Old Power House Helps Energize Sandpoint Business Community

Bolstered by the addition of the large Power House Bar & Grill restaurant, the Old Power House in downtown Sandpoint has become the anchor for businesses at the south end of the city’s waterfront.

The 36,000-square-foot building, constructed in 1909 and now completely renovated, houses 23 businesses at 120 E. Lake St., between the Bonner County Courthouse and Sand Creek.

The remodeling takes advantage of the waterfront and Lake Pend Oreille view, with 25-foot-high windows and arches and brickwork inside and outside the building.

Owners Ralph and Sandy Sletager envision other commercial property owners opening their buildings toward the creek between the Old Power House and the Cedar Street Bridge. Amenities include a 300-foot boardwalk and greenbelt, the bike trail and a glass entry tower.

Featuring lunch, dinner and a full bar in a 4,100-square-foot space, The Power House Bar & Grill will feature rotisserie chicken and beef, international wraps (like burritos), salads and sandwiches when it opens in early May.

Overlooking the marina and including a large deck, the restaurant decor is highlighted by a Jacob’s Ladder electric arc and lighted powerlines. About 40 employees will serve a potential capacity of 130 customers. Entertainment will be offered on weekends.

Owners are Dave Walsh and two partners. Originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., Walsh came to North Idaho from Lake Tahoe.

The historic powerhouse supplied electricity to Sandpoint for 40 years, generating power from Sand Creek.

Other occupants of the Old Power House include: Sandpoint Marina, Sandpoint Marina Sales & Service, Healthcare Resource Group and Employer Solutions, Art Works, Action Contractors, Nutritionist Jane Loeschen, Lyman Gallery, The Festival at Sandpoint, Merle Norman Cosmetics, InterMountain Resources, Pucci Construction, Farmers Insurance (Power House Agency), Mountain View Construction, Sloan Architecture, Pacific Far West Insurance, CPA John Windju, Finney & Finney Law Office, CWS Enterprises, Swenson Lumber, Waterfront Property Management, Pend Oreille Arts Council and McCormick, Dunn & Black.

Two spaces, of about 1,000 square feet, remain available for lease through the Sletagers’ Waterfront Property Management. They also are offering spaces in a 6,000-square-foot building under construction south of the Old Power House and adjacent to Highway 95 and Wells Fargo Bank. Architecture of the new building is compatible with the Old Power House, Ralph Sletager said. Phone 263-3083.

One More Thing, a women’s natural fiber clothing and accessories store, celebrated its fifth anniversary in Coeur d’Alene by moving to 205 Sherman Ave., two blocks from its former location at 413 Sherman.

The new site has twice the space as the previous store. It was renovated to regain the facade it had 30 years ago with transom windows and a large window door.

The additional space allows owner Jan Carr to expand her inventory to include several personal care products and lines that feature natural (but not animal product) ingredients. Herbal wellness products include soaps, lotions and beewax items.

Carr came from Oregon where she was a buyer for Nordstrom and Nike, the latter having her travel throughout Southeast Asia to find an unusual merchandise mix.

Construction is under way on Phase 2 of The Village Condominiums, on Fourth Street about a half mile north of Appleway/ Best Avenue, Coeur d’Alene.

The project includes 210 condominiums and a large recreation building on the 20-acre site. Fifty units have been completed, and construction has begun on the recreation building. It includes an indoor pool and spa, two meeting rooms and kitchen facility. Other amenities will be a tennis court and an RV and boat storage area.

Thirty of the Phase 1 units are sold, said architect and owner Stan Huffaker.

Huffaker came to Coeur d’Alene four years ago from Los Angeles. Sales agent is Brice Shoemaker at John Beutler & Associates; phone 765-5554.

Correction: To contact food industry consultant Roger Hough (pronounced Ho), of Consulting Services North West, phone 762-9085. An incorrect number was published in this column last week.

, DataTimes MEMO: Nils Rosdahl’s column appears in the Idaho edition of The Spokesman-Review on Wednesdays.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review