Whitman County commissioners today approved a preliminary development agreement to enter into a public-private partnership with Hawkins Companies, which plans to build a 700,000-square-foot retail development just west of the Idaho state border.
According to the agreement, Hawkins will construct public infrastructure at the development site, and the county will reimburse the company for its costs through the sale of bonds.
"It's a good day for us - a long day in coming," Commissioner Greg Partch said.
For updates, see DNews.com or Tuesday's edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Thanks to our County Commissioners and to all (especially Russ and April) who've pushed this along.
3 comments:
Actually Whitman CO. will only pay for basically the hardware.
Hawkins will pay for excavation, dirt-work etc. This will allow Whitman CO. to buy the infrastructure at least 2.4 million less than what it cost Hawkins to build.
I don't believe the Fire/EMT/ Station is included in the buyout but will also be deeded to the county as part of the agreement .
"It's a good day for us - a long day in coming," ~ Commissioner Greg Partch. That has to be the understatement of the year. Discussions and planning for development in the corridor didn't just start when Hawkins showed interest. It has been a long, long frustrating process. I congratulate the Commissioners, past and present, for their hard and diligent work that will benefit Whitman County residents for many generations to come.
I am glad that I have lived long enough to finally see it happen.
Jeff DeVoe of the Hawkins Companies deserves a lot of credit as well. He has been the champion for this project and frankly kept the fire burning when others at Hawkins were ready to give up after Moscow's repeated appeals.
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