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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 2015)
PAGE 2 • HERMISTON HERALD/EAST OREGONIAN SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 PENDLETON & HERMISTON Housing starts bounce back in 2014 BY ANTONIO SIERRA AND JADE MCDOWELL EO MEDIA GROUP For years, Pendleton has been a home away from home for many workers in the city. While Pendleton has its share of large employers, many workers are forced to commute into town after IDLOLQJWR¿QGVXLWDEOHKRXVLQJ Efforts from both the public and private sector attempted to reverse that trend in 2014. 7KHPRVWVLJQL¿FDQWDGGLWLRQWR the housing market was the Pendle- ton Heights housing development, a collaboration between the city and Cascade Management Inc. The city loaned Cascade $973,215 for infrastructural im- provements while the Portland FRPSDQ\ EXLOW WKH ¿UVW VLQ gle-family units of a planned 72- unit development. &LW\ RI¿FLDOV KRSH 3HQGOHWRQ Heights will be the launch pad for future housing developments. “The (city) council has demon- strated through this project that the city is open for business,” said city manager Robb Corbett. Northeast of Pendleton Heights’ Tutuilla Road location, the Village Apartments’ 16-unit addition has already been open for months. Although the building permits were issued last year, the addition to the Southwest Frazier complex wasn’t completed until last sum- mer. Before the apartments were opened, co-owner Jeff Zimmerman Housing Permits Permits issued and value, by month Month Pendleton Hermiston January 3 ($629,556) 2 ($318,603) February 1 ($235,129) none March 2 ($185,000) 5 ($904,817) April 1 ($138,902) 3 ($509,539) May 1 ($194,630) 2 ($464,328) June 1 ($209,430) 5 ($1,025,812) July 24 ($4,973,756) 8 ($1,487,777) August 1 ($189,285) 2 ($532,065) September 5 ($1,527,376) 6 ($1,199,692) October none 2 ($321,489) November none 4 ($645,500) December none 8 ($1,610,023) Total 39 ($8,283,064) 47 ($9,019,645) Source: Cities of Hermiston and Pendleton JADE MCDOWELL PHOTO A new house goes up on Damsel Court in Hermiston, part of the new Castle Homes development off Highland Avenue. said his units were perfect for middle income families. Last year was a busy year for housing in Pendleton, and 2015 suggests more activity. The city recently agreed with Walker LLC of Portland to spend $25,000 on designs to extend King Avenue for a pro- posed housing development by Blue Mountain Community College. It was also a good year for Hermiston, which handed out the most building permits for new homes since the pre-reces- sion housing bubble in 2007. The city awarded 47 permits for single-family dwellings in 2014, representing a total of $9 million in new housing. That number was up from 37 houses and six apartments in 2013. Permit logs show that most of the homes were singular proj- ects spread throughout the city. The largest cluster was a set of six homes on Southwest 14th Street by Castle Homes in the ¿UVW KDOI RI WKH \HDU IROORZHG by four on Damsel Court, all of which form a new subdivision just off Highland Avenue west of Hermiston. July and December were the busiest months of the year, with eight permits apiece. Hermiston permit technician Heidi Wilson said the warmer months tended to see the most permits, so the up- tick in December was a surprise. “Usually December is our slow month,” she said. Wilson said contractors have six months to begin building once they receive a permit from the city. EOTEC construction will continue through year ceremony took place Dec. 4. The new EOTEC site is sched- uled to be complete in time to After years of planning, host the 2016 Umatilla County FRQVWUXFWLRQ¿QDOO\EHJDQRQ Fair and Farm-City Pro Rodeo. the Eastern Oregon Trade and Barton Laser Leveling, Event Center in 2014, and the a Hermiston company, was major buildings are sched- awarded the first construction uled to be completed in the contract in November to per- year ahead. form rough grading at the site EOTEC Authority Board and install water and sewer lines member Dan Dorran said the and the stormwater system. city began the process of pur- The EOTEC board agreed chasing the land for the site to begin soliciting bids for the near the Hermiston airport in design and construction of the 1982, and a ground-breaking event center at its December BY SEAN HART EO MEDIA GROUP meeting, and Project Manager Gary Winsand, Frew Devel- opment Group, said he hoped to be able to recommend a contractor to the board at the meeting this month. Accord- ing to a tentative schedule from FDG, construction could begin as soon as February, with a scheduled completion date in September. An FDG report states the company anticipates being able to solicit bids in February for the design and construc- tion of the other two major Quality, Convenience, Service B Y F AMILIAR F ACES From the largest farm to the smallest yard, we provide you with the knowledge, the reliability and the quality products to get the job done. FEATURING: Pipe: PVC, galvanized & black fittings; Filters: Clemons, CTC, Gheen; Pumps: Small centricial pumps , Pressure Tanks; Lawn & garden supplies: K-Rain sprinklers & valves; Hand line, Main line, wheel line: gaskets & fittings, pipe cutting & threading Pivot parts; Pivot sprinkler packages: Nelson & Senninger Motors: UMC and US; Wheel Boxes: UMC & Valley Valves: Butterfly, ball, gate, check Automatic control valves: Nelson, Netafim structures, the rodeo grounds and livestock barns, for the ¿UVW SKDVH RI GHYHORSPHQW at the site to host the 2016 fair and rodeo. The tentative schedule shows the barns be- ing completed in August and the rodeo grounds completed in September. At the groundbreaking ceremony, EOTEC Authority Board Chairman Ed Brook- shier said, even after the ini- tial construction is complete, the project will continue. “What we’re going to be doing here in the next year DQGDKDOILVMXVWWKH¿UVWSDUW´ he said. “It’s a great part. It’s the anchor, if you will, with the fair and the rodeo, (but) the initial development is only going to take up 20, 25 (or) 30 percent of the whole site. What this will mean for decades for this community and this whole area: We’re only limited by our vision.” Published by the East Oregonian 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 541-276-2211 800-522-0255 © 2015 EO Media Group Stories by the East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald staff Page design by Doug Sanders, EO Media Group M ain Street Service y t i r g e t n I C INDY D OUGHERTY specializes in farm & crop for 15 years. - “I take pride in giving out the “personal touch” in insurance that a lot of companies do not offer. I feel that in our rural area, people expect and appreciate this.” S HANE L EASY Honesty holds an Ag and Farm Insurance Specialist designation and over 20 years of experience. - “I enjoy meeting new people, and the challenges of everyday changes in the business, and having to adapt to them.” y h t r o w t s Tru A NDREA M UNKERS has over 18 years of experience. - “Being able to provide the coverage that people need is rewarding. I have gotten to watch families that I have insured over the years grow and change.” “The Best Little Irrigation Company in the Northwest” Elmer’s Irrigation, Inc. Serving the area since 1978 80527 Hwy 395 N. • Hermiston • 541-567-5572 Dedicated E RIN M C L AUGHLIN has over 9 years of experience. - “I love the people in Pendleton. I really enjoy helping people protect what matter most to them.” Quality J OE Y OUNG has over 10 years experience and specializes in farm/ranch and commercial insurance. - “There isn’t anywhere else that I’ve been that I would prefer to live and raise my family than here in Eastern Oregon. The people make the place and this is a pretty awesome place.” Profession J EANNE K ING al serves as a consultant on farm & crop with a Ag and Farm Insurance Specialist designation and over 34 years of experience. - “I thoroughly enjoy my customers and Bisnett Insurance is a great company to work for.” C ontact Bisnett Insu rance for all of you r insu rance needs. INSURANCE 121 S. Main Street • Pendleton • 541.276.1418 Locations also in Milton-Freewater, Baker City, John Day, Lake Oswego, Hood River, Ketchum, ID & Scottsdale, AZ Online at bisnett.com • 800-303-0419