Foreclosure set again on Walla Walla land

WALLA WALLA -- Walla Walla County officials are rolling forward with another round of foreclosure proceedings at the former Blue Mountain Mall property.

In a filing in Walla Walla County Superior Court last week, county Treasurer Gordon Heimbigner said owners of the property have failed to pay taxes on a portion of the commercial land between 2008 and 2011, and some prior years, too.

Prosecuting attorney Jim Nagle is seeking a motion of default and order for sale. A hearing on the matter has been set for March 5 at 9:30 a.m. in Superior Court.

This step may give some residents déjàvu. Late last year, a similar process was in motion on the southern portion of the property.

Owners had failed to pay assessments from a Local Improvement District that was created more than 20 years ago for road improvements from when the mall was originally built. They also had failed to pay property taxes. The portion of the property that was included in the LID ran from the eastern property line to Myra Road and from Poplar Street to near the south wall of the former mall. It didn't include Shopko, Sears or anything north of those stores.

This story was originally published February 27, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Foreclosure set again on Walla Walla land ."