Warm Springs’ oldest building, the Commissary, is about to move — and become symbol of future

Community celebration to mark restoration, revival of historic structure

The Warm Springs Community Action Team, a community-based organization on the Warm Springs Reservation, announced a major milestone Thursday toward completing its Commissary Business Incubator Project, a plan to move and revive the oldest building on the reservation.

The Commissary is a 126-year old historic structure, originally designed as a storage depot and distribution point for grain, flour and supplies. From the 1960s through late 1990s, it served as the home of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs' Natural Resources Department.

The building will be relocated on Monday, April 4, and remodeled in the ensuing months.

On April 4, WSCAT will commemorate the move of the building in partnership with CTWS tribal leaders and administrators, community members, project partners, and key contributors and stakeholders.

“To some people in our community,” said Dustin Seyler, WSCAT’s Small Business Program Manager, “the Commissary reminds us of systems of dependence created by the US government when it forced our people onto the reservation.”

“It symbolizes the loss of control of our food system and economy, because the commodity foods provided there helped ensure we did not regain traditional ways of gathering food and sustaining our economy,” Seyler added.

When the Commissary opens in early 2023, WCAT says it will be a net zero energy building offering retail and co-working office space, classroom/conference room space, and small business incubation services. It will host the Painted Pony Café, an art store operated by Warm Springs arts non-profit Tananáwit, and other CTWS tribal businesses.

In 2024 and 2025, WSCAT plans to develop a food cart pod with outdoor pavilion and market spaces, and a commercial kitchen for food-based businesses.

Starla Green, the Commissary General Manager, said, “We have involved over 200 community members in the planning process for this project. Removing the Commissary from its original site, claiming the building for our tribe and tribal members, and using it to build and strengthen our local economy is an exciting process.”

The Commissary Business Incubator Project is led by WSCAT team members Starla Green, Dustin Seyler, and Chris Watson, in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Kirby Nagelhout Construction, Hacker Architects, and many other local and regional partners.

ABOUT WSCAT:
Since 2001, the Warm Springs Community Action Team, a grassroots, community-based nonprofit organization, has worked closely with Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS) leaders and tribal members to foster community development through a wide range of programs for youth, adults, and families. WSCAT works with hundreds of tribal households each year through workforce training, asset building (IDAs), small business promotion, financial and homeownership education and counseling, and tax assistance. https://wscat.org