Carter Building Revitalization Project
We continue to make strides for improving our building and the sustainability of the of
fice space. We are thankful that all of our lower businesses were able to continue at least partly through the 2020 pandemic shutdown. Geter Done has changed hands and remains operational. Everything under the Rainbow added a tattoo business, Mrs, B’s, and continues to thrive. Wrappin’ and Rollin’, which traditionally serves vegetarian food out of their food truck, has been operating from one of the business units and appears to be doing quite well. Together with the popularity of the Old Soul Pizza business next door to UW, the area has quite a bit of traffic. The baseball team from Umpqua Community College, which dorms in the old restored Armory right behind UW, bring young people to the area. The food vendors are popular with these young people.
Unfortunately, our long-time tenant upstairs (Douglas Fastnet, formerly ComSpan) has decided to vacate their space. We are using this opportunity to revitalize the building, improve on some safety needs, and improve energy efficiency. We are seeking grants to help with these expenditures. Some maintenance for the facade is necessary. Some rotting wood, electrical lighting problems, and general repair are being planned.
Our newly vacated space upstairs is an opportunity. We are planning to make that space usable for meetings, groups, and a technology center. The community could use some small meeting rooms at an affordable price. Unfortunately, the emergency escape for the building is not to code and we don’t even have a door for it. One of the plans would be to utilize the spot where a window was removed to insert an air conditioner in the former ComSpan space and replace it with a door and emergency escape stairway that meets the current building safety code.
We are also hoping and needing to replace our broken, inoperable, and inefficient windows. Although the original windows have character, they are deteriorating and energy inefficient. The crank handles are missing on some windows and do not function on others.
We also have minor repairs, downspouts, plaster repair, sheetrock repair, removal of old wiring, and insulation. All of this adds up. I probably left ff a few items, but you get the picture.
