Beautification continues in historic downtown

RITZVILLE – Restoration work on historic buildings downtown continued last week, with the rental of a lift shared by Brenda Owens, John Rankin and Tracy Tremain of Tremaine Builders.

Rankin, owner of Flying Arts Ranch, Inc. and manager of The Ritz theatre did some touch-up painting at The Ritz before moving on to Gritman building.

Rankin said he was doing window restoration work at the Gritman building and a little bit of cosmetic painting.

"If I have time tomorrow, I'll do a little further up the turret," Rankin said Monday, Sept. 28.

"Even though COVID-19 is going on, restoration work is still being done," Brenda Owens, who bought the H.E. Gritman building in 2006, said. "I love that building. It keeps my heart going."

Built in 1902 by Harry Emmet Gritman, the building is home to the senior center and a couple of private businesses, including a chiropractor and massage therapist.

Owens has steadily been working on maintaining and restoring it. In 2018 she hired Wolf Creek Contracting to restore the brickwork, and Rankin to paint the raised gold lettering across the corner turret.

"We have to use Sherwin Williams historical colors," Owens said of the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "Right now we're doing superficial stuff, bringing the building alive."

Cosmetic touches aside, the building is also getting important maintenance attention.

"Brandon Foley with Wolf Creek Contracting will be resealing the roof with Roofshield coating. I got 70 gallons of it for him to roll on," Owens said, adding she went with a white reflective coating to help with energy costs.

Owens said while she has been restoring the building as her funds allow, a few people have made it easier with donations. A bulletin board on the side of the building will feature all the names of donors for anyone on the sidewalk to view. Owens said she has an account set up at Umpqua Bank, 102 E. 1st Avenue in Ritzville for anyone who would like to donate to continued restorations.

Owens said dreams for the future of the building include a community kitchen for people to rent and a community art room complete with a kiln.

"I want to keep the upstairs as space for the community to enjoy," Owens said.