Real Estate & Construction Briefs – September 2021
DGR grant to Cocoon K East Reactor
Richland-based DGR Grant Construction Inc. has won a $ 9.5 million contract to build a cocoon-like structure over the K-East reactor at the Hanford site.
The enclosure above the reactor serves as safe interim storage and protects the building, while the radioactivity in the reactor core decays in the coming decades and the reactor is then dismantled.
Central Plateau Cleanup Co., a contractor for the US Department of Energy, awarded the contract in August.
“The award of the contract is an important step in completing the work on the Hanford K reactor area,” said Bob Krebs, CPCCo project manager.
DGR is expected to begin work on the foundation for the storage enclosure in September. A steel structure will be installed in early 2022 and the project should be completed in 2023.
K East Reactor was in operation from 1955 to 1971. It is the seventh of nine former Hanford reactors to be safely stored. K West Reactor will be the ninth.
B Reaktor is retained as a visitor facility and is part of the National Park Service’s Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
Parade of Homes tickets available for tours September 17-19
Tickets for the popular Parade of Homes event organized by the Home Builders Association of Tri-Cities are available now.
The parade will look different this year due to pandemic disruptions in the supply chain. It will offer two homes for a personal tour from September 17th to 19th.
Additional houses can be viewed online from September 20th at paradeofhomestricities.com.
The two builders taking part in this year’s parade are Prodigy Homes and Pahlisch Homes Inc.
“The resilience and ingenuity of these builders in preparing their homes for display in a year of approval delays, supply chain disruptions and general uncertainty is truly impressive. Now they are excited to share these incredible homes with you, ”HBA Tri-Cities wrote on their Facebook page.
Parade of Homes tickets are available for $ 10 at Circle K stores in the area. The purchase includes admission to the two houses from September 17th to 19th, a 56-page glossy magazine in color and entry to the Fall Home Show, which takes place from October 1st to 3rd at the HAPO Center in Pasco.
Graze buys the headquarters building in Kennewick
Graze LLC, the Walla Walla-based operator of Graze A Place to Eat sandwich and salad shops, has purchased the former China Café building at 131 N. Ely St. in Kennewick.
The 215-square-foot building, which was built in 1975, is being remodeled despite owner John Lastoskie saying it was too early to discuss plans.
Graze has local businesses at 8530 W. Gage Blvd., near Columbia Center in Kennewick, and 610 George Washington Way in Richland’s new Park Place apartment and retail development.
Benton County’s real estate records indicate that Graze LLC paid $ 1.23 million for the property in a deal that was registered on July 27th.
Immediate care for doctors is now called Nova Health
Nova Health, which provides primary and emergency services in the western United States, has acquired Richlands Physicians Immediate Care & Medical Centers (PICMC).
The acquisition expands Nova’s growing emergency and basic services presence to the fifth operating state, in line with its strategy of reaching more markets in the western United States, said Jim Ashby, chief executive officer of Nova Health, in a statement.
“We expect the combined company to become even stronger and improve the access and quality of patient care in the three-city area,” he said.
Nova Health has emergency offices at 310 Torbett St. and 550 Gage Blvd. and a primary care office at 1516 Jadwin Ave., all in Richland.
“Nova Health has demonstrated its commitment to high quality healthcare and streamlined processes, and its reputation as a high performing healthcare network is well deserved. We want to reassure PICMC patients that they will continue to receive the same staff and great care while enjoying the benefits of a large, networked healthcare organization, ”said Dr. Douglas Crawford, owner of Physicians Immediate Care and Medical Centers, in a press release.
Opening of Sola Salon Studios at Columbia Center
Sola Salon Studios plans to open its first Tri-City location in November at the Columbia Center Mall, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Suite 205A, in Kennewick. Completion is planned for November 2021,
The 6,200 square meter salon offers space for 33 private studios in three sizes. It’s located in the mall near JCPenney.
The features of the new studios include private individual rooms with storage space, oversized sliding / sliding doors, floor-to-ceiling walls for privacy, all utilities, WiFi and full spectrum lighting.
“We are so proud to bring Sola Salon Studios to the Tri-Cities and to offer local hairdressers, beauticians, nail technicians, massage therapists and makeup artists a beautiful, safe place to realize their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Melissa Bertsch, co – Owner of Sola Salon Studios in the Tri-Cities.
Sola stylists can customize their own fully equipped studio and set their own hours. In addition, they set their own prices and receive full commission on retail products.
Sola has more than 545 locations in the United States, Canada, and Brazil, providing the freedom and benefits of a salon to more than 16,000 independent beauty professionals. Go to solasalonstudios.com.
Costa Vida opens pandemic delayed location in Pasco
Costa Vida opened its newest Tri-City restaurant in Pasco on August 16th.
The new fresh Mexican outlet is located at 6627 Burden Blvd., Suite A.
Russ Cazier is the franchisee for Costa Vida restaurants in the area, along with a number of subway locations. He leased the Pasco spot, which is located next to Proof Kitchen and The Sushi House, in early 2020, but was unable to open it because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2,912 square meter area includes a commercial kitchen and dining area as well as toilets.
Wave Design Group’s Mike Corbin was the project architect and W McKay Construction LLC was the contractor.
Incyte Diagnostics Opens New Patient Collection Laboratory
Incyte Diagnostics has opened a new patient collection lab at 221 Wellsian Way in Richland to perform blood, urine and Covid-19 tests.
Appointments are not required, but patients must have lab assignments from their healthcare provider.
Founded in 1957 by a group of pathologists, Incyte Diagnostics provides pathology services throughout the Northwest with laboratories in Richland, Bellevue and Spokane Valley.
Go to incytediagnostics.com.
Dedicated to North Franklin Visitor Center
A new visitor center in northern Franklin County opened on August 23 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The North Franklin Visitor Center, 661 S. Columbia Ave., is a joint venture between the City of Connell, the Connell Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Pasco.
The small center welcomes visitors to town and serves as a rest stop for travelers on Highway 395.
The building used to be a doctor’s office. It is owned by the city and has been redeveloped by the port with a lobby, conference room, public toilets, an office for the chamber and an outside deck. The Port of Pasco Commission will also meet at the Connell site.
Lourdes Crisis Services moves to Richland
Lourdes Health Crisis Services has moved to the Lourdes Counseling Center, 1175 Carondelet Drive, Richland.
The move consolidates behavioral health services into a single location.
“We believe that by having all of our services in one convenient location, we can best and better meet the needs of our community,” said Gordon Cable, director of behavioral health and allied services at Lourdes Health.
The crisis service provides behavior-based health care for patients with mental health and substance abuse crises around the clock.
Call 509-783-0500 or 800-783-0544.
EB-5 failure puts jobs and investments at risk
Invest in the USA, a Washington, DC, group promoting investment by EB-5 immigrants in capital projects, is urging Congress to re-approve the program, which expired on June 30th.
Failure to do so could put $ 15.2 billion in capital investments and more than 485,000 American jobs at risk, it said.
EB-5, for Employment Benefit Five, enables immigrant investors to secure green cards in exchange for investments in capital projects that create American jobs. At the local level, it has been used to fund several projects, most notably The Lodge Hotel at Richland’s Columbia Point.
It was first piloted in 1992 and expired at the end of June after several short-term extensions.
The relapse affects the immigration status of nearly 32,600 current investors and their families who have filed immigration applications and gives cause for concern that they may be pulling funds out of current projects.
New Covid-19 real estate guidelines for brokers and companies
Realtors, clients and industry partners – such as appraisers, inspectors, photographers, etc. – must wear masks for listing appointments, demonstrations, inspections, visits, open days and other indoor interactions, according to Washington Realtors.
The new guidelines apply as a state-reintroduced mask requirement for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, indoors from 23 August.
Real estate companies must require masks in their offices for all private individuals, consumers and brokers regardless of the vaccination status, the state association said.
In addition, estate agents and their clients must comply with any additional requirements or restrictions imposed by the seller of a property, including required deadlines, capacity restrictions or other instructions. Listing brokers should detail all requirements in the listing and post signs on the property regarding specific instructions, the group advised.
The Friends Group needs $ 330,000 for Little Badger Preserve
Friends of Badger Mountain reports that it still has to raise $ 330,000 to purchase the last 21 acres it will take to build Little Badger Mountain Preserve and Trail, the third in its line of trails in the Tri -Cities will be.
The project includes the acquisition of land and the construction of a 2.2 mile trail, some sections of which will traverse challenging terrain.
The trail leads from Queensgate Drive to the top of Little Badger Mountain to two water tanks.
Those giving $ 1,000 or more have their names set in stone on the trail that joins the Badger Mountain and Candy Mountain trails.
Go to donatenow.networkforgood.org/friendsofbadgermountain.
World Trade Center reopened. Not Starbucks. Lawsuit follows
When New York State allowed limited-occupancy malls to reopen in September 2020, a prominent Starbucks store stayed dark.
Now the Seattle-based coffee giant is being sued for $ 5.2 million in re-leases and future rents because its landlord claims he violated his lease for its Westfield World Trade Center store in New York.
Unibail Rodamco Westfield has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the southern borough of New York, reports Chain Store Age, which haunts the retail industry.
Last spring, the Seattle Times reported that Starbucks had asked landlords to cut rents for the coming year because of the Covid-19 crisis.