$16M career high school, Queensgate water main, more being built
Welcome to “What’s being built there?” a regular Tri-City Herald feature that provides short descriptions of construction projects taking place in the Tri-Cities.
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KENNEWICK
Quality Window Tint 5205 W. Okanogan Place
A four-space commercial building that includes one spot for Quality Window Tint is popping up behind Bruchi’s and a Mister Car Wash just north of Kamiakin High School.
Edgar Guizar is the developer and owner of the window tinting business.
The 7,680-square-foot building broke ground in late 2023 and has a construction value of abut $1.4 million, according to building permits.
GTC Construction LLC is the builder.
Vista Field Southern Gateway
6706 W. Deschutes Blvd.
Goodman & Mehlenremove bacher Enterprises (GAME Inc.) has started work to create a public plaza at Vista Field, the Port of Kennewick’s redevelopment project.
The southern gateway project will transform two existing hangar buildings into a plaza with restrooms, a stage, paper airplane sculpture and other amenities.
GAME is expected to
much of the siding of the hangar buildings before restoring some to create the new plaza.
The $2.1 million project is funded through the Benton County Rural Capital Fund in support of redevelopment of the 103-acre former municipal airfield in the heart of Kennewick. Go to vistafield.com.
PASCO
Orion High School 1901 E. Salt Lake St. The Pasco School District has started construction of Orion High School, one of two schools being built this year after voters approved a 21-year, $195.5 million construction bond in 2023.
The bond is also paying to build Sageview High School, the district’s third comprehensive high school, at Road 60 and Burns Road and is about halfway complete.
Orion is a smaller, 600-student school with an emphasis on developing career skills. The city of Pasco issued building permits for the 65,850-squarefoot Orion project in March. Design West is the designer for the project, which has a construction value of $16.6 million.
Orion is expected to open in 2025. The educational program is comparable to Tri-Tech Skills Center and Delta High School. Students will graduate with work credentials, industry certifications and hands-on learning.
Burns Korners Convenience Store
10002 Burns Road A 4,200-square-foot convenience store and 12 fuel pumps is planned for ta 1.8-acre site at the northwest corner of the Broadmoor Boulevard and Burns Road.
The project is under environmental review.
RICHLAND
Kennedy Road Water Main
Kennedy at Truman A water main project near Kennedy Road and Truman Avenue is prompting lane closures in Richland’s Queensgate area this month.
The project prompted one-way westbound closures and on May 28, Truman Avenue will be closed.
The south portion of the roadway will be fully rebuilt.
In the interim, the area is closed to all truck and through-traffic. Access to local apartments is from Queensgate Drive.
The water main work is in the vicinity of the site where Costco Wholesale tentatively intends to site its second Tri-Cities store.
Land lease negotiations between the Washington Department of Natural Resources, which owns the site, and Costco are ongoing.
WEST RICHLAND
Frank & Sons Auto Body
3900 Kennedy Road Bush Development is building a new West Richland location for Frank & Sons Auto Body, an established Tri-Cities business led by Sean Markussen.
Hummel Construction & Development is the general contractor.
The new location on Kennedy Road near Keene should be open by Thanksgiving.