Commercial Properties (vacancies, new businesses, etc.):

Old Blockbuster space:  Unfortunately, the Sandy Blockbuster is no longer.  However, we have already received a business license application from a potential new tenant for the space – it looks as if a cigar store is interested in taking the space over.  We have received a business license application for this business that we are currently processing.  A fire/life safety inspection will be scheduled with the Building Official shortly.

Golden Dawn Clinic:  It appears that the business next door to Blockbuster has also closed for good in Sandy.  While this naturopathic clinic did spend some resources outfitting the space for their needs and their business hours were posted, it is unclear if they ever opened to the general public in the year or so that they leased the facilities.  This space will be posted on the Available Commercial Properties database as soon as I receive lease data from Janz Enterprises.

Sandlandia:  Ownership of Sandlandia will remain with the originator of the pod for the foreseeable future.  The owner’s efforts to sell the pod to one of the cart operators appear to have ceased for now.

Trout Pub space:  The new owner of this building has now secured the space from the previous tenant and is now considering investing in the space and moving a new restaurant in.  We have received initial contact from a restaurant owner that is interested in doing a preliminary walk-through with myself and our Building Official to a) determine what kinds of repairs and alterations will be necessary to bring the building up to current code, and b) what kind of assistance might be available through the TI program.  We look forward to speaking with this gentleman in the next few weeks.  Stay tuned…

Fred’s RV:  This business has been for sale for some time now.  I am happy to report that they were finally purchased by Fun Time RV out of Tualatin, and that the new owner has already taken over the space and is currently operating.  Like Fred’s, FTRV has an inventory of used RVs for sale, and also sells new “travel trailers, toy haulers, truck campers, motorhomes, class B motorhomes, class A diesels , park trailers and fifth wheels”.

Free Land for Brewpub site:  Things are happening here, but not a brewpub.  Don’t want to give out information quite yet as I don’t want to “jinx” any potential development here, but there is a fair chance we might see heavy equipment on this property in the coming construction season.  Much more to come…stay tuned.

Project work: 

• Facade project – City Hall Stairs: Stairs and landing pads have now been poured, street furniture has been sandblasted and powder coated and hand railings have been ordered.  When the railings arrive next week, installation should take about a day and we will have a new, non-disintegrating set of stairs on the west side of City Hall.
• NorthStar – branding project: The rollout of this project has been put on hold pending the outcome of current financial issues.
• Community Partnership Program grant: This year, due to the lack of participation by the business community and the public at large, the City of Sandy will be submitting a medium-sized project for consideration.  I have submitted a grant application for the replacement of the gateway arch to Meinig Park with something new and definitively “Sandy-style”.  I am currently awaiting estimates from Tahran Planning & Architecture for the cost.  More to come.
• Clackamas County Tourism Development Grant: We will also be submitting a TDG grant (this is the program we used to build the bike station behind City Hall and the Jim Slagle Trail in Sandy River Park) at the behest of our friends over at CCT&CA.  They have been hearing that tour bus operators have been avoiding coming to Jonsrud Viewpoint because the roadway there is very narrow and not able to adequately accommodate tour buses.  After researching, we have found that our plans for this park are not very comprehensive and that we will need to have some surveying work and a turning radius analysis done to correct this problem.I plan to submit an application to do some “curb shaving” at Jonsrud to put our local tour bus operators at ease.  This is exactly the kind of infrastructure project that this particular grant program is for, and more tour buses in Sandy would definitely not be a bad thing for our local business community.

Conferences/training: 

• Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Retreat (Feb 3): The SACC had its annual retreat at a board member’s house in Welches, and the most pressing issue has not changed – how do we put the SACC in the black?  The organization had just gotten back into the black when the summer of 2016 (when it rained through Music Fair & Feast) hit, and it is still recovering from possibly the worst outing the event has ever had.Since then, we have a new president (Brian Patterson of Peak Mortgage) and have added several board members – some old, some new.  The board has identified this as the primary problem to work on over the next year.  Some changes already instituted include getting event insurance for MF&F, continuing to improve our internal management of the event, and incorporating a new Chamber fundraiser that will launch in April.  “Sweets & Wine”, organized by member business Buddha Kat Winery, is from noon to 4PM on Saturday, April 7^th.  Tickets are $10 pre-purchased or $15 at the door.  Stop by and support your local Chamber of Commerce!