Culinary school coming to Columbia Drive
KENNEWICK, Wash. -- You've probably noticed all the construction on Columbia Drive, but what you probably didn't know more is coming.
The City of Kennewick, The Port and Columbia Basin College will partner to build a culinary school there soon.
It'll compliment the wine village currently underway and help redevelopment efforts in the area.
"This is leveraging that near shore area along Kennewick's original Columbia river shoreline- the historic water front for downtown- and taking it to the next level," said Tana Bader Inglima, Deputy CEO for the Port of Kenenwick.
It'll be a 20,000 square foot building with a bakery and small restaurant attached with food supplied by the students.
"Our mission is economic development. We work in partnerships with the cities and the counties and other entities to make things happen that will grow jobs, create quality spaces and quality of life, and really transform the community," added Bader Inglima.
It will also help attract people to stay in Tri-Cities.
"The young professionals in particular say you've got to develop something to keep us here. People will grow up here and then they'll leave. The reason they're leaving is they want a metropolitan area where there's things to do there's exciting this that are happening. This will help," said Skip Novakovich, President of the Port of Kennewick Board Commissioners.
It will help bring new jobs and opportunities here too.
"You're going to begin to see more independent high quality restaurants in this area. You're going to see a high quality of food service. You're going to see a whole new breed of trained service people who have careers who eventually themselves will open up restaurants," said Mayor Steve Young of the City of Kennewick.
Leaders said this will also put more dollars back into our community and make Tri-cities a bigger destination to dine in
"We've created a whole new place in the Tri-Cities. You've given it a whole new name and it’s more than exciting. It’s a new part of our future that we’ve waited a long time for," said Young.
It will cost4 10 million for the project.
Money will come from rural Benton County capital funds in partnership with the city and port.
