ASPI constructing Moses Lake building

Commerce Park One to house Genie supplier

MOSES LAKE -Work began for a 50,000-square-foot building in Moses Lake this week.

The Aero-Space Port International, or ASPI, Group announced Monday its Commerce Park One building will be constructed of concrete-tilt with a 24-foot ceiling height, with a combination of grade and dock-high doors with office enclosures.

The building will accommodate one of Genie Industries' main suppliers, Parker Hannifin, a Fortune 200 company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Parker Hannifin is a supplier of hydraulic equipment and hoses used in Genie's lifts.

"It's an asset to Genie," said project Superintendent Mike O'Halloran.

O'Halloran said the building received its grading permit June 23 and its building permit on Monday.

"We're good to go for the whole project," he said.

The new building is located on Patton Boulevard behind the ASPI Group's other, existing building. O'Halloran said the new, 25,000-square-foot building is an addition to the existing building, also 25,000 square feet, which houses Coca-Cola and Key Trucking, another Genie supplier.

Coca-Cola and Key Trucking will remain. Parker Hannifin is most likely the only tenant in the new building, O'Halloran added.

The wall between the new building and existing building will be a common barrier fire wall.

Tualatin, Ore.- based Russell Construction is general contractor. Mike Brown is the project manager.

The new building is part of ASPI's ongoing efforts to further economic development and employment creation in Grant County.

"We made an initial investment in and around Grant International Airport in about 1990," said ASPI corporate counsel Kim Foster. "So ASPI has a written memorandum of understanding with the Port of Moses Lake for joint marketing efforts for airport-related industries and development."

As Genie has "ramped up" production, Foster said, the growth has been so dramatic they need their subcontractors who have been using surplus space in their building to relocate outside.

"It's very difficult with the Moses Lake paradigm for leasing for traditional finance projects to accommodate people like Genie's subcontractors, because they typically would prefer a shorter-term lease because they aren't contractually bound to Genie for a very long-term time," Foster explained. "ASPI is able to finance and construct a project that allows us to provide a price-competitive environment for Genie subcontractors without having to insist on very long-term leases."

Parker Hannifin is no longer in the Genie building, but has been using space in a building owned by one of ASPI's subsidiaries on a temporary basis.

ASPI's plans include a second building of approximately 100,000 square feet, to be constructed behind Commerce Park One along the rail siding.

"We're hoping to get into some other leasees and renters in the near future," O'Halloran added. "This is the other shoe that's dropping. We're hoping to get into some more successful leasing and building more in that area."

Construction of the Commerce Park One building is scheduled for completion in late September. The whole building will sport exterior finishes of desert and earth tones and be remodeled to look like one brand-new building, Foster said.

For further information, contact Foster at 425-264-1000.