Wenatchi Landing sewer extension project gets started

The state Legislature last year included $4 million in the capital budget to fully fund the first phase.

State Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, advocated for it with support from state Reps. Keith Goehner, R-Dryden, and Mike Steele, R-Chelan.

“This is a key infrastructure project for the Wenatchee Valley, and it’s very exciting to see things moving forward, especially at a time when we need to get our local economy restarted,” Hawkins said.

He said he appreciated his fellow legislators and local leaders all working together on the project.

“The availability of suitable land for responsible and planned development is becoming increasingly scarce in the valley, especially anything close to the bridges,” Hawkins said. “... It’ll be really exciting to look back 10 years from now and see what has become of this Wenatchi Landing area in Douglas County and, ultimately, what that will mean for our economic development of the valley.”

Douglas County Sewer District Manager Bernita Landers said the district recently awarded a $2.3 million contract to Hurst Construction of East Wenatchee. Hurst was the lowest of eight bidders.

The sewer district had also awarded an $871,319 contract to RH2 Engineering.

Landers said the total budget of $4 million includes engineering, permitting and archaeological studies.

Later phases of the project will involve road and water line extensions.

“This project is just to kind of get the basic infrastructure in there, and then as that development happens it’ll kind of dictate where the roads go,” Landers said.

She said Hurst is on site this week for pothole testing and mobilization and excavation should start next week. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 11.

Of the 317 acres, 283 can be developed; the rest is public right of way. There are several private landowners, and the state Department of Transportation and Chelan County PUD also own land next to the river.

Possibilities for the site include commercial, retail and recreational space, and possibly infill housing.

Extending sewer into the Wenatchi Landing area sends a positive message to private developers, said Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority CEO Jim Kuntz.

“I think the project as envisioned, as having mixed-use retail, still makes a lot of sense long-term and we’ll just have to see how the market develops over time,” he said. “To date, it’s been a well-envisioned project. The county has done a very effective job on zoning and land use in the area to protect the concepts that were developed in the master plan. ... Once you get the retail aspects of development going, that generates car traffic; and as you develop car traffic and car counts, I think it extends the range of possibilities that can happen in that area.”

Douglas County Commissioner Dan Sutton said the location would be ideal for a hotel. He noted that the state Department of Transportation is looking to install a roundabout at 35th and Highway 28, making that location an easy access point.

“The vision is to have a vibrant community up in that area that contributes to the totality of the valley, both socially and economically,” he said. “There’s a lot of opportunity out there.”

Sutton said he’s glad the project is considered essential and therefore able to move forward despite the shutdown.

“Any construction, any business, anybody employed, anybody getting a paycheck right now is good for our community,” he said. “Any job that somebody can hold right now is absolutely wonderful, so we’re very happy that this construction project is going to go on because it’s going to employ people and put gas in their tanks and food in their stomachs.”