Here’s the Dirt: Cheney brushes up on history
The hometown of Eastern Washington University is sprucing up its historic downtown one building at a time.
Pathways to Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Cheney’s downtown core, is raising and distributing money to help local businesses pay for storefront improvements and other beautification projects.
Money that was awarded in 2003 resulted in exterior renovations to buildings that house A Creative Touch beauty parlor and the Eagle’s Pub.
The investment sparked other business owners to work on their own buildings, said Charles Dotson, executive director of Pathways to Progress.
“We began to see other buildings being renovated and new businesses being opened in them,” Dotson said.
Cheney has a national historic district with two dozen commercial buildings. Many of the structures were built prior to 1900, he said.
Throughout the years, some buildings had lost their historic luster and others simply needed a facelift.
A planning professor, Fred Hurand, held urban design workshops in 2002 to help the community form a plan to revitalize the downtown.
Small businesses weren’t flourishing, he said, making it difficult for people to spend much on updates. So, representatives from the city, college, community and local companies got together and formed the nonprofit to raise money for the beautification of Cheney’s downtown.
“We wanted to stimulate private investment,” Dotson said.
The area targeted by the project includes roughly five blocks on both sides of First Street and two blocks on Second Street. Although buildings need not be historic to qualify, the projects must keep with design standards.
Pathways to Progress recently received a $1,500 donation from Avista Utilities and has $3,000 to distribute to local businesses. Grant applications will be accepted through Aug. 31.
Bank lights up the sky
Washington Trust Financial Center at 717 W. Sprague will soon get its name in lights.
The bank is putting up a black banner that will wrap around the upper portion of the 16-story building. Two 17-by-4-foot signs, designed by Wolfe Architecture, are being installed on the east and west sides of the building and will illuminate at night.
Washington Trust Bank has been in the high-rise since it was built in 1974. James Mellott, communications manager, said this is the first time in more than 30 years of operations that the bank has had this type of exterior signage.
The signs will be visible to drivers traveling east and west on Interstate 90, he said.
More retail space being added to Adirondack Village
Adirondack Village, a mixed-used development on the South Hill, is adding a 7,200-square-foot retail building.
Bill Walsh, project manager for Vandervert Construction Inc., which is doing the work, said the stucco building will have three bays and match the design of the other adjacent retail complex.
Walsh was unable to give any specifics about potential tenants, but said the businesses will be restaurants or shops.
Crews are currently working on the foundation and should finish the complex in November.