Groundbreaking for new Kennewick waterfront development

A waterfront development aimed to attract wineries in Kennewick is one step closer to reality.

Port of Kennewick CEO Tim Arntzen said at Monday groundbreaking, they bought the property to help redevelop the area. He also says the the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village will boost the economy and provide jobs to several people.

Arntzen says the idea behind the village came from micro-breweries in Portland and other cities who remodel old buildings in an urban setting. He says they took input from the community and this multi-building development will hopefully help encourage more development in the area.

The city says the project will include three winery buildings, an extension of the riverside trail and a water-treatment system to accommodate boutique wine production.

Site work begins Monday and actual building construction is set to start later this fall. The wine village is set to be complete and open spring of 2017.