Spokane developer Jerry Dicker, owner of Spokane-based GVD Hospitality Management Services Inc., says he is committed to improving downtown Spokane, and his newest project involves improvements to the 1000 block of west First Avenue.

“I’m interested in revitalizing Spokane to the extent I’m able to,” says Dicker. 

Having purchased the historic Montvale Hotel building in April 2015 for $2.3 million, Dicker late last year bought two additional buildings on the same block, the Music City building and the Oddfellows building. 

“We bought the Montvale less than a year ago, and we’re pretty far along now. I feel these two new buildings will be an attractive addition to that block, further upgrading the area and benefiting the community,” he says. 

Renovations are underway at two of those locations, the Montvale and the Oddfellows building, the latter of which is set to be the site of a new event center. 

Dicker’s assistant, Nicki White, says the event center will complement the Montvale hotel’s other amenities. 

“Brides, families, and conference visitors will easily be able to use the event center, in conjunction with the hotel and nearby dining and entertainment,” says White. She says the event venue will likely need at least four employees, including maintenance and bar staff.

With planning still in the early stages, Dicker declines to say how much he expects renovation of the buildings to cost.

“We continue to study our options, considering alternative plans,” says Dicker. “However, any and all plans will involve creating something based on our values of good service and quality design.”

Through GVD, Dicker also owns Hotel Ruby, at 901 W First; The Bing Crosby Theater, at 901 W Sprague; and the former Dempsey’s Brass Rail building, at 909 W. First, where his company’s offices now occupy the second floor. 

Erin Hojnacki has been assistant property manager for GVD Hospitality Management for the past three years and serves as the wedding coordinator for the Bing Crosby Theater. 

She says in the time since the company purchased the Montvale Hotel building, it has been hard at work renovating its lobby and common areas.

 “The new fireplace in the lobby is complete, and contractors are still working on paint and carpet in the common areas within the hotel and new windows in hotel rooms,” she says.   

In December, a restaurant named the Gilded Unicorn began operating in the former Catacombs Pub basement space at 1005 W. First, once a boiler room for the Montvale, and this month the Brooklyn Deli and Lounge is set to open in what was formerly the Scout Restaurant space at 1001 W First.  

Mike Bonnes co-owns the deli with his wife Jody Harville. He says the 4,000-square-foot space will give the business room to spread out, and hopefully help it benefit from more foot traffic. 

 “It’s going to be really great to be here, in this beautiful space, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of downtown,” he says. 

Bonnes says the deli will have the same menu as before, with the addition of more specialty meats and cheeses. The back lounge area will feature shuffle board, a pool table, and pinball machine. Bonnes says the business also plans to continue hosting live bands and open mic nights, and intends to hire five more employees, bringing its total up to 10. 

Brooklyn Deli had operated out of its former space at 122 S Monroe for 17 years before moving into the new spot, which borders the Montvale’s lobby on its east side. Scratch Restaurant and Rain Lounge remain as tenants of the spaces on the west side of the Montvale’s lobby, also on the building’s first floor. 

Dicker says all three restaurants will be marketed in conjunction with the historic Montvale hotel.

“The Montvale is the city’s oldest historic hotel, and these three local, independent restaurants will be businesses guests can easily visit and the entire city can come to enjoy,” he says. 

With renovations wrapping up at the Montvale, Hojnacki says the company has turned its attention toward remodeling the Oddfellows building, converting its first two floors into the new Montvale event center. 

Hojnacki has been overseeing the building’s renovations, and once the project is complete, she will serve as the center’s booking coordinator. Mauer Construction Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor on the project. 

The event center’s first floor space is a 5,200-square-foot reception area with exposed brick walls and a full commercial kitchen. Now being called Montvale Hall, it is estimated to hold 300 people standing, or 220 seated. A space that formerly housed what was called the Tangerine boutique will function as Montvale Hall’s lobby area. 

 “Construction on the first floor should be completed in time for events this July, and the second floor is expected to be completed sometime in the early fall,” says Hojnacki. 

The building’s second floor is a 5,800-square-foot space that includes an auditorium-like setting with elevated stage area and a new bar space. The room has no permanent seating, but will remain an open area to be set up according to event needs. 

Hojnacki says the renovations to the two event center spaces include restoration of bathrooms on each floor, updates to the elevator, and improvements to lighting and sound for the second-floor theater space.

She says both Montvale Hall, and the second floor theater space will be included as part of the amenities for the Ruby and the Montvale hotels, and marketed as a venue for weddings, corporate events, and celebrations. 

The Oddfellows building also has a third-floor space that formerly housed Ella’s Supper Club. Hojnacki says there are no new plans for that floor, as it is currently leased to the Spokane Ballet Studio.

On its eastern side, the first floor Montvale Hall space borders Orlison Brewing Co., which has opened a tap house in what formerly was the Luxe coffee house, at 1017 W. First.

Tap room manager Markus Lowe says the business has grown since moving into the space last August, and he anticipates more customers as a result of Dicker’s investment in the block. 

“It will definitely be good for business,” says Lowe. “I can see more people being interested in walking through this area, with Brooklyn Deli on the corner, events picking up at the new event center, and other breweries moving into the area around us.” 

Those businesses include River City Brewing, at 121 S. Cedar, and Iron Goat Brewing Co.’s soon-to-open brewery and tap house at 1302 W. Second, in the former Jones Automotive Engines space. 

Hojnacki says the company for now doesn’t have any plans for the Music City building, which remains vacant. This building formerly housed a mobile art gallery space for Terrain, a nonprofit organization that hosts art events in the Spokane area.

The block ends with what is known as the Madison, a five-story, 68-unit apartment owned by Monroe Madison Management LLC.