Othello port working on air, water, funding

OTHELLO - The Port of Othello is proceeding with several projects regarding air, water and land.

"Right now we've got something going everywhere," Director Michael Beardsley said.

An airport expansion is proceeding, he said, with the port acquiring land.

Another well for water has been drilled in nearby Bruce, and the port plans to build a well house, add a pump and make the connection in order to provide more capacity more efficiently.

"We think we have an opportunity brewing too, that would only come here because of the water," Beardsley said.

A group representing "just about an entire cross-section of Othello" recently met to try and court a major improvement into the Bruce area, Beardsley said.

"The big reason why we could do that, I think, is because we have significant water capacity out there, which is hard to come by any more," he said.

The port district is also looking for funding for its business park, to be located at Highway 26 and Fourteenth Avenue.

The port had hoped for more federal and state grant money, Beardsley said.

"Of which there is just very little," he said. "The problem is the infrastructure has to come before the improvements. Given that we're having a problem coming up with the money we need for that, that's going to limit our ability to attract companies and get buildings out of the ground."

But the port is going to adjust its game plan, taking "little" steps on a piecemeal basis, Beardsley noted, for the project, which includes apartment, retail and commercial space.

"I was hoping we could lay the whole improvement out and then market three different segments at once," Beardsley said. "Now what we'll do is we'll work the retail-commercial first, and then possibly swing into a little apartment development. That will give us the cash-flow we need to get the industrial space …"

Funding will primarily be generated through land sales, Beardsley said.

"By developing the property right close to rentals first, that will allow us to generate cash flow that will build the road systems and extend into the property, where we can be more appealing to businesses wanting to relocate," he said.

While excited, Beardsley acknowledged the job will be "tougher" than he originally anticipated.

"But, you know, with every tough challenge comes a bigger reward when you finally get there," he said.