Hermiston developer Jim Ruhe has been getting his hands dirty clearing out vacant houses near downtown Hermiston into what someday might be a strip mall.
Ruhe, owner of Builders Group NW, has removed six boarded-up houses on Southeast Fourth Street, a block east of the 7-Eleven, and said he intends to demolish two more. He said there were “vagrancy issues” at the houses.
He said he is trying to attract brands to anchor the project, committing to opening stores on the property. It’s impossible to know when stores are going to open, he said, until he knows what those stores will be.
Not that the stores will all be famous national brands. Ruhe said it will include smaller mom-and-pop stores, too.
“Anything you bring (here) should not be just for an out-of-stater,” he said. “I want it to be for people who live here.”
Ruhe said he has lived in Hermiston for around 30 years, and the project means a lot to him, just like it does for many other of the city’s residents. As someone with a home in Hermiston, he said he wants it to be a more attractive place. Removing rundown houses and planning new stores will be a massive improvement, he said.
Mark Morgan, assistant city manager for Hermiston, has taken note of this work, saying the city is excited about the redevelopment potential for the properties.
“That area has been zoned commercial for many years, and the vacant homes located there have caused issues for many years as well,” he said.
Morgan said removing the buildings and clearing the site alone gives him hope. According to Morgan, the work shows the area’s development potential.
“These properties are located within the downtown urban renewal area, so potential developments will have the opportunity to access some grant funding that way,” he said.
Additionally, there are significant water and sewer mains that go through the area as well as an unimproved gravel right of way.
Morgan said the city has offered help to the property owner. It can, he said, relocate utilities and the right of way to make redevelopment of the area more feasible.
Further, he said, the city has put the property owner in touch with an advertising contractor to market to national brands.
For anyone who doubts the potential of major brands moving into Hermiston, Ruhe pointed out two new stores are underway near Safeway and Big Lots. If that shopping center can be successful in attracting businesses, he said he doesn’t see why a new development wouldn’t be similarly successful. After all, the new development is only a couple blocks away.
Further, Ruhe said, the development is likely to encourage other work nearby. That area of Fourth Street is lined with old, rundown homes. Ruhe said other developers will see the work he is doing and want to follow suit.
He also said he “in process” of obtaining other nearby properties for development and has projects in the works in Umatilla and Irrigon.
Ruhe said he has partners for his developments, and he is seeking other investors.
“This process is not for greed,” he said. “It’s for the prosperity of our city, for our future and for the people who live here now.”
How about a Fred Meyer store. We need the competition to assure other stores clean up there act and be more responsible with the stocking of their merchandise.
Absolutely right. I would love to see target as well. Tired of Walmart. We are loosing revenue here as we all go to tri cities to shop for better choices.
Winco, or Fred Meyers would be great No stinking Target though.
A craft store and a retro gaming store, would be nice here. Especially for the ones, who don’t drive. That has to rely on family and friends to take them to the Tri Cities to shop.
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