Economic Development – Monthly Report – March 2022

Internal projects

  • Permanent Outdoor Covered Structures grant program:  The status of the first round of this program is reviewed semi-monthly at the City of Sandy Ec Dev Advisory Board meeting – here is the status of the program as of the beginning of April 2022:
    • Tollgate Inn – Keystone Architecture continues to refine the design with input from the building owner.  We are expecting a design sometime before the end of April.
    • All other projects are now complete, structurally and financially.

Staff provided follow-up information to the Sandy Urban Renewal Board at their meeting on April 4th, 2022 as requested for the following projects:

  • Covered Structures Round 2:  Designs for the second round of the City of Sandy Covered Structures grant program were reviewed at the SURA and City Council meetings on January 3rd.  Designs for the following businesses were approved outright:
    • La Bamba Mexican Restaurant – Bids due March 25th; winning bid was $110,245; scope of work was reduced after the bid was awarded per applicant request to eliminate some non-essential electrical work for cost savings – the current contract price is now $105,695.  Contracts are signed and work to begin mid-April. 
    • Thai Home – Currently at the engineer’s office
    • Mt Hood Athletic Club – Cost estimates for wooden decking vs. concrete pad for this project completed by contractor and forwarded to applicant.  He is currently crunching numbers to determine if he wants to proceed with this project.
    • Wippersnappers Kid’s Play Place – Currently at the engineer’s office; due by mid-April
    • Smoky Hearth – Bids due March 25th; winning bid was $100,786; contracts are signed and work to begin mid-April.

Staff provided follow-up information to the Sandy Urban Renewal Board at their meeting on April 4th, 2022 as requested for the following projects:

  • Sandlandia II – Vinyl tent has been removed.  Owner would prefer not to pursue a second covered structure at this time (cost).  This project has officially been withdrawn by the applicant.
  • Bigfoot Growlers – The restaurant has re-opened and seems to once again be steadily growing business.  However, after communicating with the applicant (property owners Angelo and Vicki Turra) about rapidly rising construction costs, the applicant decided to withdraw their application and focus more of their energies on their currently vacant properties at Proctor Blvd and Bruns Ave, perhaps revisiting this as a facade project down the road.  This project has officially been withdrawn by the applicant.
  • Sandy Inn Best Western – After reviewing the concept design and site plan for this proposed project, the SURA Board ultimately decided not to pursue this project.

The two projects currently at the engineer’s office will be returned to city staff sometime in mid-April.  Although both of these projects will require some additional work (Thai Home = deck reinforcement prior to construction; Wippersnappers = Type I design review (review parking & landscaping minimums)) to complete, staff does not anticipate that this will delay either project very much.

Economic Development items:

FunTime RV fence

Econ Devl – Commercial Properties (vacancies, new businesses, etc.):

  • Façade project – Fun Time RV fencing:  Contractor is currently installing the stone wrapping on the concrete fence posts.  Pedestrian right-of-way and street work is complete – bulb-out improved, new sidewalk and curb added.  This project has run into some delays due to availability of the stone wrap product at this time – contractor standing by until product arrives.  Update: Applicant informed by staff that there is a 1 year expiration date on these projects, and that this project is set to expire in July.  Staff urged the applicant to put pressure on his contractor to get this project finished as quickly as possible, and informed that our other grant funded projects don’t seem to be experiencing this kind of delay with stone wrap materials.
  • Façade project – Clackamas County’s Sandy Health Clinic:  Construction continues on this new County health care clinic next to the Sandy PD, which is tentatively scheduled to be completed in October 2022.
  • Façade project – Mt. Hood Cigar:  After conferring with the City’s building official, the applicant will be adding an interior accordion style door to the project as a change order.  Pinnacle Metal Works of Tualatin won the construction bid and is currently getting their paperwork in order while waiting for the building permit to be processed.  We anticipate construction starting in May/June and shouldn’t take more than a week to complete.

Econ Devl – Internal Projects:

Downtown maintenance:

  • AF Downtown Maintenance:  We had nothing for the DT Maintenance crew in March other than firewood retrieval from a couple of hazard trees that were taken down in several spots around the City.  Downtown maintenance contract for 2022 renewed.  Staff will be sitting down with AntFarm in April to finalize a new flower basket watering contract, including a price increase to keep their current watering staffer as he has been ultra-reliable and can serve the organization in other capacities.  We will also discuss potential project work for the 2022 maintenance season.
AntFarm Managers Neal