An idea to turn an undeveloped piece of city property into a senior living project in Hermiston has hit a significant bump after the developer the city had planned to partner with backed out.
City Manager Byron Smith said during the Hermiston City Councilâs April 26 council meeting that Paradigm Compass LLC had decided not to build a $4 million combination assisted living, memory care and independent living complex after all.
The city purchased a 20-acre parcel next to the Recycled Water Treatment Plant, known as the Green Property, in 2005 for $420,000, but plans to use it for recycled water cooling did not pan out. In late 2020, Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan proposed giving a 7-acre piece of the property to a developer for free if they would build housing for seniors on it, which would provide what the city felt was a needed service, and generate revenue over time through property taxes and utilities. The city put out a request for proposals and selected the proposed pr
HERMISTON â The Hermiston City Council will discuss giving up 7.18 acres of land for a proposed senior housing project during the councilâs Monday, April 12, meeting.
The city owns 20 acres of land known as the Green Property, located next to the cityâs recycled water treatment plant. The city purchased the property for $420,000 in 2005 with a plan to use it to cool off recycled water before it was discharged into the Umatilla River. After purchasing the land and testing out the process, however, city staff determined the solution wasnât viable.
In August 2020, Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan asked for the city councilâs blessing to pursue a senior housing project on the part of the property on the far side from the plant. The idea was that the city would solicit proposals for housing for senior citizens, and offer up the land for free to the developer with the best proposal.
PENDLETON â When the Umatilla River floods hit Pendleton in 2020, hundreds of residents were rendered temporarily homeless.
The Oregon Legislature eventually stepped in to provide millions of dollars worth of rapid rehousing money to organizations like the Community Action Program of East Central Oregon to help displaced residents find a new place to live.
But the nonprofit struggled to find homes for the flood survivors in Pendletonâs existing housing market, according to CAPECO Chief Executive Officer Paula Hall. There were few housing options on the market, and even available homes were often unaffordable for the displaced residents, many of whom came from Riverview Mobile Home Estates. Kate Gonsalves, a senior communications coordinator with Oregon Housing & Community Services, said the rapid rehousing money was soon repurposed for a different Pendleton housing project.
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HERMISTON â The Hermiston City Council approved a contract for construction of a new city hall on Monday, Feb. 8.
The bid was awarded to Griffin Construction, of The Dalles, for $8.66 million. The contractor was the low bidder of five bids, and came in under estimates by city engineers.
The cost includes construction of the new city hall building, as well as replacement of two blocks of aging water and sewer lines near city hall for $237,000, and another $278,000 for the parking lot across Northeast Second Street. City Manager Byron Smith said the parking lot will be reconfigured to add 14 spaces, repaved and given increased lighting.