Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

The national economic slowdown is seemingly catching up with the Tri-Cities if the latest job numbers are any indication.

But despite losing 800 nonfarm jobs in July, the Tri-Cities is the only major community in the state to see job growth in the last year, said Dean Schau, regional labor economist.

Most of the monthly job losses were in construction, financial services, education and health services and the public sector, he said.

Also, modest gains were reported in professional and business services, manufacturing, retail and the trade, transportaion and warehousing sector last month.

That helped bring down the unemployment rate in the Tri-Cities from 6.7 percent in June to 6.1 percent in July.

Since July 2008, the Tri-Cities gained 1,300 nonfarm jobs, an increase of nearly 1.4 percent, Schau said.

About 68,000 nonfarm jobs were lost over the year in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro area, he said. And, Tacoma lost 13,500 nonfarm positions and Spokane was down 12,100 nonfarm jobs, bringing the tally of lost nonfarm jobs in the state to about 125,000.

The year-over-year numbers are a better indicator of economic trends, Schau said, adding the core of the Tri-Cities’ economic health lies primarily in agriculture production, food processing and electricity generation that provide consistent employment opportunities.

“We’ve an absolutely great economy to go into this recession,” he said. Yet, a lot of people, particularily in construction, real estate and finance are hurting, adding to the number of jobless workers in the community.

Amazon.com held a job fair Tuesday in Kennewick to hire seasonal help, said Candice Bluechel, business services outreach manager at WorkSource Columbia Basin.

But otherwise hiring in the retail industry has remained slower compared with last year, she said, adding that many local retailers didn’t hire lots of workers for the back to school shopping season.

Cosumers have been cutting back on major purchases like cars and appliances, which may explain the loss of about 400 jobs in the retail sector since July 2008, Schau said.

The federal stimulus programs like Cash for Clunkers are helping the local economy, but they haven’t immediately translated into jobs, Bluechel said.

WorkSource has about 600 job openings, and 300 of them came in July, she said. Most are farm-related jobs for laborers, mechanics, and truck drivers, she said. Also, employers continue to look for technical writers, invoice clerks and office support staff.

The Tri-City economy definitely is in better shape compared with other regions of the nation, she said, adding she doesn’t know how it’ll play out longer term. “I’m going to be conservative ’til I see what happens to holiday hires,” Bluechel said.

Yearly gains of about 200 jobs were reported in the food processing industry, 600 jobs in professional and business services and 100 in trade, transportation and warehousing, Schau said.

Major declines came in construction with a loss of 1,100 jobs since July 2008. The financial services sector lost 300 jobs in the same period.

The number of unemployed workers in Benton and Franklin counties increased from 6,450 in July 2008 to 8,180 last month. In contrast, the number of unemployed workers in Washington went up from 178,200 to 315,850 in the same time.

The state’s unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point, from 9.2 percent in June to 9.1 percent in July, said Dave Wallace, a labor economist with the Washington Employment Security Department. It was partly helped by the gain of an estimated 4,000 nonfarm jobs last month. “(But) it’s too early to call it a trend (of recovery.)” he said.

Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee said though the July numbers show the recession is slowing. “We expect to see some ups and downs for some time to come.”

Source: Tri-City Herald

Source: Tri-City Herald

Kennewick could have its long-desired convention center hotel with a real estate deal approved Tuesday by the city council.

The council agreed on a real estate sales and purchase agreement with The Provost Group of Santa Rosa, California, for 2.25 acres the city decided three weeks ago that it would offer for sale. The agreed upon price is $563,482.

Jeff Kossow, Kennewick’s economic development directed, said The Provost Group wants the property developed as a multi-story headquarters hotel, which would be adjacent to the Three Rivers Convention Center in the Vista Entertainment Center. The sales agreement allows 180 days for the purchaser to investigate development options.

The hotel would have all the amenities necessary for a headquarters hotel that serves the convention center. The agreement calls for a restaurant, bar, room service, fitness room and pool. A $5,000 deposit secures the sale agreement.

The Provost Group must submit building plans within six months after closing and begin construction within 18 months of closing. The city has the right to take back the property if conditions of the agreement are not completed according to the timeline.

The two-acre sale agreement follows a similar deal by The Provost Group with the city in May for nine acres, also in the Vista Entertainment District near the convention center. The property has not yet been developed.

The Provost Group also cemented a sales agreement earlier Tuesday for 15 acres owned by the Kennewick Irrigation District in the same area. That gives the Santa Rosa property development and management company control of about 27 acres in the Vista Entertainment District.

“This is an exciting time for those of us who’ve been involved with the convention center,” said councilman Steve Young. He was on the Kennewick Facilities District Board of Directors eight years ago when it was created to design, build and open the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

Young said the original vision to have a headquarters hotel next to the convention center is finally becoming reality.

Kossow said representatives of The Provost Group have already contacted national hotel chains. “They want to move quickly on this,” he said.

Kossow said the deal has been several years in the making. Kennewick city staff contacted The Provost Group during an International Shopping Centers Conference: “We knocked on their door, and they answered,” he said.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council:

– Approved a resolution creating a Southridge Revitalization Area of about 1,600 acres and authorized the City Manager Bob Hammond to negotiate agreements between the city, Port of Kennewick, Benton County and Kennewick General Public Hospital District to participate in a Local Revitalization Financing Program sponsored by the state.

The program offers up to $500,000 a year in tax revenues for up to 25 years to the city to help build infrastructure in the Southridge area that would promote growth of business and jobs.

The county and hospital commissioners have said they are willing to give their share of expected property and sales tax revenues associated with the growth to help pay for the improvements.

Port commissioners are supportive but have reservations about how their contribution would be spent. The Port of Kennewick decided earlier Tuesday to opt out of the revitalization financing program.

The port would have to fork over $350,000 in future property taxes within the Southridge area to help prepare the area for development. But the port unanimously decided it didn’t want to participate without knowing how its share would be spent, said Tim Arntzen, the port’s executive director.

Part of the revitalization area includes land the port sold to a developer in 2006, and the port can’t legally spend money to provide infrastructure to that land, he said. The developer of South Ridge Village agreed to put in roads, sewer, water and electric lines as part of the purchase agreement for the port’s 150 acres, Arntzen said.

The port may reconsider joining the revitalization area if it can sign an interlocal agreement with Kennewick spelling out the Southridge infrastructure development plans more clearly, Arntzen said. The port would like to have more control on how its share is used, he said.

Dean Maldonado, who with his partners owns more than 200 acres in Southridge, said finding financing for infrastructure in the current economy is extremely difficult. Kennewick needs to have the interlocal agreements completed in time to apply for the state’s Local Revitalization Funding program Sept. 1

The maximum that could be handed out would be five grants of $500,000 each, which will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, said Marie Mosely, the city’s director of support services.

Councilman James Hempstead noted that if the city is successful, the grant will help develop the Southridge area without having to impose new taxes on Kennewick citizens. “It’s good for the state as well,” said Mosely, who explained that by fronting money to the city for the development, the state will receive new sales taxes that come from the new businesses.

“Staycation” was the buzz word last summer when gas prices rose to over $4 a gallon and people decided to find fun closer to home. But the word is making a comeback this year, especially in a time when more people are watching their spending and are concerned about the economy.

Kris Watkins, president and CEO of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, said the word “staycation” appeared several years ago when cities were encouraging residents to stay close instead of spending money elsewhere.

Not only can a staycation save traveling costs for fuel and accommodations, but it can also save a lot of stress, she said. “More people are aware you can make a great vacation staying at home,” she said. “I think staycations have become more and more popular in the Tri-Cities and in the nation.”

Tri-Cities residents may choose to stay at home and organize a neighborhood barbecue, a family game night or a movie marathon, but the summer months in the Tri-Cities provide some unique and beautiful experiences.

“A staycation is a good opportunity to experience your own backyard,” Watkins said. You could rent a fun car for the weekend and stay at a bed and breakfast or even a hotel to get away from the house, yet still have the comfort of knowing you’re in the same town. All it takes is a little imagination.

There are many attractions that should be on a Tri-Citians ‘to do’ list, either for this year’s staycation or a future one. The Lamb Weston Columbia Cup for Unlimited Hydroplanes, July 24-26, along the Columbia River, and the Benton Franklin County Fair and Rodeo, August 25-29, are ready-made, family fun fare.

The Tri-Cities’ are in the heart of Washington’s wine country, offering residents the opportunity to visit 160 wineries within an hour’s drive.

The Visitor and Convention Bureau also promotes the area’s 10 golf courses, including Columbia Park golf course, which Watkins recommended for families with kids just learning to play the game.

Free family fun can be had at the Family Fishing Pond and the Playground of Dreams in Columbia Park, as well as Sturgeon Cove in Howard Amon Park. Families can attend a Dust Devils baseball or a Tri-Cities Fever home game on weekends as well.

Even with limited time on a weekend staycation, Watkins said to definitely include one of the Tri-Cities’ museums, like the Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science and Technology in Richland.

There’s also the Franklin County Historical Museum, the Washington State Railroad Historical Society Museum, and the interpretive center at Sacajawea State Park in Pasco. Check the local Parks and Recreation departments for activities and classes open for the public this summer, or take a dip at a free public pool.

Garage sale shopping is always fun on a Saturday morning, and Pasco’s TRAC has two more giant garage sales on July 25 and August 15. Or shop in historic downtown Kennewick or at the Uptown Shopping Center in Richland.

The Tri-Cities farmers’ markets offer local produce and arts and crafts Thursdays in downtown Kennewick from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fridays at Richland’s Parkway from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the corner of South Fourth and Columbia streets in Pasco.

The Country Mercantile also provides produce, gifts, homemade chocolate and more a few miles north of Pasco on Highway 395.

Watkins said another idea for a staycation is taking a tour of the Hanford Reach National monument by kayak or jet boat down the Columbia River.

Columbia River Journeys and River City Tours in Kennewick specialize in jet boat tours of the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers. Just call ahead of time to reserve a four and a half hour tour of the Hanford Reach, or tours to Vernita Bridge and bar or to Ice Harbor Dam, May through September. They also offer wine tasting evening cruises with a catered dinner and customizable water and land tours for a few hours or a day.

Columbia Kayak Adventures on George Washington Way in Richland offers sea kayak courses, guided tours and rentals for beginner or experienced kayakers. Tours go along the Columbia, Snake and Yakima rivers to the Yakima Delta, the McNary Wildlife Refuge, Sand Islands, Palouse River and the Hanford Reach. They even have a “Sunday Paddle Group” for those who want to get out on the river every week.

Grab your poles and a fishing license at a local sporting goods store and book a guided steelhead, salmon, walleye or sturgeon fishing trip with Ecotrip on Kirstin Drive in West Richland.

Families can rent boats and ride on the Columbia starting from docks in Pasco, Kennewick or Richland and The Happy Horse Riding School in Burbank offers horseback riding lessons to Tri-Citians in the summer as well.

For those on a tight budget, Watkins suggested a stroll or bicycle ride on the 23 miles of continuous trails along the Columbia River, stretching from Sacajawea State Park in Pasco to WSU Tri-Cities and Hanford in Richland.

Columbia Park Trail accesses Bateman Island just south of North Columbia Center Boulevard in Kennewick. The island, a Tri-Cities landmark, has dirt walking trails, fishing and lots of plants and wildlife to enjoy, at the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia rivers.

The Horse Heaven Hills above the Yakima River includes trails open to horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking all summer long.

There are also a lot of great opportunities to experience art, music and theater this summer, beginning with Columbia Basin College’s summer showcase.

The Allied Arts Gallery on Lee Blvd in Richland, has its Annual Art in the Park, featuring hundreds of local artists.

Also watch for free concerts and movie at venues all over the Tri-Cities this summer, including Bookwalter Winery’s free music and Fairchild Cinema’s free family movies in Pasco.

Cities in the outlying areas, like Walla Walla and Yakima, also have a lot to offer for day trips that many Tri-Citians may not be aware of, Watkins said. There’s the Benton County Historical Museum in Prosser and the Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla.

For more outdoor activities, travel to the Ice Harbor Lock Visitor Center at Ice Harbor Dam outside of Pasco, or the McNary Wildlife Refuge and dam near Umatilla to count fish. Or camp at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park 25 miles northeast of Walla Walla, Palouse Falls State Park in Lacrosse 75 miles from the Tri-Cities or Steptoe Butte State Park in Oakesdale, 140 miles away, but accessible within a few hours.

There’s plenty of room to go off-roading, camping, or hiking on the 4,000 acres of open land at Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area, about 15 miles northeast of Pasco. Visitors access it from Petersen Road four miles north from the Pasco-Kahlotus Highway.

But Watkins had some advice for Tri-Citians who decide to staycation and want to make it a memorable and fun experience. “Plan the trip just like you’re going on vacation,” she said.

That means not doing anything you usually would, including keeping in touch via internet, cell phone, TV, etc. Set up email auto-responders or have your mail and newspaper held for the vacation. Leave projects and housework alone. Have a start and end date. Other online sources give tips including setting a schedule of activities and documenting the “trip” with photos and videos.

Explore your hometown, rediscovering destinations you don’t normally reach in your busy life. And above all, relax. “In our busy lives, we don’t have time to stop and smell the roses,” Watkins said.

A staycation could be a perfect opportunity to do that.

The cities of Richland and Kennewick are collecting public input to help determine the future of Columbia Park West.

About 50 residents attended a public workshop at Camp Kiwanis in June. They all had ideas of what they would like to see in the park, from better beach access, restaurants, a beach, a dog park, an aquatic center, or boat rentals.

Richland has placed a four-question, online survey on its Web site to collect even more input on Columbia Park West, which encompasses 146 acres along the Columbia River.

“We are going to take the ideas we got at the meeting and from the survey about the different kinds of uses people want to see in the park and compare it with information we are gathering about cultural resources and environmental sensitivity and see where those uses might fit,” Said Bill King, Richland’s assistant city manager.

King said that late last year the cities decided to work together to create a plan to guide development of Columbia Park West for the next two to three decades. The cities agreed to hire a consultant to help with the plan and awarded a $185,000 contract late last year to Berger Abam, a consulting firm out of Vancouver.

The cities split the cost to have the consultants develop the plan, which will include public outreach, an environmental assessment, planning alternatives, and some infrastructure engineering, he said.

A community resource team, which includes representatives from Richland and Kennewick city councils, the city planning and parks commissions, and community partners was formed to help guide the project.

Two more public meetings are planned for October and December. “Then we will try to digest all the information and try to come up with a preferred plan, either at the end of this year or early next year,” said King.

For more information, go to the city’s website, www.ci.kennewick.wa.us or www.ci.richland.wa.us.

The public can take the four-question survey on the city of Richland’s website by clicking on the city departments link and then on Parks & Recreation and Columbia Park West Master Plan.

Community members may also comment on design and uses of the site by sending an email to CPWplan@ci.richland.wa.us or by calling King at 942-7583.

Source: Journal of Business

Early summer chores should get you outdoors: Look for winter damage, ward off mold and rot, sharpen your tools and patrol your home’s perimeter for pests and other problems.

With the start of a typical Tri-Cities summer and warmer weather, you can focus most of your maintenance chores outdoors. First, however, attend to a couple of jobs that will help you stay comfortable and safe inside the house.

Switch ceiling fan blades: Switch ceiling fans to push cool air down, where you’ll most enjoy it. Observe the fan while it’s running: In summer, you want the leading edge of the blades (the part that goes around first) higher than the trailing edge (the part that rotates last). Locate the fan’s switch o9n its outside body. When set correctly for summer, you can stand beneath it and feel the breeze. this should allow you to adjust your thermostat higher (or set the air conditioner lower), saving fuel while enjoying the cooling effect of the moving air.

Clean dryer vents: Although you probably know to remove lint from your clothes dryer’s lint filter after each use, you may not have heard that maintenance also includes cleaning the hose that pipes the warm, moist air from the dryer to the outdoors. Use a long-handled brush, found in hardware stores. Also, clean the recess beneath the filter with a lint-trap brush. Check vent hoses to ensure that they fit tightly to each other, to the dryer and to the outside of the house. Pull out the dryer and vacuum accumulated lint under and around it.

Clean gutters: Take advantage of dry weather to clear out leaves, needles and debris, leaving gutters free to carry rainwater away and protect your home from mold and rot. Depending on your home’s surroundings, you should do this several times a year.

While you are at it – inspect your gutters. Look for joint separating, loose connections and attachments, sags, dips and corrosion. Tighten or reattached loose gutter connections.

 Check for foundation cracks: Make a yearly tour of your home’s foundation to spot any cracks. Hairline cracks and diagonal cracks that start at windows are unlikely to signal serious problems, but keep an eye on them to see if they change. Call a structural engineer if a small crack grows wider or if you find any of the following:

• a crack wider than the thickness of your fingernail
• horizontal cracks
• a stair-step crack that break bricks, blocks or solid concrete
• a pattern of cracks that rounds a corner
• a crack with one side higher than the other
• a crack that starts narrow and grows wider

To keep moisture out of cracks that you’ve found to be stable, fill them. Purchase a foundation crack repair kit that uses an expanding polyurethane filler for a permanent seal. Caulk and concrete aren’t effective for this.

Patrol the grounds: Spend a half-hour walking around your house with an eye to where the foundation meets the ground, Make sure the earth around the house slopes away from the structure — about an inch per foot is good — so water does not collect around the foundation. Dampness invites mold and mildew and, in worse cases, weakens a foundation. Also, keep your eyes open for signs of termites.: wings or droppings that look like little pellets. Rake leaves away from the foundation to discourage mice and rats, Keep garbage cans tightly closed. Store recycling and clean bottles and cans well before putting them out so food odors don’t attract rodent. Turn compost piles regularly and compost only vegetable matter, not animal products.

Scrub the decks and porches: On a sunny day, wipe down and hose off lawn, garden and deck furniture. Sweep decks and porches. Inspect wood decks and porches for rot by pressing the wood with your hand, foot or a tool to find any soft spots. Gently probe soft spots with a screwdriver to learn the extent of the damage. Paint stores carry epoxy putty used to harden seal and stabilize rotted wood. If the damage is severe, replace rotted boards.

Seal decks against weather: Wood decks need to be painted every two or three years – more often if they face extreme weather. Watch the weather forecast for a spell of several dry days before treating decks, because you don’t want to seal moisture into the wood and encourage rot.

Source: msn.com

Awarding subcontract also helps Washington Closure meet minority hiring goals.

Jonetta Everano’s gamble to start her own company has paid off with a subcontract worth up to $4.2 million with Washington Closure Hanford. Now’s she’s busy leasing rigs and hiring union drivers to start hauling Hanford nuclear reservation waste in July.

Everson, who grew up in White Swan on the Yakima nation, has been taking well-calculated risks for years.

The most recent was to start Phoenix Enterprises NW, based in Richland, to see if she could win subcontracts for construction work. The timing seemed right as the federal government prepared to spend $1.96 billion in economic stimulus money at Hanford.

It’s the first subcontract she’s bid on, but she’s working to get other Hanford work and will look at opportunities for commercial work when that industry improves.

The Washington Closure subcontract was reserved for small businesses, and Phoenix submitted the lowest bid among qualified bidders on the project, according to Washington Closure, Her company qualifies not only as a small business, but as woman- and minority-owned.

Although that was not given weight in the bidding award, it will help Washington Closure meets its goals in those subcontracting categories. Last year Washington Closure awarded more than 90 percent of its subcontracts to small businesses for work to clean up the Hanford nuclear reservation along the Columbia River.

The Phoenix subcontract, which falls under Hanford’s annual budget, covers transportation, using heavy dump truck and dump trailer combinations – or truck and pups – to transport nonradioactive soils, debris, concrete and steel from cleanup sites near the Columbia river. Phoenix will take them to the landfill in central Hanford.