Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

Creating an environment of cooperation among the 4 cities that encompass the Tri-Cities is the theme that local officials want to encourage, as they addressed the group that attended the 8th annual State of the Cities meeting on Wednesday, at the Tri City Regional Chamber of Commerce offices. Growth of the cities has put our area on the map, so to speak and each individual city has outlined the projects that they feel will add to the growth while benefiting it’s citizenry.

Richland has plans of widening Keene Road from Queensgate to West Richland, and adding a spray park to the Badger Mountain Community Park along Keene. They will also work in cooperation with Kennewick to reconstruct Steptoe Street and make a decision about the future location of the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center, among other projects.

Pasco, Kennewick and Richland will work in partnership on the studying the best location for the next bridge crossing the Columbia River.

Pasco officials and the Port of Pasco are looking into the development of the river shoreline east of the cable bridge, additional infrastructure as a support of future growth and industrialization, a $9 million water treatment facility, and the creation of a new overpass at Lewis Street.

Kennewick officials are looking for increased private development of the Vista Entertainment District and to the development of the Southridge area, which they expect will include 60% of the cities future growth.  The city is planning the Bridge-to-Bridge, River-to-Rail effort with the Port of Kennewick, which consists of a major overhaul of the property that lies between the blue and cable bridges.

West Richland is looking to expand the economic base and expand infrastructure between Red and Badger Mountains, and invest in tourism with regards to the wine industry as a way to add to the regional vision, and increase growth in that community.

In a time when costs to each municipality are increasing, funding from the state faces cuts, and the residents want more metropolitan projects, the officials in each city are optimistic about continued growth.  Let’s be optimistic along with them – Time will tell……..

Fowler Construction of Richland was awarded the $5 million contract to build the 1st building at the Port of Pasco’s riverfront business park, Osprey Pointe. The busines park will include a 5-acre gathering area for the public with lighted walking paths along the river.

The Port is hopeful that Osprey Pointe will attract investors and offer over 1,000 new jobs due to developments nearby by including warehouses, manufacturing firms, good transportation access and recreational opportunities at Sacajawea Park.

A new potato processing facility is coming to Pasco, thanks to Easterday Farms. The Port of Pasco announced it had sold 12.5 acres to the Easterday family in August to build the facility on. It is estimated that around 40 people will be employed at the plant.

Construction has started on the 80,000 square foot packing plant and it is anticipated that it will be completed around May 15th. The family has grown and packed fresh onions but this will be the first step into the fresh potato market.

The Port of Pasco has one more undeveloped parcel left in the industrial area and hopes to attract another food processing facility. Food processing plants in the Tri-Cities are rapidly becoming major employers to many Tri-Citians.

Easterday’s chose the spot because of the access to the freeway and fresh water, indicating that it is an ideal spot for food manufacturing.

Today 9/09

Benton County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, 6 p.m., Washington State University Extension office, Benton County Annex, 5600 W Canal Dr.: discuss budget for the operation of the Moderate Risk Waste Facility, grant funding for 2010-2011, status of the organics study.

Pasco School Board, 6:30 pm, Booth building, 1215 W. Lewis St.: discuss opening student enrollment and the 2010 levy election.

Kennewick School Board, 5:30 pm, administration building, 524 S Auburn: discuss the levy timeline, architect selection update, Fourth Avenue Center timeline, elementary modernization timeline and a second reading of a policy on high school graduation requirements.

Thursday 9/10

Port of Pasco Commission, 9:30 a.m., commission chambers, 904 E Ainsworth Avenue: update on the Tri-Cities Airport Business Center.

Richland Parks and Recreation Commission, 7 p.m., city hall council chambers, 505 Swift Blvd: capital facilities projects and recommendations for 2010 budget; recommendation to fund cultural study for the Howard Amon Park irrigation project.

Ben Franklin Transit, 7 p.m., Three Rivers Transit Center, 7109 W Okanogan Place, Kennewick, to discuss petition from Prosser residents.

The Port of Pasco launched Thursday the first phase of its Riverfront Business Park with plans for a port-owned $5 million building.

It’s the first time the port is developing a nonwarehouse type building with the hopes of attracting new capital for future growth.

The port hopes the business park, with its unusual business setting near the river and close to warehouses, manufacturing space, good transportation access and recreational opportunities at nearby Sacajawea Park, will help generate $90 million in investments and provide 1,200 jobs over the years.

Todd Wolf, project manager with the Tacoma-based architectural firm BCRA, said the proposed 20,000 square-foot, two-story building will be built about 350 feet from the shoreline in the 110-acre business park near Oregon and Ainsworth avenues.

The design includes great views of the river and environmentally friendly landscaping, he said.

And there’ll be no stormwater runoffs as proposed rain gardens will collect the water to be treated and reused, Wolf told a group of community members, civic officials and city leaders at Thursday’s announcement.

The proposed building will set the design standards for the business park and also promote development there, said Jim Toomey, port’s executive director.

“If it wasn’t done by us, it was going to be done.” he said. The Port of Pasco plans to use money from an insurance settlement to pay for the project, which is expected to start in February.

About 10 acres in the central part of the business park will be developed in the first phase, and the rest of the park is expected to develop over the next 15 years.

The port already has signed an agreement with the city of Pasco to help smooth the way for developers by making sure development standards and land use and other requirements won’t change for 15 years.

Source: Tri-City Herald

Senator says stimulus funds secured easier with region’s reputation for wise spending.

Over the years, the Tri-Cities has built a reputation in Washington for spending government dollars wisely. And that, Sen. Patty Murray said Monday, helped her secure money from the federal stimulus package.

Murray who recently got nearly $2 billion for Hanford cleanup that is expected to create thousands of jobs in the Tri-Cities and spur potential spin offs, spoke at a community reception held in her honor at Columbia Basin College.

Leaders in this community always do their homework, which makes it easier for her to champion the cause of Tri-Citians in Washington, D.C.  “This community is part of building the future of America,” she said.

The depth of available scientific manpower, research capabilities and cutting-edge technologies in the area is drawing a lot of attention, she said. “Now, you’re on the map.”

Smart grid initiatives at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, biofuel research at Washington State University Tri-Cities and continuing developments at Kennewick’s Infinia Corp. and other local tech firms will help reduce the Hanford footprint and develop resources for a post-Hanford economy, she said.

Energy farms may become the new engine of economic development and job growth in the next decade or so, Murray said.

The Tri-Cities is a community with a lot of strength, said Murray, who received a special plague from the Port of Pasco in recognition of her support for a freight rail project. She also has obtained federal money to assist agriculture and transportation projects.

The community’s potential for further economic growth and the fact this community spends money wisely helped her convince her fellow members of Congress to allocate money for various projects, including Hanford and Ben Franklin Transit despite tight budgets, she said.

Keith Klien, executive director of the Tri-City Local Business Association and the retired manager of the Richland Operations Office of the Department of Energy, was among the crowd of Tri-Citians who thanked Murray for her support.

“Incorporating technology in the post Hanford environment is part of the large-scale vision,” he said.

Source: Tri-City Herald