Wenatchee Valley Trades District Gets Logo

The Wenatchee Valley Trades District is another step closer to reality with the selection of the color scheme and branding for a logo. 

Chelan Douglas Port Authority commissioners selected an option which features blue graphics. 

Port Director of Economic Development and Capital Projects Stacie de Mestre says commissioners thought the color scheme was lively. 

"They thought it was a little more colorful," said de Mestre. "And then the blue tracked to our regional port logo." 

The port worked with Claridge Media to come up with the log design work. 

The Trades District is a set of small buildings, or pods, that'll serve as an incubator for upstart businesses at its location in the Pangborn Airport Business Park. 

de Mestre says they're planning to house a wide range of businesses. 

"We'll probably see some trades members such as plumbers, HVAC, contractors, maybe someone that does metal fabrication," said de Mestre. "We also could get a few food production or beverage production companies, maybe a brewery or winery." 

There could also be some limited retail and office space usage in the district. 

The small businesses will start off paying rents reduced to half of market value. The rate will increase 10 percent each year, topping out at market value after five years. The hope is that the businesses will grow from the incubator stage and move out on their own after a few years.   

The 8-acre site includes 25 pods in varying stages of construction that were abandoned by the failed crypto currency company Giga Watt.  

The 25 buildings will contain nearly 31,000 square feet of potential business space. 

The Port has secured funding, at the federal and state level, to complete Phase 1 of this project which includes building out 12 pods.  

The intention is to build out each structure as a self-contained space suitable for a variety of business needs. Buildings will range from 1,590 square feet to 2,304 square feet.  

Funding for the project comes from the federal Economic Development Administration, also known as the EDA ($5 million), the Washington State Capital Budget ($3 million) and the state Department of Commerce ($1 million). 

Construction on the project was scheduled to start this month with completion by the summer of next year.