A New Artists’ Studio on Railroad Avenue?
That boarded-up On The Boardwalk restaurant across the street from the ferry terminal — between Dairy Queen and Necessities and Temptations — might finally be getting put to use.
Bob Stokes and glass-blower Paul LaBrie are hoping to lease the building from the city. If the city approves the lease, the building will have a glass-blowing studio, metal-working studio and some retail space.
I didn’t even know the city owned that building. It’s uncertain whether the city will approve the lease, but Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Russ Veenema is in favor of it, so maybe that’ll give it some momentum.
Port Angeles is becoming known as a city that supports the arts. And we need to keep moving further in that direction.
Bob Stokes and glass-blower Paul LaBrie are hoping to lease the building from the city. If the city approves the lease, the building will have a glass-blowing studio, metal-working studio and some retail space.
I didn’t even know the city owned that building. It’s uncertain whether the city will approve the lease, but Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Russ Veenema is in favor of it, so maybe that’ll give it some momentum.
Port Angeles is becoming known as a city that supports the arts. And we need to keep moving further in that direction.
Labels: Bob Stokes, Dairy Queen Port Angeles, Necessities and Temptations, On The Boardwalk, Paul LaBrie, Port Angeles arts, Port Angeles ferry terminal, Railroad Avenue Port Angeles, Russ Veenema
posted by Tom Harper at 1:16 PM
9 Comments:
Sounds like a great idea!
It's hard to believe the city would allow a building to go untenanted for all this time ... but then this is P.A.
I'm always surprised by Railroad Ave. It has a spectacular view of the harbor, it has all the tourists from the Coho, it has built-in foot traffic from the waterfront trail and the Red Lion, it's got Hollywood Beach and the City Pier... But it's full of parking lots and empty, derelict buildings. Roughly half of it looks like crap. In any other area that kind of street would attract developers and retailers like crazy.
I hope this happens. It'll definitely help.
Something that would also help is rebuilding/redesigning the Coho ferry terminal. It looks like you're about to go to the concentration camps, rather than Victoria.
Victoria has a very nice, well cared for ferry terminal. Ours is hideous and ugly. It gives tourists and bad impression of the city.
Railroad Avenue needs to be rehabilitated!
It would be great to give a facelift to the first thing most tourists see -- Railroad Ave. The Visitors' Center is good-looking building, the Landing is great, and then it kind of peters out heading West. It could be beautiful.
How about bringing some suggestions to the City Council?
That Boardwalk building has been empty for about 2 years I think. I never knew how a restaurant could fail in that location, across from the ferry landing. Somebody's business skills must have been pretty bad.
a big chunk of the undeveloped land is owned by ONE slumlord, cheap, miser of a man. His idea of development is to let someone else pay for it (and so far, no one with a brain wants HIS terms). He owns several buildings downtown and ignores laws regarding health and safety. He owns many rental houses and his idea of repairs are a chewing gum and bailing wire. He doesn't ever IMPROVE ANYTHING. He's a bane on the town.
The only hope here is that he finally passes to his rewards (which I hope finally does him justice and he stays nice and toasty warm). Then, maybe his heirs will consider letting the property go. It's the only hope of ever seeing any proper development on Railroad....because the skinflint will never do anything! Rotten scum.
"I never knew how a restaurant could fail in that location, across from the ferry landing. Somebody's business skills must have been pretty bad."
Come on! I know you've never tried to do business in this town. You cannot survive on a scant 3 months of summer ferry tourism. The other 9 months are the killers. Doesn't take a genius to figure this out...look at all the businesses going UNDER downtown right now. Two are up for sale, three are folding BEFORE tourist season. Why? This town does not support it's local business...the government of this town does NOTHING to encourage or support business.
If anything, it does whatever it can to thwart business....this town is dying, folks.
Railroad Avenue needs to be rehabilitated!
Yes, an earthquake and tsunami swallowing the entire "downtown" would be a good start to the project.
EQ, Tsunami....but, more likely a fire! None of those buildings downtown have sprinklers (aside from the LEE) and they're all timber structures. If a fire starts in one...the down town is TOAST.
Weenies and Marshmallows!
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