Work on former Greyhound site expected to start this month

Aug. 07--REDDING, California -- A Redding couple's dream of redeveloping a downtown Redding lot where their medical business would share space with retail and office tenants could break ground this month.

"There has been a lot of activity the past couple of weeks," said Dean White, who with his wife, Jane Rehberg White, bought the former Greyhound depot in 2011 for $383,000.

Dean White learned this week from his architect that the city has approved his building plans and his permit is ready for pickup. White plans to meet with his contractor Thursday.

"I think after that meeting tomorrow I will have a better feel for the groundbreaking," White said Wednesday afternoon.

White is confident construction will start by the end of this month. Depending on the weather, it will take about eight months to build the project.

The Whites are also optimistic that their mixed-use development they plan for the Butte Street property will trigger more interest in developing and changing downtown Redding.

The two-story, 25,232-square-foot urban Tuscan building will feature commercial space on the bottom floor, and two apartments and office space on the second floor.

The Whites will relocate their medical billing business, California Physician Reimbursement Inc., to the building.

"With the changes in medical insurance and billing, we are busier than we have ever been. We need more space because we are hiring more employees and bringing on more clients," White said.

California Physician Reimbursement Inc. is currently on Athens Avenue and has been in business for more than 25 years ago. The company currently has about 75 employees.

Initially, the Whites wanted to restore the art deco bus depot but discovered the money needed to do would have been cost prohibitive. The size of the old building, built in the late 1930s, also meant there would only be room for their medical business.

Working with architect Scott Gibson of Chico, the Whites came up with an urban Tuscan design large enough to house other tenants.

While they haven't signed a tenant, Dean White believes once construction starts, interest in the property will increase.

The Whites are working with Chris Haedrich of Haedrich & Co. Inc. in Redding to sign up tenants.

Haedrich is marketing the project to a broad list of potential tenants, but he has said interest is "contingent upon seeing activity on the site."

Haedrich has talked to retail users, law firms, a certified public accountant and a government agency.

___

(c)2014 the Redding Record Searchlight (Redding, Calif.)

Visit the Redding Record Searchlight (Redding, Calif.) at www.redding.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services