REDMOND –

Sandwiched between two lumberyards and two gas stations, the Evergreen Building on Fifth Street and Evergreen Avenue here has more truck traffic outside its front door than foot traffic.

But a Redmond developer and real estate broker believe the building could make a perfect home for artists and stimulate activity in the city’s downtown.

Jean Wood, a developer with MHi Corp., and Lauren DeBell, a broker for Lowes Commercial Properties, have created Elements in Art. While still a concept, the idea is to give local artists and craftsmen a place to create and possibly sell their artwork.

Elements in Art would showcase a variety of artists practicing their craft – from sculpture, glass and ceramics to photography, music and film, Wood said. If the concept becomes reality, locals and visitors could wander inside the Evergreen Building and see artists shaping metal, molding clay, blowing glass or creating music.

”We want to make Redmond an artist’s community,” Wood said. ”It could be a huge piece in the revitalization of downtown.”

The property could boost activity downtown as merchants await the construction of the U.S. Highway 97 reroute, DeBell said. The reroute is expected to divert trucks and create a more pedestrian-friendly downtown conducive to stores, galleries and restaurants.

As it stands now, downtown Redmond is a depressed leasing market with a lack of identity, DeBell said.

Lease rates for downtown retailers are often lower than industrial rates.

Redmond’s downtown has approximately 45,000 square feet of vacant commercial property, according to LoopNet.

An artists’ cooperative could attract visitors to buy art and more foot traffic could spill over to other businesses downtown, Wood said.

Artists could lease the space at one-fifth the cost of Bend, DeBell said.

Similar projects have revitalized communities such as Escondido, Calif., Salida, Colo., and Paducah, Ky., Wood said.

”The ultimate return is so much bigger than one building,” she said. ”We would love to see other property owners step up and make their spaces available.”

The building has enough space for a 2,000-square-foot showroom, which could accommodate artwork, and a 3,000-square-foot warehouse where artists working in various mediums could have separate work spaces, DeBell said.

”Local artists in Bend are vying for space,” she said. ”There’s a lack of space to show their work and gain exposure. We want to provide the space.”

Shelley Hall, owner of Shelley Hall Gallery in downtown Bend, agreed that many artists in the region work in their homes and have limited space to show their creations.

”It could fill a huge need for artists,” she said. ”There are not enough venues, so many artists have to show their art off-site.”

Julie Anderson, manager of Mirror Pond Gallery in Bend, said the artist co-op could make Bend and Redmond a better draw for art.

”It makes the community more livable,” she said. ”It’s good for tourists and the people who live in the community.”

Wood and DeBell believe that an artistic focus can re-energize the area, create a buzz and ultimately provide an incentive for people to come downtown.

”We want to give artists a place to be focused on doing their thing,” Wood said. ”It’s a funky area. They can be messy and leave their work out.”

Rachel Winkler, co-owner of Santiago’s Mate Co. in downtown Redmond, said the project is exactly what downtown needs for revitalization.

”It would be the start of making Redmond a destination shopping center,” she said. ”I would like to see decorative arts for home decor. … People are looking for authentic handcrafted art for their furnishings.”

Artists will succeed in Redmond, Winkler said.

”People who are making it, like the High Desert Gallery (downtown), are the little niche businesses that offer something different that can’t be found anywhere else,” she said. ”Jean (Wood) is trying to step up and provide space. We need to find a way to make it inviting for these people.”

The city is also considering a loan and grant program that could be used to supplement funding for downtown building renovation.

The Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory Committee will review the loan program on Nov. 13 and the Urban Renewal Board will vote on it Nov. 14, Jim Hendryx, community development director, said in an e-mail.

To learn more

Elements in Art will conduct a focus group Nov. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. to determine the level of interest and direction for the project. For more information, visit www.projectelements.com.