Commissioners hear EWU PUB expansion overview

The Feb. 3 meeting of Cheney's Historical Preservation Commission was mostly an "FYI" affair.

The commission did take care of a couple low-key action items. The commission approved a change to their recently established bylaws, removing the term "pro-tem" and replacing it with "vice chair" for the member who is elected to take charge of meetings should the chair not be present.

And with regards to those positions, the commission voted to re-elect current chair Dr. Charles Mutschler to another one-year term. Commissioner Scott Wilbanks was elected vice-chair.

In information items, the commission received reports on two upcoming projects in the city. The first was the $30 million expansion and remodel of Eastern Washington University's Pence Union Building.

EWU students voted last year to increase student activity fees to pay for the project, with the Associated Students of Eastern chipping in $2 million to assist. According to State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) review information, the project will completely renovate the interior of the 120,000-square-foot student union building, which was built in 1970, as well as repurpose approximately 65,000 square feet of surrounding property.

Cheney planner Brett Lucas told the commission the work would take place in two phases over two years, and was mostly focused on remodeling the building's interior. Lucas said there would be some expansion to the north where the building's Spokane Transit Authority's bus stop is currently located.

Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the work was being done in phases in order to keep the building open during construction. The northward expansion will eliminate 70 parking spots and realign the STA's bus loop.

The second project is a proposed expansion to the local downtown tavern, Wild Bill's Long Bar. The owners purchased the building next door, which formerly housed the Cornerstone Book Store, and plan to expand the business into that location.

Lucas said the expansion would create an interior passageway between the two buildings, as well as expand Wild Bill's current kitchen facilities. Also, due to the increased seating capacity, Lucas added the building might also need to have a fire suppression sprinkler system installed.

No external changes are planned for the building, which was built in 1902 and is not individually listed on the city's historic registry. In an email, Beeman clarified that while not on the registry, the building is "identified as 'contributing'" to the integrity of the Central Cheney Historic District, which is a designation on the national register."

In staff reports, commission administrative assistant Sue Beeman said she had been contacted by several Cheney property owners about the possibility of applying for special tax valuations available for performing restoration work on historic structures. Owners of structures that qualify can see some significant tax breaks over a 10-year period.

"It can add up," Beeman said.

Beeman also said work on the historic Sterling-Moorman House continues to progress, with the home's historic association recently reaching an agreement with a local EWU sorority to take possession of a carriage the sorority wishes removed from its property.

Beeman also said $10 memberships for the Sterling-Moorman House Foundation are now available through the foundation's website, http://www.sterlingmoorman.org.

"You can even make your donation by PayPal right on the site," Beeman said in an email. "This entitles the member to occasional email updates, and the satisfaction of being part of the restoration of Cheney's 1884 'working man's home.'"

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].