Chelan County Buys Ohme Garden Rd. Site For $1.8 Million

Chelan County will build new buildings on Ohme Garden Road where it plans to relocate several departments and a motor pool.

County commissioners approved the purchase of the 2.75-acre site from a local developer who had made infrastructure upgrades for a planned business park.

The county instead will construct three buildings on the property that will total 18,000 square feet. Each building will have office space as well as large work bays for vehicles.

The industrially zoned land was purchased for $1.8 million from Eider Properties LLC of Wenatchee.

Eider had constructed future building pads, and obtained permits for future buildings, before entering into negotiations last month with the County.

The Board of County Commissioners signed the agreement on April 8.

“This new property will give multiple departments the resources to provide services to the public more effectively and efficiently,” said county commissioner Kevin Overbay in a news release.

Commissioners plan to relocate several departments to the new site, including a motor pool, which manages a fleet of vehicles for 15 county departments, the largest of which is the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management and training facilities will be relocated to the new property.

Chelan County Director of Economic Services Ron Cridlebaugh said the site garnered the county’s interest earlier this year and a feasibility study was conducted to determine if it could meet the county’s needs.

The county will ask for bids from contractors and plans to begin construction later this year.

The county's 20-Year Capital Facilities Plan calls for the building that currently houses the motor pool and the coroner - at the corner of Washington and King Streets - to eventually be torn down.

A new structure is planned for that site which will serve other departments, including the prosecutor’s office and county jail.