The Dalles dusts off First Street renovation project

THE DALLES — For nearly two decades, The Dalles has envisioned revitalizing First Street: a historic downtown hub of commercial activity and once a vibrant Chinatown district. Now, the city stands ready to fulfill that long-held ambition, promising transformation through a major renovation known as the First Street Project.

"This project has been in the making for many years," said Community Development Director Joshua Chandler in his July 28 presentation to The Dalles City Council. "We're carrying through with a legacy that started nearly two decades ago."

Stretching from Union to Laughlin streets, the First Street Project aims to overhaul outdated infrastructure, enhance pedestrian accessibility and highlight the area's rich historical character.

Once known as the Dalles Riverfront Access Project, the plan initially envisioned a rail and freeway underpass connecting downtown directly to the riverfront trail, with preliminary estimates soaring between $8 and $12 million. Rising costs and logistical challenges necessitated a reduced scope.

By 2015, original funds allocated for the project were returned due to increased expenses. Despite this setback, the city retained a financial commitment through bonds and urban renewal funds. To date, approximately $1.5 million has been spent on design and planning alone.

Layers upon layers of history

Setting the stage for the project, Chandler delved into First Street’s history as the primary commercial thoroughfare. Shifting economic activity turned Second Street into the main commercial district by the late 1800s, and First Street became the heart of The Dalles' Chinese community, hosting landmark buildings such as the Wing Hong Hia Company store and laundry.

Many of these structures were lost to fires and demolitions by the 1960s, though their stories and significance linger beneath the surface.

"First Street also houses one of the city's oldest water lines, installed in 1875," Chandler said. "That pipe is older than our historic fire wagon preserved in the museum."

Historical flooding led to the street’s elevation in the early 20th century, causing original ground floors to effectively become second floors, forcing property owners into significant retrofits.

Today, deteriorating sidewalks and retaining walls, plus sinking pavement, highlight ongoing need for renovation, posing potential public safety risks.

A need for repairs

Chandler noted a particular section of sidewalk adjacent to the Baldwin Saloon, constructed atop aging metal decking supported by deteriorating steel beams. This design has caused the sidewalk to sink significantly, creating hazards where curbs have become flush with street level. Resolving this alone will require installing new piers and decking, representing substantial complexity and cost.

"The sidewalks are built on metal decking over steel beams," Chandler explained. "Those beams are corroding and failing, leading to sidewalks sinking into the vault below."

Other visible deterioration includes stone walls that hold up sidewalks between Union and Washington streets, originally built from stacked dry-stone without mortar. Structural analysis conducted in 2021 recommended these walls' removal due to safety concerns.

"If you go down there, you can actually see one wall leaning significantly," Chandler said, noting the city's plan to replace these with modern gabion walls designed to resemble historic basalt construction.

The project's current scope, managed by engineering firm KPFF, features significant streetscape improvements such as landscaped planter bays, streetlights, benches, and safer, more accessible sidewalks.

Shifting parking from the north to the south side of the street will accommodate protected bike lanes and enhance pedestrian safety.

"We're adding a protected bike lane going west and a shared automobile-bicycle lane going east," Chandler said.

Blending the old and the new

The renovations will require removing and altering several historically significant features, Chandler said.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) identified adverse effects due to the project's archaeological sensitivity. The area lies within four designated archaeological zones, with Chinatown being particularly significant. To mitigate these impacts, the city plans creative preservation methods.

“We are proposing to do out of the mitigation created some unique opportunities for details to add into First Street,” Chandler said.

One notable preservation measure involves relocating an antique freight door from a sidewalk area to the area between the sidewalk and the street, creating an area of visual interest and historical continuity.

"It'll be blank gravel underneath. It won't open up to anything, but I think that was a cool way for us to blend that into the overall design,” said Chandler.

Additional interpretive signage will help residents and visitors appreciate the area's rich history, including signage featuring the Chinese name for The Dalles.

The project is coordinated with the nearby Federal Street Plaza development, another transformative initiative slated to enhance connectivity between downtown and the riverfront. Both projects will unfold simultaneously, offering a comprehensive revitalization vision and greater cohesion between urban and recreational spaces.

What will the project cost?

About $6.92 million is slated for this project, split by the city and the Urban Renewal Agency. $1.5 million has already been spent on preliminary work.

The budget includes:

Base construction: $5.42 million
10% contingency: $542,000
Design fees: $200,000
Construction administration: $600,000
Right‑of‑way: $80,000
Archaeological testing: $75,000

“Fund 18 has $3.5 million budgeted and Urban Renewal has $3.2 million,” Chandler said. “We’ll pursue additional grants, but we need council’s blessing to move forward and lock in bids before costs climb further.”

Councilor Ben Wring asked whether using the city's Public Works staff could help offset construction costs, rather than relying entirely on outside contractors.

"Ultimately, is it cheaper to pay somebody from Public Works to do some of that work than to contract out to a third party?" he said.

Chandler explained that while Public Works likely wouldn't directly perform construction tasks, city staff could potentially handle project oversight and inspections, reducing some administrative expenses.

He noted that approximately half of the estimated $600,000 budgeted for construction administration might be saved if a city inspector oversaw day-to-day work instead of hiring an external consultant.

"There will be all hands on deck as far as the city working on it," he said.

City council expresses support

Councilors expressed strong support but highlighted concerns over construction impacts. First Street will likely close entirely for a year during construction, prompting officials to consider temporary adjustments to adjacent parking lots and businesses.

"We are already discussing potential modifications to parking lots to ensure minimal disruption," Chandler reassured. "We want to maintain business activity throughout construction."

Wring noted the importance of coordinated detours and business support during the estimated year‑long closure. Chandler said staff will finalize pedestrian access routes, temporary parking modifications and clear signage to keep downtown shops and restaurants open.

The city anticipates finalizing plans and initiating construction bidding by fall 2025, aiming to break ground by winter or early spring. The full project will take approximately a year to complete.

"This project ties directly into the broader vision for revitalizing downtown and providing riverfront access," Chandler concluded. “Just excited to see it happen here in this next year.”