The HWH Adams Grocery Building was built in 1927. (Submitted by St. Helens Main Street Alliance)

Downtown St. Helens will see some sprucing up thanks to a grant from the Oregon Heritage program.

A division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon Heritage awarded a total of $10.67 million in grants to Oregon Main Street Network groups across the state, including the St. Helens Main Street Alliance.

The organization seeks to breathe new life into the St. Helens main street corridor and was awarded a $269,054 grant to rehabilitate the HWH Adams Grocery Building. The St. Helens Main Street Alliance will match the grant with another $115,340.

The St. Helens Main Street Alliance has used funds from the program to support four other restoration projects in the city: the Columbia Theatre, the Klondike Hotel, mixed-use construction of Houlton Hollow and the Crooked Creek building revitalization.

The organization distributes grant funds to property owners after work has been completed, and property owners must also be able to match the grant by at least 30%.

“This means that every grant awarded is a multiplier of value and investment and will continue to generate increased tax income for the city of St. Helens in years to come,” St. Helens Main Street Alliance President Erin Salisbury said in a release. “We are very proud of our part in supporting the revitalization of this city we love.”

Located at the corner of South First and St. Helens streets, the HWH Grocery Building is in the Olde Towne St. Helens district, a nationally registered historic district near the riverfront. It was built in 1927 and was a grocery store until the 1980s, when it transformed briefly into a coffee shop and deli. For the last 20 years, the building has been occupied by a catering business.

“The owner and a small staff only utilized the kitchen at the back of the building, leaving the rest vacant most of the time,” the organization said.

The grant funds will be used to make repairs to the building’s exterior, including the roof, front facade and windows. New lighting fixtures, interior flooring and more will also be installed.

A new business will also move into the space. Dawn/Dusk Dining & Spirits will be open from breakfast until dinner and will feature a fully stocked bar, coffee service and a bakery case, according to the release.

“The whole idea for Dawn/Dusk has always been about giving back to our community — creating another warm, inviting space where people can gather, whether it’s over morning coffee or an evening martini,” Dave Innocenti, a partner in Dawn/Dusk Dining & Spirits, said.

“The more cool places we have here, the more people stick around instead of heading to Portland. More local options mean more energy and foot traffic for everyone, and this grant will help us restore and highlight the historic charm that makes our riverfront district so special.”