Project name: The Spot

Location: Madras

Completion: November 2024

Size: 3,150 square feet

Owner/Developer: J and C 5^th Street LLC

Architect: Open Concept Architecture

Engineers: Eclipse Engineering, H.A. McCoy Engineering & Surveying, Solera MEP Design Services

General Contractor: O’Brien & Company

Submitting Company: O’Brien & Company

Other Key Participants: City of Madras, Madras Redevelopment Commission

Subcontractors: Bend Heating and Sheet Metal, Benham Falls Asphalt, Central Oregon Concrete, Central Oregon Garage Door, Elite Construction Contracting, Elite Electric, G.W. Paulson Co. dba Baptista Design, Gale Contractor Services, Johnson Resources, Joshua Hittlet Drywall, JR Fire, KYA Painting, Oleachea’s Fine Finish Cabinetry, Pearl Plumbing, Rain Water Diversions dba BR Continuous Guttering, Rock Solid Roofing, Solid Fab Works, Storjohann Inc. dba Bend Fencing

A first-of-its-kind community hub is breathing new life into downtown Madras, offering residents and travelers alike a place to connect over food, drinks and entertainment.

The Spot features a taphouse with a second-story covered balcony, food carts and a heated outdoor patio. It represents owner Andre Jackson’s vision for economic revitalization in this Central Oregon community. The project, built by O’Brien & Company, was intentionally developed to stimulate local economic growth while providing a flexible, year-round gathering place.

The building’s innovative design blends indoor and outdoor spaces with overhead garage-style doors with glass inserts. When fully opened, these doors connect the building to the patio, creating a bright atmosphere filled with natural light. The venue’s warm wood and clean modern details create a lively space designed for year-round enjoyment regardless of weather conditions.

Despite challenges from the site’s condensed nature and proximity to the highway, the design-build approach allowed for real-time adjustments to construction plans. Advanced building materials, including ZIP System Insulated R-sheathing, were incorporated to enhance efficiency and durability. The project also prioritized high-performance audio and internet infrastructure to support live entertainment.

The Madras Redevelopment Commission provided crucial financial backing for the project. The City of Madras and its building department guided construction to ensure compliance with zoning and safety codes.

Jackson, who relocated from Portland to invest in Madras’ future, has already purchased an adjacent lot to expand the community’s event space.

The Spot hosts live music, trivia nights and student performances, fostering cultural engagement and providing a platform for local artists. Middle and high school students are actively invited to perform, promoting youth engagement in the arts. Regular community events including bingo, karaoke and sports viewing parties transform The Spot into an interactive gathering space rather than just a dining destination.

By drawing foot traffic to local businesses and serving as an economic hub in an area largely influenced by highway traffic, The Spot strengthens downtown Madras’ ecosystem while encouraging walkability.

“The Spot is all about connection, both within the Madras community, and as a regional hub,” Jeremy Cogdill, Open Concept Architecture managing principal, said in the project submission form. “It’s a ‘living room’ at an important intersection between the east and west sides of the mountains, that aims to bring people together through food, music, and conversations around a fire pit.”

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The city of Madras has received approval to bring a 196-acre site inside the urban growth boundary for future industrial use, the Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) announced Wednesday. The OK, granted by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, enhances Madras’ potential for economic growth, according to EDCO.

The collaborative effort to gain approval featured officials representing Jefferson County, the city of Madras and EDCO as well as business leaders and community members. Private investors will now be able to purchase and develop 196 acres of industrial property, thus presenting opportunities beyond the current lease-only options on the Madras Municipal Airport property, a press release states.

The site’s strategic location is adjacent to existing industrial areas near the Madras Municipal Airport. There will be easy access to essential infrastructure for development.

The site is poised to suit a variety of future uses, including high-tech and clean-tech manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and IT infrastructure. The development of this site is anticipated to result in job creation and investment opportunities observed in nearby areas such as Prineville and Redmond, the press release states.

The city of Madras and its partners have begun planning to identify specific industry needs for development within the sites of the Large Lot Industrial Program and vacant industrial land, according to EDCO. The site will be reserved for large-scale industrial development in the long term.

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Jefferson County is looking for a developer to buy a keystone property along U.S. 97 in Madras.

Local government officials see the 38,042-square-foot site as a gateway to downtown Madras. The site at 813 U.S. 97 draws at least 15,000 vehicle trips a day, Jefferson County stated in a news release.

Jefferson County issued a request for interest in partnership with the city of Madras and the Madras Redevelopment Commission. The county recently acquired the parcel from the Oregon Department of Transportation. ODOT declared the property surplus after completing a highway realignment project.

Government leaders are seeking a project that will benefit downtown Madras and the local economy, according to the news release. The county stated that it is open to a broad range of uses, including a mixed-use development, a jobs-generating business, retail, office/commercial and incorporation of adjoining sites.

The county stated that it prefers an outright purchase of the parcel, but may consider other deal structures.

The site is essentially flat and has a 1,980-square-foot single-story building that was built during the 1990s.

For more information, visit: .

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