Changes underway to historic downtown building
Jun. 21—LA GRANDE — A La Grande couple will offer a preview of the historic downtown building they are revitalizing during open houses set for this summer.
Jeanne and David Williamson purchased the building — the former Elks Lodge — on the corner of Washington Avenue and Depot Street last August.
"We've got a lot of long-term plans for the building," Jeanne Williamson said.
The building most recently housed the Maridell Center, which featured activities such as roller skating, arcade games and laser tag.
Renovations have been underway since last year.
The first floor will be home to Evermine — the Williamsons' Portland-based custom labeling company that ships across the U.S. and overseas. Taped on the floor are the outlines where the company's machinery will be installed.
Jeanne Williamson noted that some of the construction is already completed on the room that will become the plant floor, with work still to come — added ceiling height, new roofing, additional windows, updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
The top floor, which was originally a ballroom, has also undergone renovations. The drop ceiling was removed entirely and the old bar was dismantled. A new fire suppression system and elevator will be installed.
While the interior is getting a major overhaul, much of the exterior will also be restored to its original architecture.
"We can see how it used to be done, so it can be restored," Williamson said.
The current design plans include rebuilding the front entrance and creating a new side entrance at basement level. Additionally, the broken rock face on the ground level of the exterior will be removed and the original facade restored.
While the Williamsons are drawing inspiration from the historic exterior, they are also adding new features, such as a patio. The new outdoor space will replace the current entryway and driveway.
The couple declined to comment on how much the building cost to purchase or the amount invested in renovations.
It will take years to achieve the Williamsons' vision for the building. The current objective is to make the first floor functional to move Evermine to La Grande from Portland. Construction and renovation work will continue on the rest of the building.
The couple plan to include three areas for the community — the ballroom, the basement and a small portion of the first floor where Jeanne Williamson would like to create an espresso bar and small bookshop dedicated to Oregon history.
"There are so many stories and so much history written by the people of Oregon that I want to share," she said.
