HERMISTON, Ore.-A new public event space is in the works in Hermiston.
Atkinson Staffing and AgriLabor have been fixtures in the Hermiston community for years, and are now in the process of converting a portion of the old Sears building at 80487 N. Highway 395 into an event center that will be available for the public to rent.
“It’s nice to repurpose an old building,” said Taylor Atkinson, CFO of Atkinson Staffing and GM and H-2A Coordinator of AgriLabor. “While it won’t be as big as the Community Center or EOTEC, it’s a good use of the space.”
Atkinson Staffing provides a variety of agricultural farm labor services to meet the needs of growers and operators in Oregon and Washington, while AgriLabor provides H-2A program farm labor services, including recruitment, training, housing, transportation, and supervision.
“We’re a family business, and when we saw this property was available, we thought it was a good fit,” said Atkinson of the 10,700 square foot building, the front third of which currently houses AgriLabor’s offices. “It’s a big space, so we ran through ideas of what to do in addition to our offices and warehouse space, and we came up with the idea of an event center.”
The middle portion of the building will be converted into a two-story office complex within the building for AgriLabor, which needs the space to process large groups of around 300 workers, with the event center between that and the attached warehouse space at the back of the property.
The bathrooms in what will be the event center have been remodeled, with new power, well and septic hookups, and the kitchen, which could be used for serving at events, is scheduled to be remodeled. The ceiling may also be raised to the height of the adjoining warehouse to accommodate large events and decorations, according to Atkinson.
Small events, such as wedding and baptism receptions for staff members and families, have already been held in the space, which should hold about 150 people when it opens to the public in about a year.
If the venue proves popular, the large gravel lot in back provides space for expansion, including the possibility of an outdoor element, such as a patio, according to Atkinson.
“When it’s done it should be a good space for people looking for an affordable space for local events,” said Atkinson.
This is such exciting news for Hermiston! It’s awesome to see old buildings being repurposed for new community use. The idea of a dedicated event space right there in downtown Hermiston is fantastic—it’ll give locals and visitors so many more options for gatherings, whether it’s weddings, reunions, or just community events. Plus, it’s cool that a local family business like Atkinson Staffing and AgriLabor is stepping up to make this happen. I hope it becomes a real hub of activity and brings more life to the area. Can’t wait to see it open in a year!