Housing a part of Dayton Fire Blocks District site

Developers of the Dayton Fire Blocks District say they see housing, in the guise of condos or apartments, as part of their plans for the four-story Kimmel Building, another office building along East Third Street.

The development group is under contract to buy the Kimmel Building, 140 to 146 E. Third St., said Winfield Scott Gibson, co-owner of the Fire Blocks properties.

The building is home to a bar and a computer repair business. The contract would mean the group will have amassed the bulk of available commercial space in the Fire Blocks District area.

“We own maybe 70 percent to 80 percent of the square footage on (that block) of Third Street,” said Gibson, with the Elway Group.

Developers plan to renovate the ground-level storefront space and hope to create condos or possibly apartments on the vacant upper floors. The ground floor is occupied by Bingers Bar and the Dayton Computer Store. The Kimmel, which offers classical architecture and brick veneer, was constructed around 1913, according to Dayton’s historical documents.

The Kimmel also features a storefront at Third and St. Clair streets that in recent years has been a couple of different retail clothing outlets. There is a vacant restaurant space as well that was last used by Flava’s House of Wings.

Developers envision a vibrant entertainment district that ties together with the redevelopment of the area from the east end of the Oregon Historic District to Webster Station and the Cannery Lofts.

Dayton City Planner Tony Kroeger said, “It would add to the multitude of reasons for people to visit downtown, work downtown and live downtown. It’s another piece of the puzzle.”

According to Gibson, his group expects to take possession of the Kimmel property in the next couple of weeks.