TD is a-Changin’: Meeting to detail downtown remodel, westside upgrade
Here is an aerial view of the Federal Street Plaza. The “Future Development” could be the Fermentation Hub - a partnership of Freebridge Brewing and Urban Patterns, a Portland-based company known for projects such as MaupinWorks, a business hub in South Wasco County.
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 15, 2025 — City engineers will outline timelines and impacts for the Federal Street Plaza, First Street Streetscaping, and Westside utility upgrades for a combined effort to enhance the city’s pedestrian core while modernizing aging infrastructure.
The projects come on the heels of a booming construction season in The Dalles in the past 5 months that saw city-funded street and utility projects on west Sixth Street, West 10th Street and East 12th Street this summer.
It is without question that economic momentum in The Dalles is picking up with major infrastructure projects that are overhauling infrastructure and preparing for expected growth.
The City of The Dalles will host a Community Informational Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber, 313 Court Street, to brief residents and business owners on the upcoming three large-scale public works projects that will reshape downtown and West The Dalles.
Downtown Transformation
Looking down on Federal Street and the now-graveled site where Tony’s Town & Country was located prior to demolition. To learn more about he proposal to put a Fermentation Hub on the Tony’s site, click here.
The Federal Street Plaza will convert the block between First and Second Streets into a flexible public space designed for markets, festivals, and everyday use. Plans call for new public restrooms, upgraded utilities, and a pump house to support a future water feature. Funded largely through the city, the plaza is budgeted at roughly $4.7 million.
Artist’s renderings of what the Plaza will look like when completed.
The First Street Streetscaping Project will follow, extending from Union to Laughlin Streets to rebuild deteriorating retaining walls, sidewalks, and curbs while adding landscaping and a protected bike lane. Engineers estimate the cost at nearly $7 million, including contingencies and design. It will be paid for with Urban Renewal funds.
A before and after looking east toward the Baldwin Saloon on First Street.
Work is expected to start in winter 2025–26 and wrap by spring 2027, requiring full closure of First Street for about a year.
Example of stacked rock walls and failing sidewalks on First Street - this photo was taken next to the near the Baldwin Saloon at First and Court Streets.
Both projects aim to reconnect the downtown corridor to the riverfront and create safer, more walkable public spaces that can host community gatherings year-round.
Utility Upgrades in West The Dalles
File Photo - Work for improving the sewer and storm drain started years ago as the City of The Dalles replaced about 1,000 feet of sewer line just west of Union Street and Hattenhauer Distributors. Crestline Construction’s Nate Wilson said at the time they had to drill relief holes to bust the basalt so that a new large pipe could be installed. The project, known as the “Westside Interceptor” replaced concrete pipe that was buried just two feet under the surface.
While downtown projects will reshape the city’s core, the Westside Interceptor – Phase 2 will tackle underground infrastructure critical to future growth. According to bid documents, the work includes installing 3,191 feet of 30-inch sanitary-sewer pipe and 375 feet of 48-inch storm-drain pipe, along with new manholes, catch basins, and appurtenances.
The project will take place primarily along West First Street from the intersection with Webber Street near NORCOR jail just west of the Union Street underpass near the Cherry Growers, areas where existing sewer and drainage systems are nearing capacity. Crews will perform trenching, rock and boulder removal, and full street restoration, including new curbs, gutters, ADA-compliant ramps, sidewalks, and asphalt paving.
City officials describe the work as essential to improving service reliability, preventing overflow risks, and accommodating residential and commercial expansion on the city’s west side. Once complete, the system will provide greater storm-water capacity and ensure long-term operational resilience.
Bids on the project are expected on Oct. 23.
Public Access and What to Expect
At the Oct. 30 meeting, staff will present project overviews, construction schedules, and anticipated disruptions such as parking changes, detours, and temporary access limits. Attendees will be able to ask questions directly. For those unable to attend, the session will be recorded and posted on the city’s Downtown Revitalization Projects webpage at www.thedalles.org/DTprojects
City officials emphasize the meeting’s goal is transparency — helping residents and merchants understand the timing and coordination of overlapping projects that together represent the city’s largest downtown investment in decades.
The Bigger Picture
Taken together, the plaza, streetscape, and westside upgrades mark a pivotal phase in The Dalles’ infrastructure renewal strategy. The combined work links public gathering spaces with upgraded utilities, aligning downtown revitalization with system improvements on the city’s west edge.
Combined with recent parking improvements, the proposed 116-unit apartment development in East The Dalles, and the ongoing restoration of historic landmarks from the Sunshine Mill to the Granada Theatre, the city appears to be reaching a critical mass in its march toward becoming a pedestrian-friendly, art-forward community — no longer just a fun stop, but, rather a destination.
City leaders say these efforts will improve walkability, boost business visibility, and prepare the urban core for long-term growth — even as temporary construction brings short-term inconvenience.
