Staff photo by E.J. HarrisThe marquee on the outside of the Pendleton Cinema announces that they have closed their doors for business.

While Goodwill is taking Pendleton Cinema off its list as a future development, the Pendleton Fire Department is putting it on theirs.

Fire Chief Mike Ciraulo said the board for Goodwill Industries of the Columbia recently voted to abandon plans to convert the former movie theater into a thrift store and collection center, but is now interested in selling the property to the city to build a new fire station.

Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Executive Director Ken Gosney was traveling Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.

Ciraulo said the Pendleton Cinema site will be added to a list of other potential fire station locations currently being discussed by the city if it can pass a bond. Other options include Til Taylor Park, the Pendleton Grain Growers building and the old St. Anthony Hospital site.

Although the city would have to demolish Pendleton Cinema to build the fire station, Ciraulo said it would be cheaper than building at the St. Anthony site because there would be no need to create a new street.

Additionally, the fire department would get use of the whole block at 215 S.W. Second St. and, in accordance with a commissioned report, would create short response times because of its proximity to the intersection of Main Street and Dorion Avenue.

“You couldn’t ask for a better site,” Ciraulo said.

Saying the Pendleton economy wasn’t large enough to support a movie theater, Pendleton Cinema owner Bruce Humphrey closed the movie theater July 2015 and sold it to Goodwill, which had prior success in turning the old Hermiston Cinema building into a thrift store and distribution center.

Despite posting signs advertising its impending arrival and a projected opening date in the first quarter of 2016, a Goodwill store has yet to open.

While Goodwill’s course reversal could benefit Pendleton, Ciraulo said any decisions regarding a new fire station still are in the public’s hands when a fire bond is presented to voters on the November ballot.

The fire station will continue to host meetings to discuss the pros and cons of each site and solicit public input.

The remaining meetings will be held on July 1 at 9 a.m. July 6 at 7 p.m. and July 8 at 9 a.m.

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Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.