New businesses are coming to five sites in Phoenix where buildings burned in the Almeda fire. A couple are close to opening, while others are just beginning or awaiting final building approval.

A Dollar General store could open within a month at the site where Valley of the Rogue Bank was located. A Starbucks should open in March where businesses were located at the corner of Highway 99 and North Phoenix Road.

Indigo Creek Outfitters rafting company broke ground Tuesday, Feb. 18, for a building on Main Street at the location which once hosted Roscoes’ BBQ. Concrete has just been poured at Highway 99 and Rose Street where a convenience store burned, but the site will have a three-story building with a store and apartment units. A Taco Bell is awaiting final building approval on Main Street.

Jaswant Singh, owner of the convenience store and apartment development at 3960 S. Pacific Highway, lives in the valley and wanted to do something to aid those affected by the Almeda fire.

“We need to provide housing for the families,” said Singh. “We are doing this for the families. We have a timeline of completing everything by June 30.”

On Wednesday a worker in the rain was already cutting into the recently poured concrete slab for utilities installation.

Tom Mallot Construction of Central Point is primary contractor for the 10,734 square-foot, three-story building. It will feature 14 two-bedroom apartments. Singh has already leased the convenience store space.

Two lots where buildings burned were put together to create the site for the Taco Bell at 604 N. Main St. Approvals have been given for the new lot and the site plan review for the development has been completed.

“We hope to start work a soon as we get permits, hopefully by April,” said agent Russell Arbuckle. “We want to be ready to hit the ground running.”

The business, owned by Lindsay Johnston and Columbia Bell, LLC, has already hired contractor D.A. Bentley Construction, LLC of Vancouver, Wash., to handle the project. A drive through will be included along with the 2,284 square-foot structure.

The Indigo Creek site, at 117 S. Main St., will serve as a meeting location for the rafting adventures the company offers. Customers will be able to leave their vehicles at the site and will have spaces where they can prepare for the trips, said owner Will Volpert.

Workers broke ground at the site Tuesday. Volpert, who has a contractors’ license, will oversee the construction using subcontractors. Plans call for completion of framing, roof and walls before the busy rafting season hits, then pausing the project. Work will resume in the fall with a late-fall opening targeted.

“Customers can do pre-trip prep in the space at the beginning. When they come back there will be photos (of the trip) on the TVs,” said Volpert. “Maybe we will have a beer and wine license.”

The exterior of the 1,200 square-foot building will feature stone, farm boards and metal in a lodge style. Landscaping will feature trees and shrubs that customers would encounter on a float trip. The landscaping was designed by one of Volpert’s clients.

Dollar General, at 4000 S. Pacific Highway, could open in the next month. Landscaping work is already underway at the site and some sidewalks need to be installed.

“At this time, a store opening is slated to be within the next month, but understand that construction progress may alter this date,” Dollar General public relations representative Emma Hall wrote in an email. Following a soft opening, the company will hold a grand opening event with the community.

About six to 10 employees will be hired for the store depending upon needs, said Hall. Dollar General stores are owned by the company and are not franchises. The building is 10,640 square-feet with on-site parking.

“We are not far away from being able to buy coffee,” Matt Martinez, a real estate broker, said of the new Starbucks. Much of the work is completed and attention is now focused on tenant improvement work inside.

The business at 4149 S. Pacific Highway includes the 2,165 square-foot building, drive-through lanes, a patio and parking. Between 20 to 25 employees will be hired.

H & H Companies Northwest, LLC of Vancouver, Wash., owns the building and site. The company has its own general contractor operation and builds to suit for clients. They are a preferred contractor for Starbucks, which will lease the building.

Martinez said the usual practice is for H & H to sell the property to an investor interested in owning such properties. Martinez works for SRS Real Estate Company, a national firm.

A project funded by state fire reconvey money will bring more parking space to downtown. Phoenix was awarded $3.5 million in Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization funds to help with commercial recovery from the Almeda fire.

The city will use the funds for infrastructure work, including storm drains, parking and sidewalks that would support business development in the downtown district, as well as sidewalks along Highway 99 in the southern portion.

“We are getting ready to start the PIER project downtown,” said Phoenix Community Development Director Moody. “There’s a lot of commercial space up for future development.”

Property acquisition is beginning and will include environmental reviews. Design work would be completed during summer with bids for projects to follow.

Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at tboomwriter@gmail.com.