Monthly Archives: June 2024

Economic Development – Monthly Report – May 2024

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Economic Development items:

Econ Devl – Strategic Plan metrics:

Note for May 2024:  I am awaiting the visitor numbers for Sandy Ridge and the Zigzag Ranger Station – our source for this information has been out of the office for a bit.  I will update this report with those numbers when they become available.


Econ Devl – Strategic Plan progress:

Action 6.1.2 – Retail market analysis:  Staff has received the first draft of the retail market report and is currently reviewing it for changes.  We are anticipating sending drafts back and forth for edits with ECONorthwest over the next few weeks and hoping to have the final report ready for Council in July.

Action 5.3.3 – Meinig Memorial Park:  New signage has been installed at Pioneer Parking lot and the new public parking lot next to the Junker Building.  New wayfinding signage for Meinig Park is en route from Ambrosini Design and should arrive and be installed sometime in late June.


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

AntFarm Outdoor Building (code enforcement):  After Development Services staff noticed the peeling paint and plywood covering an old window on the south façade of the AntFarm Outdoor Building on Proctor Blvd, the Ec Dev Manager reached out to AntFarm staff to address these issues.  The south (and north and west) elevations of the building now have a new coat of paint, and the plywood has been removed.  Many thanks to Director of Workforce Development Neal Hatley and the Ants for correcting this issue for us so quickly….nice work, fellas!  (the AntFarm logo sign is being reprinted and will go back up on the building next week) Below are before and after pics of the south facade.

23-002 TI Sandy Underground (VFW) project:  This project now seems to be in the home stretch.  The interior of the building is now almost complete.   As a courtesy to these new business owners, Ec Dev had the AntFarm Downtown Maintenance crew clean up the planter strip outside the front entrance and the weed infested area behind the building to add some curb appeal.  Tentative completion date: Fall 2024.

21-010FAC Tollgate Inn Covered Structure:  This project appears to have run into a small setback.  It appears that some of the brackets for the metal pieces of the framing structure were incorrect and need to be replaced, and the steel post measurements were off and resulted in beams that were too short.  The project architect is in the process of correcting both issues now, and a July completion date still looks likely.

Sandy Marketplace – major improvements: 

Econ Devl – Downtown Events:

  • The Baker Agency, a new real estate agency owned by former Sandy City Councilor Grant Baker, had a ribbon cutting sponsored by the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce at 4:00 PM on Thursday, May 9th in their new office in the AEC Building.
  • There was a second SACC-sponsored ribbon cutting at 4:00 PM on Thursday, May 30th for the D31 Foundation, The Works Collective and MAECO, all sharing the same office in the Sandy Town Square complex on Pioneer..  You can read more about the event here.

Econ Devl – Internal Projects:

Cedar Park:  Construction of the new park is now the primary focus of project work.  Estimated completion date: January 2025.



Econ Devl – Economic Development Advisory Board:

There was a regularly scheduled meeting of the EDAB on May 1st.  This meeting included:

  • A slideshow presentation to the board from the staff liaison detailing current projects related to commercial development in Sandy.  Updates were given on the following projects: Sandbar BBQ, Sandy Underground, the Tollgate Inn covered structure, Scooter’s (future), code enforcement actions at the Sandy Lumberyard and the Sandy Marketplace, 38888 Pioneer, 38756 Pioneer, the “New Orleans” building (formerly the County Health offices) and Cedar Park, along with work being done on some elements of the EDSP.
  • Chris Blakney and Nicole Underwood of ECONorthwest provided the board with a status update on the progress of the retail market report they are currently under contract to develop on behalf of the City.  (City staff has now received a first draft of this report and is currently reviewing it)

Econ Devl – Conferences/training/events:

There were no Economic Development related conferences or trainings in the month of May.  Next scheduled event: Mount Hood Community College 2024 Business Fair (June 21st, 2024 @ MHCC campus)