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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Historic fixture has future

Jeff Gilson, left, and Brian Jennings plan to open a business in the old St. Paul Market building formally called the Julius J. Danielson building in the West Central neighborhood. (Jed Conklin / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com(509) 459-5454
Jeff Gilson, left, and Brian Jennings plan to open a business in the old St. Paul Market building formally called the Julius J. Danielson building in the West Central neighborhood. (Jed Conklin / The Spokesman-Review)

Brian Jennings was visiting friends in Spokane’s West Central Neighborhood when he discovered that a classic old commercial building at 2023 W. Dean Ave. was for sale.

“I kind of have this list of favorite buildings in Spokane, and this is one of them,” Jennings said. “It’s one of those buildings you look at and instantly care about.”

He and partner Jeff Gilson bought the single-story, brick-clad building along with its two parcels of land about a year ago. They are planning to restore it for some type of neighborhood business, but that probably won’t occur for another year, they said.

On Monday, the City Council approved their application to place the 1905 ad building on the Spokane Register of Historic Places.

Built by Julius J. Danielsen, an immigrant from Denmark, for a butcher shop, the building was operated as the St. Paul Market and later the Dean Avenue Market, serving the turn-of-the-century residential area that surrounds it at Dean and Chestnut Street.

Since the 1960s, the building was used as a showroom and storage location for an interior design business.

Jennings, who works in government, and Gilson, who works in sales, bought the building as an investment opportunity, and also because they want to add something back to the neighborhood, they said.

Before moving ahead with restoration, Jennings and Gilson said they have asked residents of the area what uses would be welcomed in the neighborhood, which is in the midst of an economic revival in recent years.

A coffee shop, bakery, café, bike shop, exercise studio or bookstore are among the ideas. However, an ice cream shop was ruled out because Jennings and Gilson said they do not want to bring competition against longtime neighborhood fixture Doyle’s Ice Cream Parlor at 2229 W. Boone Ave.

“I’m not really prescribing anything,” Jennings said.

With 1,500 square feet of space on the main floor, the building is large enough to be partitioned into two business spaces.

The building appears to be in relatively good structural shape, although settling of the front façade has caused some of the upper bricks to crack apart. However, the front is held up by steel beams that should be in good condition, Jennings said.

Restoration work on the building is eligible for tax incentives under the historic designation.

According to a staff report on the nomination, the St. Paul Market Building is a fine example of the small commercial enterprise buildings of the early 1900s in the West Central and Nettleton’s Addition neighborhoods. It retains most of its original design and materials.