City will issue a request for proposals for downtown building

By Terry Murry on Monday, August 12th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – A survey of what people would like to see the Christian Science Building, which is now owned by the city of Pendleton, to be used for was filled with suggestions. Mayor John Turner said the problem with them is they would require a big investment that the city doesn’t have.

“Anything from a performing arts venue to a senior center,” he said of the wishes. “All of those would require at least a million dollars in investment from the city that we’re not going to do.

Turner said instead the city will issue a request for proposals from commercial developers.

“We’re going to hope that we get a private developer that will come back who wants to do something with that building that conforms with the survey and conforms with the historic preservation folks. (We want) something that will keep the building looking like it does, producing something useful in the downtown corridor. What that will be, I don’t know.”