Changes for Moses Lake Plaza

by Matthew Weaver<br>Herald Staff Writer
| June 22, 2006 9:00 PM

Christian Academy moving into Buildings A, B

MOSES LAKE — New owners at the Moses Lake Plaza mean new developments for the community.

Purchased in mid-May by Patrick and Judy Molitor, the new ownership of the 60-acre-plus property means a new home for Moses Lake Christian Academy, which will move from its location on Grape Drive into Buildings A and B at the plaza on Nelson Road.

The Moses Lake Convention Center will remain in Building C, and the Hylander Greens Golf Course operation will also remain.

"The academy has been bursting at the seams," Patrick Molitor said. He feels the plaza is located in a spot that, more and more, is becoming a hub of the area, citing its close proximity to medical facilities, Moses Lake High School, Chief Moses Middle School, several elementary schools, the widening Highway 17, the tourism center of the highway and Interstate 90 and Yonezawa Boulevard development, as well as the possibility for further development. "We're seeing significant things happen out there. All real positive things for the community."

Academy administrator LeAnne Parton said the school has purchased one building, and is leasing the other, with hopes to ultimately purchase it. Attempts to purchase the facility a year ago fell through.

Building B will house the elementary school-aged students, and building A will hold those in grades seven through 12.

The almost-30-year-old academy is moving after 25 to 28 years at its location. Another Christian academy merged with Moses Lake Christian about four years ago, Parton explained, and the combined school has outgrown the Grape Drive location, with 275 students from preschool on to grade 12, and hopes for 300 this year, and eventually 500 students.

"Potential growth is almost unlimited," Parton said. "We are so excited about the move, and the potential to grow, the potential to offer more services, more classes, so much more space, larger classrooms than we had."

Parton said there is about 40,000 square feet of space between the two buildings at the plaza, compared to 16,000 to 18,000 square feet in the previous space

The school year begins Aug. 28 for secondary students and Aug. 30 for elementary school students.

Editor 6/22/06 In the meantime, work on the facility includes patching, painting and sheet-rocking, with up to 30 volunteers helping out at one time, as well as work from electricians and on the sprinkler system.

"It's completely the Lord, but it's more than I ever dreamed," said Parton, in her sixth year as administrator at the academy. "From where we've come from, the Lord's really blessed us."

The academy employed a total of 25 people in the last school year, including part-time, but that number will increase with the move. Janitorial staff will have to double, and Parton foresees a ripple effect in the school's future.

"We're hoping to be able to expand to two kindergartens this year, which will mean two first grades next year," she said.

New principal John Bartkowski will come aboard July 1.

Convention center manager Susie Kilpatrick said having a local tie is a tremendous asset. The Molitors have great vision, she said, and are supportive of her vision with her husband, Russ.

"They just really feel a real synergy there with everything going on," she said of the Molitors. "We're very excited for the future."

The Kilpatricks, who took over ownership of the convention center operation last year, plan to open several cafes on the site, in addition to maintaining the convention center itself. The Kilpatricks intend a tea and coffee cafe to be for community youth, a demographic dear to the couple's heart.

"It's one of the things that we feel really is important to us," Kilpatrick said. "And so we want to work on some of those things, and now we have a facility that we can do some of that. Plus, our children are young adults, and we know a lot of their friends don't really have a place to go, so we thought, we'll just try and see if this will be of some benefit to the community, that kids will have a place to come and play their music, and have a place they can go with live music but not have any alcohol … There's just a whole myriad of things that are on the books to be doing there at the center."

Editor 6/22/06 An additional cafe will work in conjunction with the serenity of the plaza's courtyard.

Kilpatrick said the majority of renovation to all buildings in the plaza will take place over the next few months, as the academy works to get finished for the next school year.

"They're kind trying to tie some of those things together with the contractors to make it as cost efficient as possible," she said.