Developer clearing final hurdles for work to begin on Osprey Pointe
After years of planning, the red tape is all but cleared and a major new development in Pasco is getting ready to begin construction.
James Sexton, owner of JMS Construction, is awaiting approval from the city of Pasco to begin work on the 55-acre Osprey Pointe development along the Columbia River.
Osprey Pointe will spring up around the land where the Port of Pasco’s offices currently sit, stretching from South Gray Avenue to where East Ainsworth Avenue splits off into the industrial area along the waterfront.
The development is a project the Port of Pasco has wanted to make a reality for more than a decade.
Issues with energy taxes and efficiency standards are holding up construction of the 84,000-square-foot indoor market, which Sexton is trying to work out, so construction will begin on the west side of the development.
He told the Herald that he hopes to begin building 33 homes and a multistory mixed use building by the end of the summer.
After that, he’ll finish building out the remaining 30 or so single family homes, then work will start on several eight story mixed use buildings with commercial space on the ground floor and seven floors of residential above.
One of the buildings he’s most excited for is a senior living community, which will have a third story outdoor space, 18 holes of golf on the roof and other amenities.
He wants to create residential spaces that offer features such as rooftop living, ensuring each of the 1,036 homes, condos and apartments are dynamic and exciting.
He recently presented infrastructure and preliminary building plans for the entire development to the Port of Pasco, and is now just waiting on permit approvals to begin work.
“The big delay has been getting the entire plan done,“ Sexton said. “This is a 10 to 12 year project.”
Sexton said traditionally developers will present plans for the phases they’re going to work on in the immediate future, but for this project the city wanted infrastructure plans for the entire development.
Osprey Pointe will feature a park along the waterfront, with additional mixed use buildings looking out over the river. The waterfront area will also feature a splash park.
Sexton said the plan is for less of a traditional playground type splash pad, and something more in line with geyser fountain installations with no standing water. It will be about the size of a hockey field, and in winter barriers will be put up to let the pad freeze over for ice hockey games.
The waterfront park will connect directly with the 23-mile long Sacagawea Heritage Trail.
Two creative use buildings will be constructed near the Port of Pasco office. They’ll be three stories, mixed use and can be bought or rented by professionals who want to live and work nearby.
Sexton also said he’s in the process of identifying brands to partner with for a 150-room hotel, as well as a grocery store. He’s also had several restaurants express interest in the development.
All of the multi-story buildings will feature underground parking. The earth moved to build them will be repurposed to create an amphitheater on the eastern end of the development, just past the market.
The amphitheater stage will back into a 6,032 seat event center with a 40-foot by 80-foot stage that can be used for concerts, operas, plays and other events. Sexton said they’re going to use removable seating on the ground level so that events can utilize the entire floor space.
The amphitheater seating will come in around 3.5 to 4 acres of seating and 7.5 to 8 acres of grassy area. The seating capacity is planned to clock in at around 35,000, making it larger than The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash.
Sexton said he’s considering building a temporary stage in the interim, because he’s eager to give the community a new space for events.
His hope for Osprey Pointe is to create a space that embodies the “work, play, live” lifestyle.
“Hopefully more play than just work and live,” Sexton said.
Indoor Market
The indoor market planned for Osprey Pointe is still on the table. In fact, the building has already been ordered and has been sitting in a storage yard for more than a year.
The 84,000-square-foot market will be three stories, with 120 vendor stalls on the ground level and event or banquet space and offices above. His vision for the market is to create a space like Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee.
The main hold up with the market is a question of energy efficiency and gas taxes. Sexton is trying to get the market classified as a mall in order to reduce the gas tax burden, and ensure it remains affordable, but he said the regulations for doing so are restrictive.
He’s also planning on running solar panels along the roof, totaling 65-feet wide and 150-feet long.
Sexton said that once they work out the energy efficiency tax issues, they’ll circle back around and get the market built.
This story was originally published July 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
