Why does this mysterious Tri-Cities warehouse sound like roaring jet engines are inside?
There are two new warehouse projects near Vista Field that are leaving Tri-Cities commuters with a lot of questions.
The first is a bit mysterious.
It’s unmarked except for the street number, and if it weren’t for the noise coming from it, passersby would think it was just an empty shell.
On West Okanogan Avenue, the nondescript white warehouse sounds as if it’s housing jet engines. It’s just to the east of the Port of Kennewick’s Vista Field development next to a Caldwell Laboratories property.
What exactly is this warehouse, and why is it so loud?
The 5,000-square-foot building and neighboring lot have been many things over the years. It was once the home of a medical isotope producer and a towing company.
According to city of Kennewick building permits, it’s now a cryptocurrency mining operation.
The noise, which can be heard well across the street, is likely from the industrial fans being used to cool the building. Plans show that the company, known only as 6208 W. Okanogan LLC, has two dozen server racks set up for processing.
Those racks house types of computers that run 24 hours a day, generating a lot of heat.
It’s unclear who owns the warehouse, with Robert Myers being the only registered agent listed with the Washington Secretary of State’s Office. City records show Tri-City Engineers performed the planning work for the $350,000 renovation.
The warehouse, according to the engineering plans, has several industrial transformers to help manage the huge electricity demand, and large fans along one wall and in the ceiling. The fans then direct the heat outside. It also uses five large cooling structures to help keep the devices from overheating.
Documents show the warehouse passed all relevant inspections required by the city.
Typically large cryptocurrency mining operations are made up of stacks of thousands of networked video processing cards or similar rigs.
Put simply, the network verifies transactions called a block, which is then added to a digital ledger called a blockchain, according to Forbes.
These blockchains are what helps make cryptocurrency a secure transaction. The most popular, and most expensive, form of cryptocurrency is the Bitcoin, which adds a new block every 10 minutes.
There are many other “coins” or cryptocurrencies, some more valuable than others.
The currency has helped build huge wealth for some who buy in early. At the time of publication 1 Bitcoin was worth about $19,147. In April 2021 Bitcoin peaked at more than $63,000.
Other coins vary greatly in value, with Etherium sitting at about $1,300 and Dogecoin, a meme format popularized by internet message boards and Elon Musk, is at 6 cents.
In 2018, with the rise of home-based small cryptocurrency mining operations, Benton PUD made changes to its service agreements to help manage the increased electricity loads. Intensive power users must notify the PUD and have an assessment done ahead of time to ensure the equipment feeding their property can meet the demand.
Customers who don’t follow these steps are liable for damages caused.
Rio Grande Warehouse
On the other side of Vista Field, a new warehouse is being built. This one is much less of a mystery.
Diners enjoying a meal at the new Summer’s Hub Food Truck park have noticed the large new structural steel frame going up across the street, and are wondering what it’s going to be.
Rob Ellsworth, a broker with SVN Retter and Company, said the large structure will eventually be an industrial strip mall, with large bay doors and office spaces.
Ellsworth said the warehouse’s owner, Jerry Ivy, owns the land where Stoneway Roofing Supply sits across from the hub on West Rio Grande Avenue and decided the time was right to use the empty property next to it.
Ellsworth said he pitched Ivy on the need for an industrial warehouse space for smaller business owners who need their own setup.
“They’re great for a contractor showroom and office or supply area. Crossfit gyms are prevalent in these,” he said. “Anyone needing kind of a smaller warehouse, really.”
The warehouse space will come in at just under 12,500 square feet and is customizable to fit the needs of tenants, with six large bay doors. Ellsworth said there is a huge demand for these types of small warehouse spaces in the area. They’ve already had potential clients contact them inquiring about space.
The location is primed for growth, with the Port of Kennewick’s Vista Field development just behind the warehouse to the east. Before Vista Field can become the Regional Town Center the port envisions, it will need to be built, and that means a whole lot of contractors building homes, apartments, commercial spaces and more.
While not directly marketed toward them, these small, customizable warehouses would be prime space for contractors working on the development. Anyone interested in leasing space should contact SVN Retter and Company.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
