City has ‘neon’ moment

The deal comes with a requirement that the Sign Museum Foundation, which is in the process of forming, raise enough funds to recover the roof at a cost of about $60,000.

“This is the way urban renewal is supposed to work — help get the building updated quickly and paying taxes,” said Mayor Steve Lawrence, who heads the agency board.

“I agree with the mayor – this is the exact intent of urban renewal. I’m don’t want to see this building demolished,” said Director Tim McGlothlin.

The board received a unanimous recommendation from its advisory committee to move ahead with the purchase.

Daniel Hunter, administrative fellow, told the board that the building had a tax assessed value of $266,690 and provided $4,000 in taxes each year.

The property is on the market for $450,000, although realtors have told the city that no one has been interested in buying it.

The effort to get the museum — possibly to be called the Rocket City Sign Museum — established is headed by David Benko, the original curator for the American Sign Museum in Ohio.

Benko has access to a collection of more than 200 iconic signs, including “Buster Brown Shoes” and “Jantzen Swimwear.”

He is joined by: Steve Burdick, economic development manager for the Port of Hood River; Rob Breaden, director of operations for the Portland Art Museum; John White, retired founder and president of JD White Company, a consulting firm specializing in land-use and natural resource management; and, John and Lucy Buchanan, who raised $138 million for the modernization and expansion of the Portland Art Museum.

“We are very blessed to have this caliber of people involved,” Gary Rains, business development director for the city, said at the Feb. 26 agency meeting where the building purchase was approved

Rains said a local advisory committee will be formed as soon as the building transaction is complete and the foundation is up and running.

Benko expects 12-15 people from around the gorge to provide ideas, guidance and counsel in establishment of the museum.

“The intent is to raise national and Northwest money,” said Rains.

He told the agency board, comprised of city councilors, that the building to be transformed into a museum was erected in 1910.

He said the structure had fallen into such a state of disrepair that it would soon have to be demolished without major renovations.

Rains said the roof had a significant leak and there was at least one broken window, which had given birds with access.

Last year, he said a large portion of the cornice of the historic building came loose and had to be repaired. “It isn’t just about buying the building, it’s about giving this building life,” he said.

Rains said the city had nothing to lose by working with Benko and others to get an anticipated amount of $1.5 million invested. Benko anticipates that the facility will be ready to open its doors to the public in about two years.

“I think the risk of this project is, if we don’t do anything, nobody will want it. And, as it deteriorates, you will lose whatever little taxes you get from the building. And, if it continues to deteriorate, you’ll have to deal with it,” said Rains.

The city expects to recoup its investment through the added taxes from renovation of the building.

With 104 ships now using the commercial dock at the foot of Union Street each year, the agency board felt the museum would provide more entertainment for passengers and be a draw for some of the 7 million motorists using Interstate 84 each year.

“Anything that draws more people here is good for the region,” said Rains, who anticipates between 10,000 and 15,000 visits per year to the museum.

He gained agreement from the agency board that having a high-profile attraction downtown would encourage other shops to open nearby.

“It will increase the value of everything around it,” said Rains.

Director Russ Brown was hesitant to approve an additional expenditure of urban renewal capital when the city still had more than a million invested in redevelopment of the Granada block, a project that was still uncertain after years of planning.

He suggested that the pending Washington Street Plaza project be scaled back to free up funds for the proposal, which failed to gain support from the other directors.

“We can’t do it all,” said Brown.

Nolan Young, city manager, reassured agency officials that urban renewal had enough capital to undertake all three projects.

“I work at the landfill, I don’t want to see that building come up there (as debris),” said Director Linda Miller, prior to the unanimous vote in favor of the purchase.