A landmark Redmond building that once housed the local chapter of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is poised to become home to one of the city’s most recognizable restaurants.

Peter Seitz, owner of Sully’s Italian Restaurant on Southwest Sixth Street, plans to move the restaurant from its current location next to The Old Redmond Hotel to the remodeled 1920s-era lodge by June 1, in time to celebrate the restaurant’s 20th year in business.

The Redmond Elks put their building on the market last spring after the fraternal order’s membership fell too low to support the lodge.

Seitz and his wife bought the lodge in July for $299,900, according to Deschutes County records. The couple decided to keep the building’s original structure intact, but gutted and rewired the inside, adding 1,800 square feet of space.

”When they closed (The Old Redmond Hotel), I decided to look for a new location that I could own myself,” said Seitz, who has rented his restaurant space next to the hotel for nearly two decades.

Buying the lodge and remodeling it was more affordable than putting up a new building, said Seitz. Also, the new location keeps Sully’s in the downtown area, a priority for Seitz.

”I just like being downtown I guess. The more business there is, the more it keeps people in Redmond and not traveling to Bend,” he said.

The new restaurant will be the same size as the original, with seating for approximately 90, said Seitz. The new Sully’s will also offer a banquet room in the basement, like the original.

The interior will retain the same old-fashioned Italian theme familiar to those who have visited the restaurant’s Sixth Street location.

Patrons may notice a positive change when it comes to parking, however. The new building offers a parking lot, as well as more street parking, said Seitz.

Dave Kelly, a former member and one-time president of the Redmond Elks, said he drives by the old lodge on occasion to check Seitz’s progress.

”It looks like things are going along well,” said Kelly. ”I’m just glad to see something there rather than having it torn down.”