Developers move on 5-story building in downtown TD with lot merger
The former Griffith Motors Building at 523 E. Third St. could eventually provide upto 100 more units of housing in the downtown core of The Dalles.
Editor’s Note - A previous rendition of this story stated Daniel Bonham lived in Madras. That was incorrect. Bonham maintains his “primary residence” in The Dalles.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., May 21, 2024 — Plans to develop a five-story building that would provide commercial space and 100 apartments in downtown The Dalles are moving forward.
Architect Chris Hodney has requested that the City of The Dalles allow three lots at the former Griffith Motors building at 523 E. Third Street to be consolidated to construct “a new five-story, multifamily, mixed-use development.”
A request to the city to combine the the three lots at the former Griffith Motors has been submitted so that a 5-story building can be constructed on the site.
While the request is procedural in nature and does not require a public hearing, it does indicate that the project is still well alive.
Many in the community contend additional housing is necessary as locals are either priced out of the market or simply can find a place to live.
Renting a single bedroom in a home runs around $700 a month. People can wait for months attempting to find a rental in the Dalles. It is not uncommon for a 2-bedroom to go for $1,500 - $2,000 a month plus deposits with a requirement of paying for the first and last month’s rent upfront.
Some theorize that additional housing will lower the demand, thus reducing the rate that can be charged in the overall market.
No site plan application for the building has been submitted to the city.
Initial descriptions and renderings from Hacker Architect stated that the project would create 100 family housing units and schematics show 36 on-site parking spaces with 23 off-site spaces.
The proposed design for the building, called Basalt Commons, is most similar in height to the Commodore at E. 3rd and Court Streets. The proposed design will anchor the east end of downtown The Dalles with a similar scale to the Commodore.
Developers TD 3RD LLC owned by Michael Hanlon, and Mary Hanlon of The Dalles have worked on the project for several years. They hope to break ground as soon as they gain approvals and market conditions and borrowing rates make the project financially feasible.
The project received support from the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal which previously voted to infuse up to $1.73 million into the project at their meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15., 2023.
“This multi-million-dollar transformative project will not only help address the urgent need for family-wage-level housing but also contribute significantly to the local economy,” said Joshua Chandler, Urban Renewal Agency manager.
The development, potentially, could exceed $10 million in investment and give the east part of The Dalles.
The former Griffith Motors building has mostly sat vacant for more than a decade since the dealership moved out to West Sixth Street.
Mary Hanlon said on Tuesday, May 21, that she is cautiously moving forward with the project but noted the numbers would have to be right before they would pull the trigger.
The development has been both embraced and chastised thus far. Many welcome the project as additional residents downtown would bump up retail sales.
At the same time, some business owners including Warren Sawyer who lives in Redmond, and Daniel Bonham of The Dalles were against the project back in 2022. Their objections came even though no site plan had been submitted. Regardless, they said the project in its initial draft with 100 family housing units with 36 on-site parking spaces and 23 off-site spaces was insufficient.
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