PORT ANGELES — A French bakery, wine and cheese boutique, florist and bookstore are expected to begin moving into The Landing mall once the remodeling of the interior is finished by the end of August.
Paul Cronauer, one of the owners of the building at 115 E. Railroad Ave., said that the bakery will be first to move into its new digs at the south end of the building as soon as the place is ready for it.
A month later, the wine and cheese boutique is expected to open its doors, followed soon by the florist and then the bookstore.
Cronauer also is searching for a natural grocery store along the lines of Country Aire to attract people year-round.
Extensive exterior remodeling is planned, but that won’t take place for a year or longer because of several permits yet to be approved.
During exterior remodeling, walkways will be replaced, a new viewing tower will be added and the present salmon pink hue will be painted over.
But before the outside of the mall changes, the owners must get a shoreline substantial development permit from the city of Port Angeles, a hydraulic action permit from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and a Section 110 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
A public hearing on the shoreline substantial development permit application is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 8 before the Port Angeles Planning Commission in the council chambers at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
Cronauer, a Port Angeles developer, is a partner along with Mark Craig of Seattle, in Port Angeles Landing LLC.
The partnership bought the waterfront landmark from the Port of Port Angeles for $743,360 in October 2006.
The estimated cost of the remodeling project is $1.2 million.
Interior remodeling includes covering the open spaces in the second floor to create more floor space and moving the artwork downstairs to the building’s west wall.
The interior stairwell at the building’s north end will be removed.
When that is done, the 4,500 square feet of retail space upstairs and downstairs will be divided into modular spaces with access to the upstairs parking lot, which doesn’t exist now, Cronauer said.
No major rent increases or replacement of existing tenants is planned, he said.
In fact, an existing tenant that Cronauer wants to promote more is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Olympic Coast Discovery Center.
“It is one of those little jewels no one knows about,” he said.
Exterior changes
A new three-story viewing tower on the building’s southwest corner will provide access to the second story after the current staircase on the building’s south side is removed, Cronauer said.
The viewing tower will allow people to see both ferries without having to walk down to City Pier, he said.
A second story walkway will wrap around the building, including past the existing offices. Doors will open out onto it, Cronauer said.
“The whole face will look more inviting,” he said.
The currently condemned former icehouse dock will be rebuilt and used for fish delivery and a live seafood market, Cronauer said.
Other activities planned for the building’s harbor area include glass blowing demonstrations, a floating dock, float plane terminal and kayaking provided by Adventures Through Kayaking, he said.
“It will continue to be a really great public area,” Cronauer said.
“I want to enhance the building to make it more desirable for the existing tenants and create more foot traffic.”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience but the end result will be phenomenal,” he said.
Port Angeles Landing LLC was selected by the three-person Port of Port Angeles commission in October 2006 to buy the 2.67-acre waterfront property.
It includes the 46,840 square-foot, three-story building with an elevator, retail space, office and restaurant with two levels of parking for 104 cars.
The building houses several tenants, including Victoria Express, the seasonal passenger ferry to Victoria as well as the Customs inspection area; Landing’s Restaurant and Dockside Lounge; Downriggers Restaurant; Duty Free Store; the NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary display and offices, and other offices.
A separate 2,400-square-foot brick building facing Railroad Avenue serves as the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.
The building was built in 1985 by Waterfront Associates. Security National Bank foreclosed on the property in 1991.
The port took over management in August 1990 and legal possession in May 1993.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at 360-417-3532 or brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.
