An aerial view of the empty Lower Hanel Mill property, owned by the Port of Hood River. Nestled between Neal Creek Mill Road (left) and Highway 35 (right), Amazon’s new warehouse and sorting center will neighbor Cardinal Glass Industries (top right), Lester Moving & Storage (bottom right), the G.S. Long Company (bottom right), Neal Creek Forest Products (top) and several other businesses.
An aerial view of the empty Lower Hanel Mill property, owned by the Port of Hood River. Nestled between Neal Creek Mill Road (left) and Highway 35 (right), Amazon’s new warehouse and sorting center will neighbor Cardinal Glass Industries (top right), Lester Moving & Storage (bottom right), the G.S. Long Company (bottom right), Neal Creek Forest Products (top) and several other businesses.
ODELL — Amazon declined to provide the Port of Hood River with a notice of intent to purchase 11 acres outside Odell yesterday, complicating its pursuit of a 49,000-square-foot warehouse on the Lower Hanel Mill property — but not spiking it entirely.
On July 14, port commissioners voted against extending the $3.41 million purchase and sales agreement it signed with Amazon last September, as previously reported by Columbia Gorge News.
After land use advocacy group Thrive Hood River successfully appealed the county’s tentative approval of the last-mile distribution facility, Amazon pushed the matter to Hood River County’s Board of Commissioners, and a hearing is still scheduled for Aug. 17. The port granted Amazon two 45-day extension periods under its original agreement, but the corporation had already exercised both.
The second expired on July 20, and without another on the table, filing the notice would force Amazon to buy the property within 30 days, regardless of the board’s decision. Kevin Greenwood, the port’s executive director, hadn’t received one by 11:59 p.m. last night.
At its July 21 meeting, port commissioners will consider an action item directing staff to return the Lower Hanel Mill property, off Highway 35 just south of Davis Drive, to the market and evaluate future economic development opportunities for the site.
Amazon could, however, make another offer on the property if the port votes in favor, it just no longer has exclusive rights to do so. Amazon has not withdrawn its appeal to the county commissioners as of this afternoon.
"The Lower Hanel Mill property remains one of the port's premier industrial development sites," Greenwood said in a press release. "The port appreciates the time and resources Amazon invested in evaluating the property and pursuing the project. With the expiration of the purchase and sale agreement, the commission's responsibility is to determine the best path forward for this important public asset."
For more information on the port’s July 21 meeting, see the upcoming edition of Columbia Gorge News
An earlier version of this story framed Amazon’s decision to let the purchase and sale agreement expire in more absolute terms. The corporation could still pursue a warehouse on the Lower Hanel Mill property, should its appeal be successful and if the port accepts a future offer. We regret the error.
Commented