They're Here: 'Demo Devil' staging for Tony's Tear Down
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 2, 2023 - Konell Construction and Demolition of Sandy, Ore., arrived with the big guns today.
Josh Konell, seen above maneuvering the Caterpillar Excavator weighing in at around 55,000 pounds made its way into the staging area behind Tony’s Town and Country off of First Street.
Their job truck, the ‘Demo Devil’ sat nearby.
Konell won the bid for the job at $422,355 as the City’s Urban Renewal Agency opens up the prime commercial location for redevelopment, according to a City press release.
The demolition and site work is expected to be complete sometime in October and sidewalk closures will occur periodically until that time. The building has 100 linear feet that front Second Street. The parking lot behind the building is also fenced off and not be open to the public during the project.
“Getting this site ready to build on is essential for quick construction, which is critical to the board’s vision for downtown,” said Urban Renewal board president and The Dalles City Councilor Darcy Long in July. “It’s exciting to be one major step closer to new development that will bring job opportunities, economic growth, and, potentially, housing for The Dalles.”
The Dalles Urban Renewal Agency purchased the property at 401-407 E. Second Street in 2016 with the hope of revitalizing a key part of the downtown core. The building sits on 0.28 acres and its footprint takes up approximately 11,000 sq. feet.
Click here for CCCNew’s original story about the history of Tony’s Town and Country.
Urban Renewal purchased the Tony’s building for $420,000 in 2016, according to Wasco County property records.
CenturyLink’s Riley works to disconnect phone wires to the Tony’s building on Monday, Oct. 2 in preparation for the demolition.
You don’t have to walk far in downtown TD, to find a bustle of work all around you. Here, scaffolding is being erected as work progresses on the former Recreation bowling alley site in the 200 block of East Second St. Todd Carpenter and Carla McQuade owners of the Last Stop Saloon are working toward completing the building in months to come.
Here is the backside of the old Recreation - Still a long ways to go, but major foundation work has been completed, which cannot be seen in this photo.
Asphalt crews were layering in the approaches to the concrete where Union Street crosses the railroad tracks, giving drivers and walkers a safe spot to cross over to Lewis & Clark Festival Park.
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