Brigham City Part Of Historic Building Makeover Pilot Program
Mar 16, 2021, 6:21 PM | Updated: 9:13 pm
BRIGHAM CITY, Utah – Downtown Brigham City is getting a facelift after it qualified for a pilot program to restore historic buildings and revitalize business in the process.
Some of the work already started as some business owners try to take advantage of the economic recovery from the pandemic.
Sometimes to move forward you have to remember where you come from.
“For us, this last year was very relatable. I can only imagine how they must have felt working through the depression,” said business owner Travis Porter.
The Idle Isle Café he owns with his wife is now 100 years old. The pandemic is just one more challenge the Idle Isle Café has endured.
“My wife’s been involved in the restaurant since she was 14 and I have 16-plus years now, as far as being involved with the restaurant,” Porter said. “So it’s something that we really want to tell our story, preserve the history and the legacy of the restaurant.”
They will have some help doing that. The pilot program that started in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development offered matching funds for qualifying businesses.
Union Block and the old Howard Hotel will also get help to restore their original exterior look.
In the coming months, Porter said the rock layer that now covers the front façade of the café will be removed and the original brick walls restored.
“There’s a lot of memories. The ambiance, the atmosphere of the restaurant really brings that to light,” Turner said. “When you walk in, it’s kind of a step back in time.”
The décor was meant to honor the original owners and some of the first staff. Some of their family members were held at Japanese internment camps during WWII.
These are stories Porter said his family can preserve better. “My first time when I walked in the restaurant, it caught my attention. It’s something that triggered some unique emotions and feelings,” he said. “Kind of a special place.”
Price is the other city that received matching grants. The money will help restore two buildings.
