REEDSPORT — Through plenty of grit, cash and capital, a historic downtown building is looking better.
Reedsport city councilors, City Manager Jonathan Wright, Main Street Coordinator Emerson Hoagland and others toured the Burdick Building, which now houses apartments.
“We have five new apartments up there,” Hoagland said. Plans call for another two, but the spaces need more remodeling. That will include reflooring, new appliances, electrical, plus repainting.
“And we were able to get that done with the other five apartments with the $150,000.”
Money to spruce up structures such as Burdick come from what’s known as the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant. A city must provide part of the matching grant with the merchant giving the rest.
“In this case, Mr. Jones provided the match,” he said. State officials provided $100,000 and Jones $50,000.
Eugene resident BJ Jones owns Burdick Building and Hoagland said he’s been great to work with.
“Obviously with that match, the $50,000, (and) his willingness to provide (this) , made the project happen,” Hoagland said. Jones provided all appliances. “He was flexible where he needed to be flexible.” This included roof repairs and electrical work.
City leaders, Hoagland and others toured the building, with Hoagland showing visitors around July 20.
Workers built Burdick in 1926. Realtor Liz Adamo of Mal & Seitz said the building is listed for sale for $495,000. ”
“We actually have a pending sale on it now,” the Reedsport realtor said, adding in the phone interview that “we had four very interested buyers” and there was a backup buyer.
“I think it will make a big difference down here,” the Main Street coordinator said, adding that for the project “it took us three months maybe once we got it all bidded out” and that there were “no major hiccups.”
The next round of funding comes in 2019 with potentially up to $200,000 from the same grant, Hoagland said. This money comes every other year.
“I have heard this is $100,000 to $200,000,” he said.
Wright emphasized that if a resident knows of a merchant who might benefit from project money, please let Hoagland know.
Employees from the Benjamin Hill Construction Company of Reedsport provided labor.
Reese Electric and Unger Construction were subcontractors.
Hoagland said Hill was quite willing to take on the huge effort and “I can’t say enough about him.”
“It went pretty well, pretty much according to hopes,” Hill said, although some more plumbing and electrical labor needed done.
Mayor Linda McCollum was also on hand.
“Yeah, he did a great job,” McCollum said. “Working with a building this old it’s got to be difficult. Yeah you really tell how how much better it is.”
Originally Published in The Umpqua Post