Kennewick Irrigation District to Sell Downtown Building, “Consolidate” Operations
In an effort to save money and streamline operations, the Kennewick Irrigation District plans to sell off their downtown building on Kennewick Ave, as well as surrounding parking areas, and consolidate all operations at their facility on Ely St.
The District announced Wednesday they would be more efficiently served by a single building, which will be constructed at the site of their Operations center, located South of the Benton PUD on Ely St. in Kennewick. The Operations center is about halfway between the Waste Management Station, and the PUD. The current business building is next to Washington Hardware and Furniture on Kennewick Ave, one block West of Washington street.
Plans are to construct a facility that will allow the 57 downtown workers to operate from that building. KID officials said having the business operation separate from the maintenance and physical plants has been a "challenge." Officials said while the current administration building has been in downtown Kennewick for decades, that structure is actually outside the KID District boundaries, and presents a further travel distance for most of it's employees.
In 2002, the District renovated it's downtown business location as part of the overall revitalization effort of the Downtown District. However, while officials say in some aspects it served it's purpose, the District will greatly benefit financially and operationally by the planned consolidation.
The Board of Directors have officially voted to declare the downtown building and it's parking as surplus, and will immediately begin a marketing process to sell it.
No other timetable for construction of the new facility on Ely has been released yet, nor have they said how much longer they will operate from the current location.