist too dearly at this early stage. So would a sign out front.

Actually, the building fronts on Riverside. Shockman’s hideaway is around the corner and half a block down Post.

Tough.

But no problem.

Thanks to the creative talents of wife Angie, a stay-at-home housewife with experience in advertising, this fledgling entrepreneur enjoys one of the most effective business calling cards around.

It is an eye-catching sandwich board sitting on the sidewalk where passersby can’t help seeing it. Large, clear, red and black letters on white read: Mark Shockman’s “All About Fitness.” A One on One (Personal) Training Studio.

That’s it. Two sheets of painted plywood 3-by-3 feet square, on hinges. Beautifully executed. And it couldn’t have cost more than 100 bucks.

But what I found most ingenious was a giant red arrow under the letters that pointed straight to the annex entrance. You follow it, and it takes you to another big red arrow on the building’s elevator, which tell’s you to go to the second floor. There, another big red arrow points you down a winding hall toward other arrows. At last, you end up in front of Mark Shockman’s door.

But he’s probably not in. Because as a one-man business dynamo, Shockman can’t be sitting around waiting to be discovered. He’s out selling and doing in-home personal training. So a chalk board outside the door invites you to leave a note and he’ll get in touch. Or you can phone, and the call will get transferred to Angie at home, who makes his appointments.

So how’s it going? “Busy,” he says.

But he’s not planning any big expansions yet. “I’m going to take it step by step,” says the innovative entrepreneur, “and see how it grows.”

, DataTimes MEMO: Associate Editor Frank Bartel writes a notes column each Wednesday. If you have business items of regional interest for future columns, call 459-5467 or fax 459-5482.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Review