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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2015)
8A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015 Great Ocean: Many of Chen’s proposals focus on tourism Continued from Page 1A “I’ve been involved since 2FW ZLWK QR ¿QDQFLDO gain,” Gerttula said, adding Chen’s vision impressed him, and he hopes Clatsop County supports the project. In coming weeks, he will send options to the Port for his company’s acquisition of North Tongue Point, the terms and how the Port might be compensated for getting out of its lease, which runs through 2019 and costs the Port more than $300,000 a year. North Tongue Point The centerpiece of Chen’s vision is a multi-functional, privately owned internation- al shipping port at North Tongue Point. The website describes the terminal as a cold-chain distribution cen- ter with seafood and fruit storage and packing, receiv- ing produce by barge from upstream and shipping it out DURXQGWKH3DFL¿F5LP “I think the whole invest- ment is about $220 million,” Chen said. He added the project could create between 1,500 and 2,000 direct, year- round jobs. The EB-5 program stip- ulates that at least $500,000 be invested and 10 full-time jobs created for each immi- grant investor’s admission to the United States as a Condi- tional Permanent Resident. Chen said his jobs are year-round, which led to the quick acceptance of his proj- ect by USCIS. When produce LVRXWRIVHDVRQLQWKH3DFL¿F Northwest, he said, it would be shipped here from as far south EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian Screenshot from www.goastoria.us On www.goastoria.us, Great Ocean Investment describes an Astoria Regional Airport expanded into an international facility capable of taking planes as large as Boeing 747s. as San Antonio, Chile, to be packed in Astoria and loaded onto ships bound for Asia. A big sticking point, Knight said, is how to in- clude the longshore labor, adding he hopes there are op- portunities for everyone. The union has jurisdiction over moving most cargo on the West Coast. “We’re going to have some very challenging dis- cussions on land use, trans- portation issues, community infrastructure and then the privatization of the shipping port,” Knight said, noting the recent issues shippers and ports have been having with longshore labor. Chen said a private port will speed its development by avoiding the public bid- ding process. Permitting such a project could take years, but he estimated it would take about 18 months to build out North Tongue Point. Chen said he’s open to any- one’s involvement, including longshore labor. Tourism Many of Chen’s proposals center on building Astoria’s identity as a tourism destination. Although sparse on de- tails, the website describes an expansion of the Port-owned Astoria Regional Airport in Warrenton to take planes as large as Boeing 747s jet- liners. The runways at the airport, Chen and Knight said, have to be extended to at least 9,500 feet to handle such large jetliners, as well as being strengthened and el- evated. “After the project (is) complete, the new Astoria airport can not only bring a good number of tourists, but also accommodate inter- national air transportation and express services,” says the website. “Cherries, king crabs and other high value commodities can be deliv- ered to the world as far as possible.” The Astoria region annu- ally serves as a stopover for between 10 and 20 cruise ships on their way north or south. But Chen envisions Astoria as a homeport for cruise ships. “Berth capacity will reach 5,000 passengers per time, which will support larger and more cruise lines,” his website reads. “The project is expected to bring 60,000 Chief Executive Director Capt. Huy Ying Chen, right, vis- ited with wife and Managing Director Ping Wang to share their vision for the Port of Astoria through their federally approved EB-5 immigrant investor group, Great Ocean Capital Holding LLC. tourists per year, create $180 million and 2,200 working opportunities to local mar- ket.” The website describes the Astoria Tourism Center, a 30-acre project, which Chen compared to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Immigrant investors Since the EB-5 program started in 1990, more than 600 regional centers have been approved across the U.S., including 10 in Oregon. Williams/Dame & Associates broke ground in Portland last month on the Hyatt House hotel, partially funded by EB-5 investors. Williams/ Dame has also worked with EB-5 investors to build a Residence Inn in the Pearl District. Chen said that as of yes- terday, he’s gathered between 56 and 58 investors so far for the project, worth $26 to $29 million. In addition, he said, he has about $20 million from private investors not seeking visas. Ultimately, he said, the plan is to gather 196 EB-5 immigrant investors, equaling about $98 million, and use private investment to ¿QDQFHWKHUHVWRIWKHSURMHFW at North Tongue Point. “We’re American, and we want to contribute to the country,” Chen said. He is from Taiwan, but has been an American citizen for more than 30 years. He hopes to have a fair hearing in the county on his proposal. Knight of the Port said he’s committed to having a fully public debate of the project. Head Start: Many staff members are parents of former students Continued from Page 1A is now an education specialist for the Neighborhood House public housing community in Seattle. Pat Eterno, the Sea- side center director, moved to Santa Rosa, Calif., to be an associate Head Start director. Replacing them are new directors who are all versed in childcare and Head Start. Lizz Bias, the director in Warrenton, is a 2013 college graduate, moving north from California State University in Chico, where she interned at Early Head Start, work- ing in preschools and doing home visits. She moved to Warrenton to be a teacher, before becoming a center di- rector. Grace Robinson, the cen- ter director in Astoria, didn’t come up through Head Start, but she’s worked in early childhood education since 1992, most recently at Co- ryell’s Crossing before it closed. “I think both have the same overall goal of preparing our … children for success in school,” said Robinson. “We just go about it differently. With Head Start, there’s more emphasis on the family, as well.” Coryell’s, which closed late last year, is under renovation Lizz Bias Grace Robinson to be a short- and long-term respite center for people expe- riencing mental health emer- gencies. Raedetta Castle, the di- rector in Seaside, was once a Head Start student herself. She’s worked in the program for 15 years now, most recent- ly transferring to Seaside from her directorship in Neah-Kah- Nie. Hiring from within isn’t something new. Out of 108 staff members in Head Start, 45 are parents of former stu- dents. Head Start provides on- site training for parents, Castle said, to see if they’re interested LQ WKH ¿HOG DQG DEOH WR ZRUN with the age group. Challenges Director of Child and Fam- ily Development Programs Joyce Ervin, which operates Head Start in Clatsop, Colum- bia and Tillamook counties, said the agency had to cut Raedetta Castle transportation to balance the budget because it cost more than $20,000 annually for the Astoria center alone. “We have had to drop a couple of kids because of transportation,” Visser said. “It’s been a pretty low num- ber, and parents have just done their best to make it work.” The effects are especially felt in Warrenton, the largest Head Start center in the coun- ty with 72 children, at least two-thirds of them traveling from Astoria. It takes more than an hour to get from Em- erald Heights, a low-income housing complex in Astoria, to the Warrenton center, fam- ily advocate Jereen Laferriere said. Transportation has had a small effect on enrollment, but Head Start is also seeing decreased waiting lists for its services among the region’s low-income families. The pro- gram limits the eligible income JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian Students in the Head Start class at the Robert Gray School move wood chips under a playground during outdoor time Monday. for varying family sizes to no more than $23,850 for a family of four to $15,730 for a house- hold of two. “I feel like we have a lot of 2-year-olds turning 3, so I think — I’m hoping — our wait list will look different next year,” Visser said. A bigger issue than trans- portation or demographics, Laferriere said, is the housing costs parents eligible for Head Start face. “It seems like apartment costs are comparable to the Portland area, but the job market isn’t,” said Laferriere, adding that she’s seen families with young children moving DZD\ WR ¿QG EHWWHU MREV HOVH- where. The Warrenton center has a whole classroom with fewer people on the wait list than it did last year. Week of the Young Child Astoria’s 2nd Saturday Art- walk falls one day before the start of the national Week of the Young Child celebration. Head Start is planning a sec- ond-annual exhibition of stu- dent artwork. “Our ultimate goal during the Week of the Young Child is that we have multiple gal- leries that would sponsor ear- ly childhood providers in the area,” Visser said. “So maybe Peace Learning Center, Lil’ Sprouts. Everyone would be sponsored and have their art featured.” Seaside: $31 million convention center would cost $220,000 a month for 30 years Continued from Page 1A said, was that “this town doesn’t want any sales tax.” The survey was conducted “They thought it would following two presentations harm their business, or people Vandenberg made to the Sea- would travel outside (the city) side Chamber of Commerce to shop,” he said. and the Seaside Downtown Other comments suggest- Development Association. ed the town does not have the In those presentations, he infrastructure, such as parking outlined the three options DQGURDGVWRKDQGOHDVLJQL¿- IRU ¿QDQFLQJ WKH FRQYHQWLRQ cant increase in visitors in the center expansion as well as a downtown area. According $6 million, multi-level park- to the survey, the expansion ing structure. The monthly would allow the convention payment required to retire center to bring groups of 500 the $31 million debt would to 600 to town. be $220,000 a month for 30 Some people indicated years. they simply like Seaside’s The survey also included small-town feel and believe a comment section, and Van- the expansion might harm denberg said they received that, Vandenberg said. numerous comments. The The construction alone biggest takeaway from the would take about a year, and comments, which were not some of the chamber and as- available yet, Vandenberg sociation members expressed fear about how that might negatively impact their busi- nesses. “They like things the way they are,” Vandenberg said. The Seaside Downtown Development Association Board has already voted to oppose a sales tax, according to Tita Montero, SDDA exec- utive director. A link to the survey re- sults was sent to both the chamber and association. The expansion committee will discuss the results be- fore bringing recommen- dations to the Seaside Civ- ic and Convention Center Commission. Sometime in the next few months, the commission will bring a final recommendation be- fore Seaside City Council to consider. A proposed $25 million expansion of the Seaside Civic and Convention Center could be paid for by a local sales tax and an increase in lodging taxes. DON FRANK photo Sip, Savor & UnWined ŶŝŶƟŵĂƚĞtŝŶĞdĂƐƟŶŐǀĞŶƚ ĨĞĂƚƵƌŝŶŐƌĂď͕^ĞĂĨŽŽĚĂŶĚtŝŶĞ&ĞƐƟǀĂů ǁŝŶĞĐŽŵƉĞƟƟŽŶĞŶƚƌŝĞƐ Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Liberty Theater in downtown Astoria $25 ticket includes: • • • • • 10 complimentary wine tastes ĐŽŵŵĞŵŽƌĂƟǀĞƚĂƐƟŶŐŐůĂƐƐ ǁŝŶĞͲƉĂŝƌĞĚĂƉƉĞƟnjĞƌƐ ĂĐĐĞƐƐƚŽϭϰϬнǁŝŶĞƐĨƌŽŵϰϬKƌĞŐŽŶǁŝŶĞƌŝĞƐ ůŝǀĞŵƵƐŝĐĂŶĚŵŽƌĞ dŝĐŬĞƚƐĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞŶŽǁŽŶůŝŶĞŽƌĂƚƚŚĞŚĂŵďĞƌŽĸĐĞ Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce ͽ (503) 325-6311 ͽ oldoregon.com