EDC fetes future commerce center

'Power center' expected to be open end of June

MOSES LAKE — Some of the county's finest turned out Tuesday to applaud the ground breaking for a project that has been long in the works.

Grant County Economic Development Council Executive Director Terry Brewer told the gathered assemblage — which included state Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Ephrata; Congressman Richard "Doc" Hastings, R-4th District; Grant County Commissioners LeRoy Allison and Tim Snead and Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey, among others — that the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, or EDA, awarded the site of the future North Gateway Center with a matching grant in the amount of $2.3 million in August 2003.

The total project budget is about $4.8 million, Brewer said to the group gathered on Aspi Boulevard behind the Moses Lake Senior Living Community.

"We're so pleased to say that there's no debt on this project," he said. "The money that was needed to provide the match to accomplish the EDA $2.3 million was already in local project budget, and certified … From what we've been told, this is one of the larger EDA project awards that they are currently funding. We are so grateful for their assistance."

Derek Pohle, director of public works for the Grant County Public Works Department, said that the target date for the site's opening is about the end of June.

"It gives the county the type of commercial infrastructure to attract large big-box-type commercial endeavors," Pohle said. "Right now, the city has a few locations that could accept that, but the county doesn't have multi-lane, curb gutter sidewalk, lighting — an area that's ready to be built on that has sewer and water and that sort of thing. This will be kind of the premiere area for that sort of development to congregate to."

LeRoy Allison told the audience that there are several phases to the process of the development — the funding and acquisition phase, the ground breaking and action phase, which he said is the most exciting phase, and the ribbon cutting.

"(This) is when we begin the physical process, and the public gets to see years of planning and engineering come to fruition with development of the final product," Allison said of the action phase. "It is exciting for Grant County to be a partner in accomplishing these improvements, which will benefit the greater Moses Lake area for years to come."

Covey asked the audience to reflect what the project may mean for the area in terms of jobs, services and how it will reflect upon the economy.

"The infrastructure that is going to be located in the new Westover and Owens drives certainly will enhance the area and make it a very positive and very attractive location for new companies, new retailers, commercial and industrial developers to come into our area," Covey said.

Kim Foster, corporate counsel for Aero-Space Port International (ASPI) Group, whose division, North American Foreign Trade Zone Industries, owns the property, said that the center is pursuing two classes of tenants — big box corporations and secondary, or out-parcel, tenants.

"We have had significant interest from two big box retailers and they've made site visits, but we are under the terms of nondisclosure agreements and cannot disclose their names until they are ready to announce," Foster said. "We have several of the out-parcel parties that, as soon as the big box parties make a commitment, then (they) naturally fall into line. "

Desert Rock Excavations of Moses Lake will begin construction within 10 days.