Journal of Business - June 2022

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June 2022 Volume 21 | Issue 6

$2 million building to house Hanford history, anchor STEM tourism By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Inside

Focus Magazine: Agriculture + Viticulture in the Columbia Basin

Manufacturing

Crane repair company expands Tri-City footprint Page A23

Real Estate & Construction

New data offers homebuyers details about wildfire risk Page B1

NOTEWORTHY “If the expectations are clear and the team is aligned, we can all work together to reach a common goal.” - Lance Stephens of Framatome

Page A27

A new building in north Richland will bring the region’s atomic history under one roof and, officials hope, welcome tourists drawn by the community’s accomplishments in science, technology, engineering and math. The Port of Benton secured a permit to build a $2 million home for the Hanford History Project, currently housed at Washington State University Tri-Cities. It is the first of several buildings that will celebrate science and history at 3251 Port of Benton Blvd. in north Richland. Future phases will add museum-like spaces and a potential new home for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park and display material related to the USS Triton nuclear submarine as well as the new LIGO Hanford Exploratory Center. Port officials intended to build the complex as a single development but chose to develop in phases while they wait for grant funding, said Miles Thomas, the port’s economic development director. Last year, it refinanced its debt, freeing up about $4 million to support its vision of a STEM center to welcome visitors and support the history project. The center will make it easy for tourists to learn more about Hanford and the other science initiatives in the Tri-Cities, said Kim Shugart, senior vice president for Visit Tri-Cities, which regards STEM as a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting visitors. “There are very few communities that have such a diversity of STEM assets,” she said. While the port seeks additional financing for the full project, the Hanford History Project needs space for its growing collection of equipment and documents associated with the nuclear site. The building will give the project’s archivist, curator and other staff private offices as well as space to evaluate materials. Thomas said that means more material will be available for public exhibits. For example, if the Reach Museum in Richland wanted to mount an exhibit of what the HanuHANFORD HISTORY, Page A8

Photo by Wendy Culverwell Jose Ramirez of Ramgar Homes wants to raise the quality of homes in east Pasco. His first models sold for nearly $400,000, which the city of Pasco calls a “game changer.”

East Pasco real estate takes off as new home prices approach $400K By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

A pair of homebuilders is drawing attention to east Pasco not as a center for warehouses and food processors, but as a hot spot for new homes with above-average price tags. The two builders – Ramgar Homes and Empire Bros Construction – are building homes with prices approaching $400,000 near East A Street and Heritage Boulevard, bordering the Tierra Vida community to the west. Broetje Family Trust created Tierra Vida as a community-focused mix of single- and multifamily units catering to workers at its orchards. The area has been a destination for moderate housing since at least 1990, when the Pasco Processing Center brought food-

processing jobs to Pasco. The $400,000 price tags are a game changer for the area, said Mike Gonzalez, Pasco’s economic development director, who said the latest wave of commercial development – Amazon Inc., Darigold, Reser’s Fine Foods, Local Bounti – are changing the narrative that east Pasco is an undesirable place to build and to live. “I think smart developers know that proximity-wise, there’s going to be housing needs,” he said. The builders see opportunity in an overlooked area. “Pasco is no longer going to be the lowincome homes that it used to be,” said Hilario Zaragoza, owner of Empire Bros, which has 19 lots in development. “It’s getting to where people desire to be in east Pasco.” uEAST PASCO, Page A10

Wanted: new owner for old-fashioned Kennewick store By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz

Basin Department Store, Kennewick’s source of work and safety equipment for nearly seven decades, is for sale. Stuart Logg has worked for the family business started by his father, Don, for 60 of its 69 years and says he’s ready to enjoy a relaxed retirement. The asking price of $1.95 million includes the building, parking lot and business, including its inventory of boots, Carhartt gear and apparel, at 111 W. First Ave. in downtown Kennewick. Logg’s earliest memories are of packaging socks at age 4. His father, Don, bought

them in bulk. Young Stuart ran a simple metal device that moistened adhesive labels used to bind loose socks into pairs. Once the socks were bundled, he’d slap on a price tag: 79 cents. Logg was born and raised in Kennewick and attended Kamiakin High School as a member of the Class of 1974. He didn’t graduate, falling a credit shy of a diploma. It made no difference. He said he seldom went to school anyway.

Professional home Basin Department Store would be his on- and off-again professional home for six decades. uBASIN DEPT. STORE, Page A4

PLEASE DELIVER TO CURRENT OCCUPANT Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business 8524 W. Gage Blvd., #A1-300 Kennewick, WA 99336

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