A New Art and Natural Sciences Discovery Center
Since the beginning of our organization we’ve had a vision for a permanent space that can be used as a meeting and exhibit venue for promoting our mission of sharing the Lower Grand Coulee experience through arts and science education, exhibits and presentations. This space would be publicly available to other organizations with similar needs and purposes such as local schools, the Art Guild of the Soap Lake Area, Ice Age Floods Institute, Soap Lake Heritage, Soap Lake Conservancy and more.
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The James Building was donated to the City by the William Beeks Foundation and William Beeks (a local part time resident) before he passed away around 2016. The building was in terrible condition, particularly the roof. The City initially entered into a temporary lease to the Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee to allow critical repairs to be made. We have a restoration and usage agreement with the City of Soap Lake and a long-term lease. Our first task was to replace the roof, a critical maintenance step. Without this work, the building would have been lost to disrepair. 

Watch the Transformation
​We're already making progress! Scroll through the slide show below to see improvements and final design concepts, or ​check out our video showing removal of a bee's nest.

Recent Developments with the Transformation Project
The James  Building has proven to be a valuable organizational hub for community projects such as Winterfest, the Centennial Celebration, Smokiam Days, Suds and Sun, Moonlight Paddle, Canoe Race and more by using the space for storing supplies and associated work projects. It is also being used as an archive center for Brent Blake memorabilia and artworks (including the Lava Lamp materials), the Historical Society's informational collection, a window display for Ice Age Flood interpretive panels, great canoe race memorabilia, and storage of donated artworks as well as building materials and tools to be used for the improvements.

​The James building "back in the day."

Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee is an exempt organization as described in
Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 46-4201429