08/07/2026
Option B Archives! For this weeks post, we chose to share some design concepts from the 610 Main Street building in Beautiful Downtown Lewiston that didn't quite make the cut. These images were created 6 1/2 years ago, on December 12, 2019. The existing building footprint is nearly 11,600 square feet in total, and when trying to fill the entire space with future retail spaces, the construction costs can skyrocket quickly. We brainstormed & floated some ideas to help alleviate those costs by reducing the height of the store separation walls, and eliminating storefront framing with security gates that could be collapsible during the day. This helped to make the interior feel very similar and open to the downtown department stores of the past. Truly, these images were considered to be Option A and very close to being constructed. But a global pandemic, rising material costs, and a shaky retail industry shelved the project inevitably.
