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Urban renewal agency approves $97,275 grant for historic post office upper-floor renovation
Summary
The board authorized an incentive-program grant not to exceed $97,275 to Kres Partners LLC to renovate the second floor of the historic post office for museum and rentable office space; the project’s total cost is roughly $270,850 and the applicant is providing the majority of funding.
The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency on May 20 approved an incentive-program grant not to exceed $97,275 for Kres Partners LLC to renovate the second floor of the historic post office building in downtown The Dalles.
Staff reported the project’s total cost at $270,850 and said the applicant plans to provide approximately $173,575, leaving roughly $97,275 of eligible costs under the program. The proposed renovation will convert the underused second floor—vacant for decades—into museum space (a family history exhibit) and rentable offices or meeting rooms that could be leased to complementary tenants.
Staff recommended the application as complete under the newly adopted guidelines and said it meets the program’s eligibility tests: the project is under the property‑specific cap, and the applicant demonstrated matching funds and a defined eligible scope. The board moved and seconded a motion to authorize the agency manager to execute an incentive-program grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $97,275 consistent with the program guidelines and the submitted application. The motion passed by a majority vote with one board member recorded as abstaining.
Why it matters: The project reuses an underutilized historic space and adds cultural and rental uses to downtown, including a family‑history exhibit the applicants described as a local museum element. The renovation supports the agency’s goals for façade and upper‑floor activation in the downtown core.
Next steps: Staff will finalize a grant agreement, perform any required site verification, and disburse funds only for eligible expenses after the agreement is executed.
