City manager says Vintage 'farm' retail shells largely vacant; council raises sales-tax concerns

At the Feb. 4 Mill Creek City Council meeting, City Manager Martin reported staff toured the Vintage mixed-use development and found a high number of vacant ground-floor commercial spaces in the residential buildings. Martin said the two mixed-use buildings contain roughly 33–36 planned commercial units on the ground floors and that “all but maybe 2 or 3 are vacant,” while about three or four appear occupied in a limited way.

Council members asked whether that vacancy had a measurable impact on city sales tax receipts and whether the unfinished condition reflected tenant-improvement (TI) build-to-suit approaches. Martin said a number of spaces remain unfinished because developers commonly wait to finish interiors until a tenant is identified; some units appear to be used as storage or in an unfinished state. “Some of them aren't even sheetrock yet,” he said.

Council discussion considered outreach and possible city options. Vince urged staff to gather marketing steps the developer is taking and to explore ways the city could assist or consider alternative uses. A council member noted the satellite police precinct at the Vintage and suggested city office use could be an option in the longer term. Martin said the city would follow up with the developer (referred to by staff as Mr. Patterson) about vacant units and next steps, and that staff would keep council updated on negotiations tied to the development’s obligations (including a traffic/crosswalk provision and potential transfer of the Pennock Creek Nature Preserve under certain conditions).

Ending: Martin said staff would report back with more detail on marketing and vacancy impacts; no formal action or vote was taken at the meeting.