Downtown TD Commercial Building sells, multi use plan in the works

The Staff of CCCNews and Immense Imagery is moving to new offices at 409 Lincoln Street this weekend. Left to Right: Peggy Peterson, Tom Peterson, Cole Goodwin, Robbie Denning, and Xavier Orion-Olaez

In a push to grow honest local news coverage and provide a public space where ideas can be shared to better the lives of all those living in The Dalles and the Gorge, CCCNews and Immense Imagery are moving to the former Tenneson Engineering building at 409 Lincoln Street.

You can’t miss it. It's the three-story brick building next to Old St. Peter’s Landmark.

CCCNews is moving to its new building, 409 Lincoln Street, this weekend and intends to have its offices open on Tuesday, June 1.

The businesses owned and operated by Robbie Denning, Cole Goodwin, and Tom and Peggy Peterson will be moving into the new location over Memorial Day weekend.

As a result of the move, CCCNews readers may see a momentary slowdown in our daily news offerings as we focus on renovating the building and setting up our new offices. 

CCCNews and Immense Imagery will begin operations from the new location on Tuesday, June 1st.

The large building will give CCCNews the room necessary to add additional staff and improve our coverage of local news that affects our daily lives. It will also expand opportunities for Immense Imagery’s empowering initiatives, film-making and marketing services.

Such growth has been made possible by the recent $500,00 building purchase.

Tom, Peggy, and Allan Peterson created American Pinto LLC to purchase the former Catholic rectory built in 1921, with some 6,000 square feet of building space. It was last owned by the Mid-Columbia Center for Living, which moved out of the space in 2019.

Allan Peterson grew up in The Dalles and his father, Victor Peterson, maintained a real estate and insurance office on Fourth Street just west of Tacos Del Rio.

“It’s a move to better provide local news coverage,” Allan Peterson said last week. “We need a good news source so The Dalles can move forward in making long-term investments in people and infrastructure that will push our community forward.”

Peggy, who will be handling the operation of the building, said American Pinto is looking to create a multi-use building that retains its historic integrity in regards to appearance. 

The main floor will be used for professional office space for both CCCNews and Immense Imagery and additional office space will become available for other businesses in weeks to come.

In addition, American Pinto hopes to create short-term rentals on the second floor. 

“We’re also considering some type of food venue on the basement floor,” Peggy Peterson said. “We’ll have to see how everything comes together. But in the best-case scenario, short-term rentals and food could work well with our neighbors, St. Peter’s Landmark, which is a venue for concerts, weddings, and other public events.”

The back parking lot abuts with St. Peter’s. 

It’s also near Victor Johnson’s Herbring House at 311 W. Fourth St.

Johnson’s plan for the Herbring House is to retain the original, historic character of the house as much as possible while also transforming it into a modern mixed-use space with upper floor residential units, a ground-level coffee, tea, and ice cream shop, and a pocket park type courtyard for entertaining and hosting in conjunction with special events taking place, next door, at Old St. Peter’s Landmark.

“We believe there is a lot of good energy pushing a transformation in this block, and we hope to make it a welcoming and interesting community-focused hub for locals as well as tourists and visitors,” said Tom.

Many of the details have yet to be worked out. And American Pinto is still gathering ideas and information to find the best uses for the site. The company is or will be working with city, safety, and historical experts to maintain a safe space of operation that retains its historical integrity. 

“It’s a nice location with limited traffic and a more pedestrian-friendly feel,” Allan Peterson said of the site.”My dad (Victor Peterson) used to run a real estate and insurance office just down the street. It’s nice to see the family return to the neighborhood.”

Special thanks to Brian Lauterbach, First Interstate’s Shae Kasinger, Wasco Title’s Susan Bergran, Mid-Columbia Center for Living, Joshua Chandler, Jay Wood, Victor Johnson, Wally Wolf, Old St. Peter’s Landmark Board, Alan and Bev Eagy, and others who ushered this opportunity into reality through hard work and inspiration.