Port of Kennewick: Strong partnerships to transform and renew

The Port of Kennewick has developed strong partnerships to transform neighborhoods and bring renewed economic vibrancy to challenged areas throughout our district. We’ve made waterfront investments, we’ve fostered new industries, we’ve championed art as a tool for economic development, and we’ve worked to engage stakeholders and our citizenry in transparent urban planning. Together, the port and its partners are completing significant projects for our region.

Vista Field

At Vista Field, the port is following a community-driven master plan to create a vibrant, pedestrian-focused town-center that features mixed-use neighborhoods and urban lifestyle amenities.

Last April, with support from City of Kennewick and Benton County, the port began constructing the first phase of infrastructure, including streets, sidewalks, landscaping, a linear park, water features and a plaza.

This year, the port will complete Vista Field’s initial infrastructure, finalize parcels, create a property owner association, set pricing and begin marketing available lots in the central 20 acres for commercial, retail and residential development opportunities. The port will use the proceeds from those land sales to help fund future phases of infrastructure until the site plan is complete. We will also undertake planning to remodel the former hangar buildings as commercial business space to continue the momentum at Vista Field.

At full build-out of the 103 acres, Vista Field is expected to generate more than $500 million in private-sector investment with more than 1,000 residential units and 740,000 square feet of commercial space.

Columbia Gardens

In east Kennewick, we’ve partnered with City of Kennewick, Benton County, and the Hanford Area Economic Investment Fund Advisory Committee to transform Kennewick’s historic waterfront into a destination gathering place known as Columbia Gardens Wine & Artisan Village.

Bartholomew Winery and Monarcha/Palencia Wine Co. recently celebrated their second successful year at Columbia Gardens. Since those initial wineries opened, we’ve also completed a loop road, parking, lighting, landscaping, signage and a Food Truck Plaza. We also installed artwork titled “Aspirations” at the east end of the wine village and Ben Franklin Transit, Kennewick Arts Commission and Columbia Center Rotary helped us commission and install an artistic transit shelter, “Rolling Mass.”

The newest building—just finished in February—brings tasting rooms for Cave B Estate and Gordon Estate Wineries to the wine village. The port now has six, shovel-ready parcels available for private-sector investment at that waterfront complex.

Development at Columbia Gardens will continue this year as we add a shade structure to the plaza that will be hung with Edison-style lights to create a festive evening environment and install a public restroom.

West Richland

In West Richland, the port sold land to Benton County Fire District No. 4 to build a new fire station. With 20,000 more residents anticipated within the next 20 years, the sale of that property was critical to help the fire district reduce response times and ensure continued public safety. We also sold 93 acres to City of West Richland to accommodate a new police station and create opportunities for additional development.

City of Richland

This year, we’re investing with the City of Richland as they upgrade the Island View neighborhood by making road, utility, pedestrian and recreational-access improvements to Columbia Park Trail.

Clover Island

And on Clover Island, with project support from the port, City of Kennewick, Benton County and Washington state, the Army Corps of Engineers is preparing engineering design and construction documents to restore the north shoreline and extend the island’s Riverwalk.

As always, the Port of Kennewick will continue to serve as a catalyst for economic development throughout our 485-square-mile district—and create partnerships and work plans to meet evolving community needs.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Port of Kennewick: Strong partnerships to transform and renew."