Former Baker City bank building becomes business hub

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, August 31, 2022

BAKER CITY — A former bank building in downtown Baker City is on its way to becoming a hub for commerce and education.

The Baker City-County Planning Department recently approved a project to transform the former Pioneer Bank building at First and Broadway streets, and the parking lot on its west side, into a space that includes professional offices and retail, including indoor and outdoor seating for restaurants.

In addition, the Baker 5J School District’s special education department will use the entire top floor for operations.

According to a site narrative submitted by developer Mike Aizpitarte, the property is a “tremendous opportunity to enhance the atmosphere in Historic Downtown Baker City by providing the community a formal and informal gathering place to socialize and create business opportunities.”

New dining options at the site would provide most of the buzz. Space on the main floor of the building could feature a small cafe or restaurant that would include a drive-thru area. Three temporary food trucks will join the existing truck on the south end of the parking lot — The Express, which specializes in smash burgers and hot mini doughnuts.

Aizpitarte said the other food trucks will provide a variety of choices for eaters.

“We’re hoping to solicit some different flavors and different food types,” Aizpitarte said.

The lot will also feature bathrooms, seating, covered dining area and event space at the south end of the lot.

“We would like to enhance the pedestrian experience and provide a family friendly place for everyone in the community to enjoy while dining at the various options,” Aizpitarte wrote in the narrative.

“Whether it’s a family with kids and dogs, a couple out on a date, or just somebody out for a bite and a drink, it’s just a place that everybody can hang out outside,” he said.

The building and parking lot are in the downtown historic district and in the central commercial zone.

The planning department approved the project on July 26, which required a land use review because Aizpitarte plans to convert the use from a large-single user office space to a mixed-use building. Pioneer Bank formerly used the space as their corporate office.

Aizpitarte said it hasn’t been determined who will fill two sections of office space on the main floor — one 1,500 square feet and the other 500 square feet.

The school district’s special education department got the largest chunk of office space — the entire 3500-square-foot second floor, which includes eight office spaces.

Aizpitarte said he hopes to start construction on some of the interior spaces “as soon as possible.” The construction would mostly consist of building partition walls, and he said he’ll use existing structures as much as possible.

The actual interior designs, as well as the completion date, which probably won’t be for a few years, Aizpitarte said, is dependent on who moves into the office space.