What’s being built there? Ross Dress sets opening date + $23M apartments in Kennewick

Welcome to “What’s being built there?”

This regular Tri-City Herald feature provides brief descriptions of the construction projects shaping the built environment of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland and surrounding communities.

Send projects that need an explanation or update to news@tricityherald.com.

Kennewick

Hansen Park West

814 S. Columbia Center Blvd.

TMG Northwest is adding a new set of apartments to its Resort at Hansen Park mixed-use neighborhood at the northwest corner of Columbia Center Boulevard and West 10th Avenue.

Kennewick authorized a five-story apartment building, valued at nearly $24 million, on Jan. 29.

The new addition will consist of a ground-level parking garage topped by four floors containing a mix of 132 studio, one and two-bedroom apartments., organized around a central courtyard.

TMG of Vancouver is led by Dennis Pavlina and Carmen Villarma, owners of Vancouver-based TMG.

The Resort at Hansen Park features a mix of triplexes, traditional garden-style apartment buildings, an urban-style pedestal building and commercial buildings. In 2024, it added a 24,100-square-foot, three-story community center for tenants on the property.

Ross Dress for Less opens in March

2825 W. Kennewick Ave.

Ross Dress For Less will open its second Kennewick location on March 8.

The discount clothing chain took over 44,000 square feet in the building once home to Safeway overlooking Highway 395.

The $1.4 million project included returning the original grocery to shell condition and tenant improvement work to transform it into a Ross store.

Shelby’s Floral Phase 2

6018 W. Clearwater Ave.

Shelby’s Floral has secured a building permit to construct a second building next to its new home.

The new building will have 4,100 square feet and will be divided for up to two tenants.

Hummel Construction & Development is the contractor. The project has a construction valuation of about $800,000.

Shelby’s, owned by Jackie Brown, moved to its new 6,150-square-foot home last August, leaving its long-time home at Marineland Village.

Bruce Mechanical

5003 W. Brinkley.

Bruce Mechanical Inc. is constructing a 26,100-square-foot metal building to house offices as well as a loading dock in south Kennewick, near the Highway 395/I-82 interchange.

The city approved permits in January. Bruce is serving as its own contractor.

Moon Cafe (Update)

3719 Plaza Way

A new restaurant for Kennewick’s Southridge area is taking shape near The Original Pancake House and Trios Health Southridge Hospital.

Moon Cafe, aka Plaza Way Cafe, is being developed by Pearl and Tiger LLC of West Richland . The 3,100 square-foot restaurant is designed by Baker Architecture. The project is about 40% complete, planning records show.

Chick-fil-A (Update)

7009 W. Canal Drive

The Tri-Cities first-ever Chick-fil-A is 47% complete, planning records show.

The Atlanta-based chicken chain building at 4,920-square-foot restaurant with seating for 70 inside and 24 outside at the Colonnade Shopping Center, near Hobby Lobby and Wendy’s in the Columbia Center area.

There will be two drive-thru lanes. The project has a construction value of $1.1 million.

Chick-fil-A co-owns the project with three Portland-based limited liability companies: Winprop I LLC, Madrona Joe’s LLC and Watumull GI Joe’s LLC.

Richland

Muchas Gracias Mexican Food

894 Stevens Drive

Muchas Gracias Mexican Food is extending its Tri-Cities footprint to the former Tumbleweeds restaurant in central Richland.

In 2024, the Vancouver-based chain remodeled the former Taco John’s restaurant at 701 W. Vineyard Drive near Kennewick High School.

The company operates more than 70 restaurants in western Oregon and Washington, chiefly through franchisees and friends of the founders.

This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Wendy Culverwell

Tri-City Herald

Reporter Wendy Culverwell writes about growth, development and business for the Tri-City Herald. She has worked for daily and weekly publications in Washington and Oregon. She earned a degree in English and economics from the University of Puget Sound. Support my work with a digital subscription