La Grande Among Recipients of “Excellence on Main” Awards
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, October 7th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department) Oregon Main Street announced its 2022 “Excellence on Main” award winners during the annual Main Street conference on October 5th in Klamath Falls. Created in 2010, the annual Excellence on Main awards honor outstanding accomplishments, activities, and people making a difference in historic downtowns and traditional commercial neighborhoods across the state. A total of 12 projects, activities, and people were recognized – 3 of those nominated by La Grande Main Street Downtown. Videos of the award winners can be found here.
- Leadership on Main Award: Mary Ann Miesner, La Grande
This award recognizes an individual who has shown extraordinary dedication to their local Main Street over a significant period of time. The 2022 Leadership on Main award goes to Mary Ann Miesner of La Grande. Mary Ann is a lifelong resident of La Grande, a founding member of La Grande Main Street Downtown, and a tireless worker and advocate for the organization and the Historic Downtown. Mary Ann’s impact on Downtown La Grande is difficult to summarize. She served a full 10 years on the Board of Directors, took a year off as required by our by-laws, then rejoined the Board. She has been at different times the Board Treasurer, interim director, Outreach Committee Chair, Promotions Committee Chair, Eastern Oregon Beer Festival Chair, and during a time in the wake of COVID, all of the above. Mary Ann has always gone above and beyond the line of duty, stepping in to help wherever she is needed.
- Best Adaptive Reuse: The Local, La Grande
The Best Adaptive Reuse award is given to a project that demonstrates excellence in reimagining the use of a historic building into a new, contemporary use while preserving its history and character. The award this year went to The Local in La Grande. Gust and Karen Tsiatsos purchased the Texaco station in the fall of 2020 and set out to give it new life as a coffee shop and ice cream bar. They began with an overhaul of the building, enclosing the covered fueling area and incorporating it into the service bay and convenience store portions of the building to maximize space, while preserving the architectural details of the original construction. Since opening in July of last year, The Local has already had a major impact on the community, providing a much needed Third Space location on the south end of Downtown and establishing strong ties to the community by hosting block parties and other events.
- Outstanding Special Project: Brickyard Lanes, La Grande
The Outstanding Special Project award is given to extraordinary efforts that demonstrate perseverance in bringing projects to fruition and build community. This year’s Outstanding Special Project award goes to Brickyard Lanes. Brickyard Lanes is the culmination of one of Downtown La Grande’s longest-running building rehabilitation projects. Built in 1908, the building that now houses Brickyard Lanes has been a hotel, a mercantile, a farm equipment store, and in its most recent incarnation an Eagles Lodge. Darrin Keisecker and his family bought the building in 2013, and by 2016 began rehabilitating the building into a Bowling Alley and community gathering place. Several layers of outdated and historically inaccurate material were removed from both the interior and exterior. The beautiful woodwork interior decorated with historic photos blends the original 1900s style with modern style and convenience, and now houses 12-bowling lanes, a full-service bistro and bar, mezzanine arcade, pool tables, and lounge seating. The completion of this project has been a major boon for the Downtown community and provides a much-needed source of indoor recreation for families to enjoy year-round.
The wide range of Oregon Main Street’s Excellence on Main awards is reflective of the comprehensive Main Street Approach™ to downtown revitalization developed by the National Main Street Center. This model is used by the communities participating in the three-tier Main Street Track of Oregon Main Street Network.
“In 2021, we saw how our Oregon Main Streets stepped up and helped their communities navigate through the challenges brought on by two years of economic downturn,” said Sheri Stuart, state coordinator, Oregon Main Street. “Through innovative projects, community centric programs, and renovations focused on historic preservation, main streets have improved their communities and enhanced their quality of life
Oregon Main Street strengthens community networks, bolsters local economies, generates tax revenues, and fosters social connections across the state. OMS leads a network of local Main Streets that oversee a wide range of programmatic efforts to build community, support local businesses, and create an attractive and vibrant environment for workers, visitors, and residents. The Oregon Main Street network generates significant value for local communities and for the State of Oregon overall. Learn more about the impact of the Oregon Main Street program by visiting www.oregonmainstreet.org.
