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Council reviews aging city shops and considers relocation to Frost site
Summary
City staff described the city shops facility as 50to75 years old with structural and site issues; staff suggested relocation to an 11-acre Frost site as a long-term option and said renovation could cost substantially less than the $33 million shown in a prior facilities plan.
Kennewick City Council members discussed the condition and possible relocation of the city shops during the Feb. 25 workshop, with staff noting the existing facility dates to the 1950s and has been repeatedly added onto.
Why it matters: the shops house fleet maintenance and operations functions; aging buildings and site constraints can affect vehicle maintenance, staff productivity and asset life cycles.
Staff overview and options
Facilities staff presented options that ranged from renovation of the existing site to relocating shop operations to an 11-acre Frost site the city owns. The city shops assessment noted lack of office and shop space, off-site storage needs, and failing site pavement and doors. Staff said recent investments (vehicle lifts, lighting, HVAC/swamp-cooler upgrades) could be transferred if a new shop were built.
Cost context
The facilities plan had a $33,000,000 figure for relocation that the council questioned as high. Facilities staff said earlier assessments may have included additional site and equipment buildouts; Mr. Noble provided a preliminary view that renovating the existing site could cost less than half of a relocation to Frost.
Council views and next steps
Council members asked for more detail and for a clearer cost basis. Several members said relocating to the Frost 11-acre site could make operational sense, putting shops closer to fleet and potentially freeing the existing shop site for other uses. Staff said they will refine cost estimates and consider renovation vs. relocation in follow-up work.
