Chelan PUD OK’s $1.2 Million Land Sale To Wenatchee Valley YMCA

Chelan County PUD is moving forward to sell a major chunk of land at its former 5th Street headquarters in Wenatchee to the YMCA. 

PUD commissioners approved a $1.2 million purchase and sale agreement Monday that'll give the Y about 145,000 square feet of space on the campus. 

Wenatchee Valley YMCA CEO Dorry Foster says she’s grateful to be closing the deal with the utility. 

"I just want to thank each and every one of you," said Foster. "This is yet another incredible benchmark in this long timeline that we're working to bring this legacy to the community. So, thank you for that." 

The YMCA is hoping to break ground on its new facility at the location in the spring of 2025. 

Foster said they've raised $11.55 million for the project as of Monday. The YMCA’s fundraising goal is $25.4 million. The nonprofit is asking for $5,527,500 in public donations. 

The Y will be responsible for demolition of all the structures that they need to prepare the site for their use. The PUD will retain environmental responsibility for any cleanup as required by law, according to PUD director of shared services Dan Frazier, who made a presentation to PUD commissioners Monday. 

The PUD will construct a roadway for the interior circulation of traffic that connects Fifth Street with Wenatchee Avenue. Frazier said the roadway could be extended to behind the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel as well. 

The utility will also establish a commercial owners association for the ongoing maintenance of the roadway and any parking associated with it. 

Frazier said he was asked recently if the PUD would own the roadway forever. He clarified the owner's association was created before the purchase and sale agreement with ownership of the association transferring to future occupants as the PUD gradually divests itself of the property. 

In addition, the PUD has protection in place with an option to purchase the property back if the YMCA fails to start development of the property by January 2025. Frazier said such a move is not expected as the Y has had a very strong fundraising campaign. 

The purchase rose from $400,000 when the PUD was planning to occupy only 85,000 earlier this year. The price increased by $800,000 to $1.2 million when an additional lot was added. 

The 145,000 square foot parcel stretches along the eastern portion of the Fifth Street campus (from the PUD's Tech Shop to the south to Fifth Street on the north end).  

The additional lot facing Fifth Street was brought into the purchase after three specific donors to the Y were concerned it would be "landlocked" without direct access to the street. 

The land sits next to the BNSF railroad tracks and occupies 44 percent of the former PUD campus headquarters. 

Commissioner Garry Arseneault thinks the new YMCA center will have a major impact on the community.  

“The real outcome, the final outcome is going to be on opening day,” said Arseneault. “When those kids get a chance to come in and use the new facility and they see the resources now that are available to them. The families that this is going to help is going to be huge."