Port officials giddy over Western WA developer’s offer to build 300 Vista Field homes
Port of Kennewick officials are thrilled that a Western Washington development team wants to build 300 homes at Vista Field, its prized urban development near Columbia Center mall.
The commission voted 3-0 on Tuesday to spend up to three months working out terms for a deal to sell home sites at the former municipal airport to BlueChart Homes LLC
BlueChart, a joint venture of Chartwell Land Co. of Silverdale and Blue Fern Development of Redmond, wants to buy virtually all of the current and future single-family home lots flanking the former runway.
If the deal proceeds, BlueChart will build more or less continuously over seven to eight phases.
In April, it proposed paying $2.2 million for the initial 28 lots in the first phase and $1.65 million for 20 more in the second.
The math gets less certain in future phases, but 300 lots at $80,000 apiece translates to a $24 million pricetag.
Tim Arntzen, the port’s executive director, said BlueChart’s residential plans are the perfect complement to the bridal shop and two other commercial businesses that have deals to buy individual sites at Vista Field.
None have closed on their purchases or initiated construction. BlueChart’s neighborhoods will add customers to the mix.
“For commercial to be successful, you have to have the people there. With 300 residences, that’s a lot of people that will be patronizing these businesses,” he said.
New urbanism
In BlueChart, port’s elected commission and staff see a partner that share’s its “new urbanism” vision of a walkable district blending commercial and residential development with sidewalks, a stream, open space and other visitor amenities.
It’s the vision the port embraced more than a decade ago after Kennewick residents said that if the airport had to close, they didn’t want its 103 acres to become a subdivision or a strip mall.
The airport closed to airplanes at the end of 2013. Ineligible for Federal Aviation Administration funding, it became too costly to keep open.
In practical terms, the redevelopment vision looks like an Italian village with Tuscan touches.
Its resolve was tested in the intervening years.
It invested $4.9 million to build a road, linear water feature and other amenities to kick-start the process. It put 21 parcels on 20 acres on the market, hoping to woo buyers willing to adhere to its design process.
The reception has been tepid.
To date, it has signed deals with a Japanese restaurant, a bridal boutique and a mixed-use residential and retail building.
Long wait worth it?
In BlueChart, port leaders see a payoff for the long wait for a “serious” developer.
Its vision of charming homes on smaller lots — 5,000 square feet is the maximum under current zoning — offers the chance to realize the Vista Field vision.
BlueChart would create a library of potential designs that buyers could choose from. The port’s design consultant would have final say to ensure its work is consistent with the overall vision.
Arntzen said it proves there is a role for government agencies such as the port to aim higher and hold out for something special.
“If you three don’t do it, I promise you that no one else will,” he said told the commission.
Skip Novakovich, the commission’s president, called the BlueChart vision “fabulous.”
“This is what we’ve wanted to see at Vista Field since we made the decision to close the airfield a long, long time ago,” he said.
If negotiations lead to a sales agreement, BlueChart would buy home sites in phases. The port would use the money to develop infrastructure and amenities to support the next phases.
The entire process could take 10 years or fewer. Sales would determine how fast BlueChart would build.
Go to vistafield.com
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