Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
SI Community Discussion
WSU interior design student Rachel Hertz, acting as a facilitator, listens to ideas for reimagining the St. Ignatius property. Hertz was one of four undergraduate interior design students who helped to facilitate interior design graduate student Uris Giron’s community discussion for St. Ignatius at The Center.
With the future of the St. Ignatius Hospital and property, which has been abandoned since 2003, up in the air, a Washington State University interior design graduate student hosted a community forum last week to receive suggestions for the future of the building.
Uris Giron hosted “Reimagine St. Ignatius” at The Center at the library. The discussion was for Giron’s graduate study, which can be used to provide ideas to the St. Ignatius owners, Anthony and Sammy Girges, or just to foster discussion in the community.
Colfax’s Unified Director Valoree Gregory and City Administrator Mike Rizzitiello attended along with two other residents.
The discussion was facilitated by four WSU undergraduate interior design students.
“Even though it is in its current condition, there is a lot of opportunity for it,” said Giron. “With a little bit of creativity, we can reimagine how we can use the space.”
At the discussion, four areas of the property were discussed – the front of the hospital, the hospital itself, the power plant and the back property. Ideas were presented as to what to do with each of the areas.
Regarding the front area of the hospital, Rizzitiello said it would be beneficial to transform the yard into a park complete with a walking area, benches, a picnic structure and a fountain. Giron also added shading structures to the last.
“Apparently, there was originally back in the day a fountain there,” said Rizzitiello.
Gregory suggested it would be nice to put something there that could be rented.
“Maybe build something that people could rent for weddings,” said Gregory. “We have no place in Colfax for weddings.”
Other suggestions included a garden area and an art walk where pieces of art that tell Colfax history would be displayed.
Concerning the former hospital building, the main idea was to provide a housing unit, which has already been a topic of discussion with the building owners. The general consensus amongst those present was to provide a housing structure that has multiple purposes.
“It really needs to be mixed use,” Rizzitiello commented.
The ideas discussed were to transform the first floor into an area dedicated to the history of the building as well as a brew pub/restaurant and cafés. A laser tag and trampoline arena were also among items suggested for the first floor.
Rizzitiello added here that he would like to see something that is open later for community use and fosters weekend activities.
“Adults and kids do not have enough to do here,” said Gregory.
For the second floor, those present suggested a hotel.
“We run at near full capacity on busy weekends,” said Rizzitiello, noting that the Best Western and Siesta were completely booked for the Halloween weekend with the Haunted Hospital attraction and Pac-12 Cross Country tournament.
The housing element was proposed for the upper floors, with the idea being to convert them to nice loft apartments.
The power plant adjacent to the building on South East Street was next on the list. The old power plant building is not in good condition. As a result, most of the discussion on the power plant site involved removing the building.
Rizzitiello suggested a parking lot.
“You need to have a space for parking. It would be better to have nicer parking,” he noted.
Those present agreed that a parking lot was needed there to accommodate the other ideas presented.
Another discussion item for the power plant area was outdoor movies on the smoke stack wall and establishing a museum.
“The other thing that Colfax really needs is a museum,” said Gregory. “That is one thing that we do not have. We do not have anything that really tells the history of Colfax.”
There were several ideas discussed for the back lot area, which was recently annexed to be city property rather than county property. Ideas here included re-building the bridge which once connected the hospital and the back area, establishing low density family housing, building a restaurant or locating the Farmer’s Market there.
“It would be an awesome place for a Farmer’s Market,” said Gregory.
She also supported the idea of a restaurant.
“We need a variety of restaurants, and we need more of a variety of shopping,” she said.
That area is currently overgrown with trees and bushes. The idea of using the area as a soccer field or park was also discussed, but not with a lot of enthusiasm.
“I would be very hesitant to put another park in there,” said Rizzitiello. “We have over ten parks.”
Giron said he is hoping the ideas presented will help to facilitate discussion with the building owners for what the community wants to see happen at St. Ignatius.
“I hope it does,” he said. “When the town wants something, usually people will help facilitate that.”
At the least he is hoping it sparked ideas for Colfax’s future.
“It can plant seeds that these things are needed in the community,” Giron said.
Residents can still suggest uses of the property via “touch down stations” which provide information about Giron’s case study and a chance to participate in surveys. The stations are located at Fonk’s Coffee House, the Whitman County Library and the Courtyard. The touch down stations will be available starting Friday.
Participation is also open on Facebook.
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