Architect signs on for restoration work

RITZVILLE – Exciting changes are coming to the Orris Dorman Building on the corner of Washington and Main, with an architect signing on to draw plans for restoration of offices in the upstairs.

The 1902 building, also known as the Columbia Bank Building, is owned by the Ritzville Public Development Authority. It currently houses three tenants; civil engineer and water engineering expert Damon Roth and the Washington State University Extension office along with Columbia Bank.

“Our purpose is economic development for the city of Ritzville, and bringing in new business if we can,” Ritzville Public Development Authority Board President Erika Hennings said.

The RPDA, a municipal corporation put together by the city, received a $350,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for the project.

“The office spaces upstairs need refurbishment. That’s what we’ve been working on lately,” Hennings said. “It’s a slow process. It’s through the Department of Commerce, and they’ve been kind of shut down with the pandemic.”

The contract with architect Sue Lani Madsen was signed at the board’s Nov. 18 meeting.

“She done work with us before, so we’re pleased that she can help us out again,” Hennings said of Madsen, who will prepare the design so it can go out to bid. “She has been kind of invested in this project, and she likes to help us. She works quite a bit on historic buildings.”

As a public entity, any projects over $10,000 have to go out to bid, and the grant monies have to be spent by June 2021.

“It’s in the state budget, that’s why we have to use it up,” Hennings said. “With the next biennium, we probably won’t be able to get it extended, due to everything else that’s going on in the world.”

Hennings said they still had monies left over from a previous grant, being used to fix up an upstairs ballroom that can also be used as a meeting space.

“That’s through the Washington State Historical Society, so it can only be used for public space,” Hennings said. “We have to use it for that, and let it be available for the public. This other grant can be used for private offices, since it is from the Department of Commerce, and about bringing jobs in, hopefully.”

Hennings said she thought the restoration work will require more money than the $350,000 grant.

“You wish it would cover everything, but it probably won’t. Old buildings always have surprises,” Hennings said.

She said the grant will be used to complete as many office spaces as possible to rent out, along with a single multi-purpose bathroom.

“Then we’ll probably have to go find some more funding to finish our other, bigger bathroom,” Hennings said.

Hennings, who has been on the board the past 19 years, said there are five or six offices they hope to concentrate on.

“The offices are in poor shape. At one time the upstairs was converted into mini-apartments, so I can tell you, there was some abuse,” Hennings said. “We have another office that was a former dentist’s office that’s going to need some more work, so we’ll see how our planning goes on that one. We want to try and keep it, it’s kind of fun; his name is still on the door in gold leaf, and there’s people who still remember going to Dr. Haight for dental work.”