Funds shifted to roof

Funds previously committed to help with a downtown building renovation can be used for a different aspect of the project.

Additional funding may be considered later in the process.

Portland Redevelopment Commission on Friday approved allowing LeeAnn Miller to shift the $30,000 grant it had previously approved for work on her downtown building renovation project to instead be used for the roof.

Miller, who is in the process of renovating 206 N. Meridian St. as the new home for her business Reclaiming Design, visited the redevelopment commission Friday to ask for an additional $30,000 for the roof work. She was seeking help because the cost increased after a July storm ripped off part of the roof. (The damage has delayed work on the interior of the building until the roof could be fixed.)

“My project is not just about replacing a roof and the masonry … it’s about building a brighter future for our city,” said Miller. “This investment encompasses more than just the immediate costs, it represents the long-term vision and commitment I have for our community’s growth and prosperity. … I envision future collaborations and developments that will further enhance our city.”

She told the commission the total investment to renovate the building is $283,000 and thanked the group for its initial $30,000 commitment to the project. (The project has also received $20,000 from the city’s facade improvement program.)

Redevelopment commission member Joe Johnston asked about the timeline for the overall project. Miller said those details are difficult to accurately project because the delays caused by the damage to the roof forced her contractors to move on to other jobs. She said she hopes to have her business open in its new location — it will be the retail site and showroom for her interior design firm, which is currently heavily focused on kitchen and bathroom projects — in 2024.

Mike Simons of the redevelopment commission suggested granting Miller an additional $30,000 for the roof work. Fellow member Dave Teeter, though, expressed concern about setting a precedent for how future projects would be handled. Redevelopment commission president Rusty Inman said he would also feel more comfortable with shifting the initial $30,00 grant — it was approved for heating, ventilation and cooling, plumbing and electrical work — to be used for the roof and then considering additional funding, if needed, in the future.

The redevelopment commission followed Inman’s suggestion, approving the initial $30,000 grant to be used for the roof work.