What’s being built there? $12M dental school + HAPO biz hub

Welcome to “What’s being built there?” – the occasional Tri-City Herald feature that gives quick information and updates on construction projects shaping our region.

But if you’re wondering why some construction sites are lacking activity for days in recent weeks, it’s likely because of a strike by members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 against Associated General Contractors. The strike has caused progress to slow or stop at many public and private sites.

Have a question about work you see in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland and surrounding cities? Let us know at news@tricityherald.com.

Kennewick

HAPO business hub

9757 W. Clearwater Ave.

HAPO Credit Union has secured permits to build two new offices in western Kennewick to support its growing commercial and business banking activities.

The city of Kennewick has approved permits for the two buildings totaling about 31,000 square feet to serve as a business hub as well as meeting complex. Chervenell Construction Co. is the contractor for the $10 million project.

The project is tied to HAPO’s recent acquisition of Community First Bank, which closed Aug. 1.

Dental training facility

6351/6335 W. Rio Grande Ave.

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic and Pacific Northwest University are constructing a two-story, 18,000-square-foot dental training facility.

The $12.2 million training center is one of three in Washington and will serve as a learning center for PNWU’s new School of Dental Medicine. Students will train under PNWU faculty.

Construction should be complete in April and the clinic will welcome patients in June. It’s next to Miramar Health Center, at West Rio Grande Avenue and Kellogg.

Chervenell Construction is the contractor.

Pasco

Oregon Potato Co. office

6727 Chapel Hill Blvd.

Oregon Potato Co., parent of Washington Potato and other related brands, is building an 18,525-square-foot office building near Wilco Farm Store in western Pasco.

Bouten Construction Co. is the contractor for the $3.6 million project, which was designed by MMEC Architecture & Interiors.

Oregon Potato raises potatoes on more than 140,000 irrigated acres and operates processing plants in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Michigan. The city of Pasco approved the building permit on July 30.

Richland

Richland Pizza

1759 George Washington Way

A former Starbucks in north Richland is being converted into a pizza restaurant, according to a building permit issued by the city of Richland.

Richland Pizza, led by Sherrie and Alex Zollinger, is investing about $310,000 to convert the coffee shop at the Safeway-anchored Washington Plaza into a pizza restaurant.

Starbucks moved its north Richland store to a new building at the same shopping center. The move gave the coffee chain a much-needed drive-up window.

ICCU Richland branch

3180 Duportail St.

Idaho Central Credit Union, a newcomer to the Tri-Cities financial service market, has secured permits to build a 5,000-square-foot branch office in south Richland.

The project is valued at $5.2 million and is being constructed by Chervenell Construction Co. A branch in south Kennewick is nearing completion and will open later this year. Wake Up Call Coffee

590 Gage Blvd.

A small coffee drive-thru is visibly taking shape at one fo the more high-profile intersections in south Richland, at Leslie and Gage.

The fuure Wake Up cofee drive-thru is being built at the site of a former gas station, which closed and was demolished along with an enviornmental cleanup of the property.

The 470-square-foot drive-thru is valued at $350,000 and is being built by Hummel Construction & Development.

South Richland retail by Yoke’s

460 Keene Road

Matthew and Nathan Croskrey have secured permits to construct a retail building enar Yoke’s Fresh Market in south Richland.

The new spot will have space for four tenants, including a dog groomer, and is valued at about $2.4 million.

Northwest Construction Services Inc. is the contractor for the 9,200-square-foot project.

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