The Sac Annex, 105 Fir St., La Grande, received the highest staff score in the 2025 call for projects in La Grande’s urban renewal district. Agency and commission members consider allocating $350,000 in funding to four projects during a special session on June 30, 2025. (Isabella Crowley/The Observer).

Four projects in La Grande seek urban renewal dollars

LA GRANDE — La Grande’s Urban Renewal Agency and Urban Renewal Advisory Commission meet Monday, June 30, for a joint special session to allocate project funding.

Chill Wellness, Hotel Kasbah, Peak Lifestyle and Sac Annex are four project proposals up for consideration, according to the agenda packet. All projects requested $75,000 or less in funding.

The adopted budget for the program allocates $350,000 for projects not within the La Grande Business and Technology Park. The total request amount for the four proposals is $283,240. However, only $224,990 of that is eligible for URA funding.

City staff has assessed and scored each project, awarding points in a variety of categories, including business visibility, project readiness, reduction of blight, return on investment and ratio of private investment to public dollars.

Highest scoring project

The highest scoring project is Sac Annex, 105 Fir St., with 149 points. The applicant — Sydney True — is looking to renovate 17 unusable residential units and 14 unoccupied offices.

The project aims to upgrade outdated electrical and plumbing infrastructure, including upgrading 33 fuse boxes to modern electrical breaker boxes and replacing the four floor main electrical panel.

Other work includes resizing six sewer lines to meet code for residential occupancy and repairing interior walls and ceilings that water has damaged throughout the years to turn those units into leasable spaces.

The project received a blight score of 20 — out of a maximum of 30 — as there is a combination of exterior and interior damage, deterioration and dilapidation, which needs to be addressed for more than purely aesthetic reasons.

The estimated project cost is $614,507. The applicant is eligible for and has requested the $75,000 maximum funding.

Second place

The second highest scored project — with a total staff score of 118 and a blight score of 20 — is Hotel Kasbah. The applicant — Rod Sands Vishvakarman LLC — is looking to prepare the second floor of 10 Depot St. for future redevelopment into five apartments.

The project has two phases, but the application only pertains to the first. The street level space will continue to be used as a restaurant, according to the funding application.

The first phase is installing new water, sewer and electrical service to the building. It also includes masonry and structural repairs, a new stairwell and landing for second floor access, asbestos and hazardous material abatement and removal, new plumbing and fire-rated flooring, and window replacement.

The second phase includes interior framing and finishes for the apartment units, wiring, plumbing, painting and fixtures. The goal is to have the apartments ready by December 2026.

The estimated cost of phase one is $334,100 with the overall project estimated to run $785,592. The applicant is eligible for and has requested the $75,000 maximum.

Taking third

Chill Wellness, 105 Fir St, came in third with a total staff score of 107 and a blight score of zero. The project seeks to redevelop the corner ground floor retail space of the Sac Annex, which formerly housed New York Richey’s Pizza. The space has been vacant for more than a year.

The applicant — Tina Aster — wants to convert the retail space for a new “24/7 paramedical wellness facility,” which will offer specialized spa and fitness related services.

The total project is estimated to cost $544,476. Aster has requested $75,000 through call for projects, but only $16,750 in project costs are eligible.

Fourth place

Leak LifeStyle Studio, 1118 Adams Ave., and Fit Fuel Cafe, landed in fourth place. Applicant Colleen McIntosh is looking to replace the damaged and leaking roof, repair or replace the existing skylights and repair water damage to the building. The total project is expected to run $116,479. McIntosh has requested and is eligible for $58,240.

The application has a staff score of 76 and a blight score of 20.

Ranking the projects

The final ranking is subject to change. During the joint meeting, members of the agency and commission can allocate an additional 65 discretionary points per project.

Once the proposals get a final evaluation and ranking, the URA allocates funding starting with the highest ranked proposal and working down the list. Projects receive the full amount of funding requested until the budget is exhausted. Members of the agency and commission are also not obligated to award the full $350,000 of budgeted funds.