Brewery, Restaurant & workshop to create “fermentation hub” on Tony’s site in downtown TD
Freebridge Brewing and Partner Urban Patterns of Portland look to build brewery, restaurant and workshops on former Tony’s Town and Country Site, 401 E. 2nd Street seen here behind the cyclone fence.
New Project to anchor Federal Street Plaza and First Street renovation
From the City of The Dalles:
By Amie Ell
The Dalles, Ore., Feb. 20, 2025 — Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency will partner with a local brewpub and a private developer to create a “fermentation hub” at the former Tony’s Town & Country site in downtown The Dalles. Urban Renewal directors approved the project Tuesday night, Feb. 18.
The proposal submitted by Urban Patterns in partnership with Freebridge Brewing includes a restaurant, brewpub, brewery, small retail space, and workshops where people can learn about brewing beer and other fermented drinks.
Klebes
“This is one of three key projects – First Street, Federal Street Plaza and the fermentation hub – that seek to continue strengthening our downtown core and connection to the riverfront,” said Th Dalles City Manager Matthew Klebes. “While these projects are distinct and independent of one another, the City and Urban Renewal Agency are coordinating efforts with the intention of transforming historic downtown with new centers of activity for residents and visitors alike.”
Darcy Long at Tuesday, Feb. 18 Urban Renewal Meeting
“I’m thrilled by the level of energy this project will bring to our downtown,” said Darcy Long, Urban Renewal chair and former The Dalles City Councilor. “It’s a highly visible location and it says great things about The Dalles that we had three exciting proposals to choose from.”
Urban Renewal board members also received and evaluated two other proposals: Relocation of the Jantzen Beach Carousel from its currently planned site adjacent to the Neon Sign Museum, and a mixed-use housing project.
Freebridge Brewing, which has operated in The Dalles since 2015, will be the centerpiece of the fermentation hub. The development partner, Urban Patterns, is a Portland-based company known for projects such as MaupinWorks, a business hub in South Wasco County, and The Redd on Salmon Street in Portland, a center for the regional food economy.
Redd on Salmon Street is a two-block 76,000-square-foot campus in Downtown Portland that is designed to support local food enterprises, connect chefs, foodservice directors and entrepreneurs to independent farmers, ranchers and fishermen in the region, and help scale a robust food economy across the Pacific Northwest, according to the REDD website.
“We at Freebridge Brewing are incredibly excited and honored to partner with Urban Patterns, Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal and City of The Dalles to create this exceptional fermentation destination. We are humbled by the years of support from our community and look forward to providing a remarkable experience for everyone,” said Steve Light, owner of Freebridge Brewing.
Steve Light of Freebridge Brewing with The Dalles Main Street’s Cynthia Kortge at recent podcast at CCCNews.com
“Freebridge Brewing is a leader in craft food and beverage. Building spaces that support entrepreneurs like Freebridge improves the lives of people in the community,” said Ben Gates, founding partner of Urban Patterns. “It will provide more jobs, increase activity for neighboring businesses, and support local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen in the hub’s supply chain. We are thrilled to be partnering with Freebridge and the City of The Dalles.”
The project is under a six-month “exclusive negotiating agreement” between the Urban Renewal Agency, Urban Patterns and Freebridge. This agreement allows time for planning and progress before moving forward. The project aims to begin construction in spring 2026, with completion in fall 2027. Funding will come from a mix of private and public investments.
For additional information, contact Public Information Officer / City Clerk Amie Ell at amell@ci.the-dalles.or.us
