Good old Santa Claus was back Thursday night peeking over the rear edge of the old J.C. Penney building downtown.
Because of a reader’s question, one missing lighted element of the downtown Albany Christmas scenery now is back on full display.
This was the email that came Wednesday from the reader, Lindsey Hall: “The downtown Christmas light Santa, usually visible when crossing the Ellsworth bridge, is notably missing this year. My kids look forward to his return each December. Do you know why he’s not lit up this year? I’m not sure which building it’s on, so I wasn’t sure whom to ask.”
The display is on the roof on the rear of the Wallace Building, better known as the former home of J.C. Penney’s.
The building at 317 W. First Ave. was constructed in 1915. Later, the Penney’s department store occupied it until 1988. And in 2008, Rick Mikesell, the owner, completely restored and renovated the building with some financial help from the CARA urban renewal district.
I can’t remember how long the lighted Santa has been on the roof. It has been at least five years because the display was pictured in the Democrat-Herald on Dec. 20, 2020.
On Wednesday I stopped by the building. The people I talked to didn’t know why the Santa on the roof had not been lit up this year. But they gave me the number of the management company in Bend that runs the property for the owner.
I sent the question to that number, and this morning the answer came from McKenna Mikesell, of RSM Investments Inc.
“I told our janitor,” she texted me. “He is going to get it turned on today.”
He did. Because as you can see in the photo at the top, as day turned into night at about 5 p.m., the Santa up there was all lit up. (hh)
During the day, like when I went by on the bike Thursday afternoon, mostly what you see of this Santa display is the frame holding up the lights.
How wonderful that your question was answered and successfully addressed so quickly!
Yea! Merry Christmas!!
Good work, Hasso! Plus, didn’t it used to be on some other building along Salem Ave?
Hasso you are amazing. Love reading and seeing your stuff. So glad they turned on the lights. I also live seeing Santa when coming over the bridge.
Hasso, Very well done. Thank you.
hey mister detective. what ever happened to the creepy clown that was hanging on the roof of the building just past jordans jewelers on 1st? and why is there a house on the roof of the sid stevens building? could see them both coming into town on the bridge
“house”
https://hh-today.com/?s=Bikman&submit=Search
Hasso, Good job. Thank you.
Well done Hasso, thank you
Hasso, you’re a sweetheart! Thanks for following through in this (& the readers question!)
TBH I didn’t recall this existed! Now I look forward to checking it out next time I go into town!
Merry Christmas!
I’m glad the Santa light is on. But, it seems to me that the Santa light should not be managed by someone in Bend, Oregon. Bend is a whole different dynamic, and very wealthy people are a big part of the mix so probably take a large amount of the time of the person responsible for giving the go-ahead on turning on the Albany Santa light. I also don’t think it is up to the janitor to remember to start the electricity each year for the Santa. It is up to the people managing the former Penney’s building.
Oh, since Albany has been pushing the upgrade of downtown for years now, it would look very nice if all the downtown snowflake street ornaments actually worked. Several of them are not lit up on First Street and some of them that aren’t working are near the Carousel which is supposed to be the big downtown attraction.
To report a problem:
https://cityofalbany.wufoo.com/forms/z1evznaw1xw7734/
If you have a problem, Ray, it is great that you have the web address handy. I’m proud of you for being on the alert.
The owner of the building, the management company and the Santa are all the same person, Rick Mikesell.. He lives in Bend but still wants Albany to enjoy the Santa because Rick grew up and spent over 40 years in Albany. He used to have Santa on his building on Old Salem road but move Santa downtown when he finished that remodel.