Old Tower, Princess Theatre rehabs caught in water rights standoff

Washington lawmakers are caught in a standoff over a $4 billion capital budget as Senate Republicans insist the state first address the Hirst decision, a 2016 state Supreme Court decision that clouds rural water rights.

About $51 million is targeted at Mid-Columbia projects, including some with low budgets but high emotional impact.

The budget earmarks $300,000 for Save the Old Tower, a grassroots effort to preserve the decommissioned air traffic control tower on the east side of Tri-Cities Airport, and $114,000 for facade improvements to the historic Princess Theatre in Prosser.

Built in 1942 to anchor Naval Air Station Pasco, the “old” tower is the most visible remnant of the Mid-Columbia’s ”other” contribution to the war effort.

While Hanford was supporting in the Manhattan Project, Pasco was home to the nation’s third-busiest naval training base after Pensacola, Fla., and Corpus Christie, Texas. Naval Air Station Pasco was decommissioned shortly after the war. By 2012, the tower faced demolition.

The nonprofit Pacific Northwest Aviation Museum stepped in to rescue the tower and convert it into a museum.

Malin Bergstrom, who is leading the effort, is hopeful the money will come through.

She’s not holding her breath.

“I’m not one of those who counts my chickens before they hatch,” she joked.

The state’s money will refurbish the second and higher floors, but that can’t start before the building gets a new roof.

The roof project is behind schedule because local roofers are still playing catch-up after last winter’s damaging snowstorms. One-off projects like the Old Tower are a low priority.

“I would love to be at the point where we were waiting on those funds, but we’re not,” Bergstrom said.

In Prosser, the manager of the Princess Theatre is watching Olympia with mounting concern. The nonprofit that owns and runs the Princess secured a commitment through the Washington State Historical Society’s Heritage Capital Projects Fund to update the facade. A private grant paid for the initial round of improvements.

The state’s money will complete the task, which includes modernizing the neon “Princess” sign with new wiring and lights. The project is good to go when the money comes through, manager Shara Forrister said.

While Olympia debates, Forrister is watching costs increase and the construction season fade into fall.

“Delaying passing the capital projects budget for the state for the biennium is not just impacting the businesses and agencies that are requesting funds. It's impacting the construction companies, the lighting companies, the awning companies — all these other businesses that are waiting to bid on and possibly obtain the work,” she said.

“It is impacting the workers who benefit from these jobs.”

This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Old Tower, Princess Theatre rehabs caught in water rights standoff."