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The longtime home of the Warehouse Theatre Company, a gallery that often featured the work of local artists, multiple classrooms, and the offices of the non-profit Allied Arts of Yakima Valley will be razed on Saturday, February 28^th. Demolition of the building is expected to begin around 8:00 am that day.

More than a year ago, Allied Arts officials asked the City of Yakima’s Codes Division to inspect the building because they were concerned about its structural integrity. Inspections revealed a significantly bulging exterior wall, problems with the roof trusses, and other dangerous conditions in the building. It was determined that the building was no longer safe to occupy. Since then, the building has sat empty.

The building was originally a fruit warehouse owned by the Gilbert family. In 1951, it was donated by the family to the City of Yakima for use as an arts center.

Efforts by the Allied Arts board and other community members to raise funds to potentially repair the building were unsuccessful. A claim filed with Allied Arts’ insurer was denied. Earlier this month, Allied Arts Board President Meredith Bruch sent a letter to the City expressing regret that the building was not able to be saved.

“The Board has no other option but to cede the building to the City of Yakima for demolition,” wrote Bruch. “We are very sorry to lose the historic building, such a valuable resource to the Community. We are also very sorry to saddle the City with the responsibility to address the matter,” said Bruch in her letter. “However, our lack of resources makes that necessary.”

The City has contracted with Russell Crane Services, Inc., a Yakima contracting firm, to raze the Allied Arts building at an estimated cost of $100,000. The demolition debris will remain at the site in a fenced-in area for about a week before being removed. The area where the building has been located since the 1930s will eventually be planted with grass.

Allied Arts Building Demolition – News Release

Traffic along a one-block portion of 40^th Avenue near Fisher Park Golf Course will be impacted today, Friday, and next Monday while work associated with a golf course parking lot project is underway.

The outside northbound lane of 40^th Avenue in front of the golf course will be closed from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm each day on Thursday, February 26^th, Friday, February 27^th, and Monday, March 2^nd while the curb and sidewalk along that stretch of 40^th Avenue are replaced. The inside northbound lane will remain open and the southbound lanes will be unaffected. The curb and sidewalk along that portion of 40^th Avenue were removed as part of a project to expand the Fisher Park Golf Course parking lot.

During the project, traffic delays in the area are likely to occur. Drivers should use alternate routes if possible until the project is completed.

Access to homes and businesses in the area will be maintained and traffic will be allowed through the project area when possible.

As always, the schedule for this type of a project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

For additional information about this project, contact Yakima Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson at 576-6416.

Fisher Golf Course Parking Lot Project – News Release

In 2013, the Yakima Arts Commission, an advisory group appointed by the Yakima City Council, developed an idea to harness the creativity of Central Washington artists to help invigorate windows of empty downtown storefronts by displaying their work as part of a new project called, “Windows Alive!”. Based on similar projects that have proven successful in other cities, “Windows Alive!” is part of an ongoing effort to bring new life and activity to Downtown Yakima.

Following a submission and evaluation process that took place earlier this fall, six outstanding artists from the region were chosen to be part of the 2015 “Windows Alive!” exhibition, which will run from March 8^th through September 6^th. To kickoff the project’s spring-summer exhibition, a reception will be held on Sunday, March 8^th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 401 East Yakima Avenue. The six artists chosen to display their work through will be on hand at the reception to talk about their pieces and to help explain the concept of the “Windows Alive!” project.

“Empty windows in unoccupied storefronts send a message that isn’t very positive,” said Yakima Cheryl Hahn who is chairperson for this year’s “Windows Alive!” project. “The idea behind ‘Windows Alive!’ is to fill those storefront windows with beautiful art and create a more engaging and vibrant environment downtown. The project also gives local artists a wonderful opportunity to showcase their work,” said Hahn.

The six artists who were chosen for “Windows Alive!”, each of whom received a $250 stipend, are Renee Adams (surreal sculptural forms), Deborah Ann (fiber art), Goathead Press (collection of prints), Lynne E. Harrison (nature photographs), Raul Marquez (metal sculptures), and Stephen Robbins (acrylic paintings and pencil drawings).

In addition to the contributions made to the project by the Yakima Arts Commission, support has also been provided by the City of Yakima, JEM Development, Inc., Stems, Gasperetti’s, Action Window Cleaning, David Lynx and the Yakima Bindery.

Additional information is available at www.windowsalive.com

Windows Alive Project News Release pdf

The Yakima City Council held its most recent regular agenda business meeting on Tuesday, February 17^th, 2015.

Action taken by the Council on February 17^th included:

–   Approval of $100,000 for marketing and operational expenses at the Yakima Valley SunDome

–   Rejecting a public advisory vote on the proposed Yakima downtown plaza

–   Establishing no parking zones along parade routes

–   Approving the use of federal grant funds to promote air passenger service at the Yakima airport

–   Providing direction on potential and pending items before the state legislature

Follow this link to watch Y-PAC coverage of the January 20^th Yakima City Council meeting – http://bit.ly/1vXeC6K

Yakima City Council regular agenda business meetings air live on Charter Cable channel 194 and are replayed at 7:00 pm the following night. The meetings are shown again at 9:00 am on the following Saturday and Sunday and are also available on the City of Yakima website – http://www.yakimawa.gov/.

The Yakima City Council holds its next regular agenda business meeting on Tuesday, February 17^th, 2015. The meeting begins at 6:00 pm at Yakima City Hall.

Items on the February 17^th agenda include:

–    Council direction on potential and pending items before the state legislature

–    Establishing no parking zones along parade routes

–    A public hearing date on amendments to the City’s sign code Ordinance

–    A request for $100,000 for marketing and operational expenses at the Yakima Valley SunDome

–    Approval of a U.S. Department of Transportation grant to promote air passenger service at the Yakima Airport

–    Report on implementation of downtown Yakima parking recommendations

To see the complete agenda for the February 17^th Council meeting, click on the following link http://bit.ly/1ELMnXR

Yakima City Council regular agenda business meetings air live on Charter Cable channel 194 and are replayed at 7:00 pm the following day. The meetings are shown again at 9:00 am on the following Saturday and Sunday and are also available on the City of Yakima website – http://www.yakimawa.gov/

Traffic on a two-block section of North Front Street will be impacted while brick pavers in the Historic District are cleaned on February 17^th and 18^th.

Crews from the City of Yakima Streets Division will be cleaning the brick pavers in the southbound lane of North Front Street between Yakima Avenue and MLK, Jr. Boulevard during the day on both Tuesday, February 17^th and Wednesday, February 18^th. While the cleaning project is underway, the southbound lane of North Front Street along that two-block section will be closed to all traffic. Flaggers will be on site to direct traffic through the project area using the northbound lane.

Brick pavers were installed on North Front Street between Yakima Avenue and MLK, Jr. Boulevard and on S Sgt. Pendleton Way between North Front Street and 1^st Street in 2006 during Phase 1 of the Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative. During the building of the MLK, Jr. Boulevard underpass, which began in February 2013 and was completed in July 2014, construction debris and other materials dirtied some of the brick pavers. The pavers will be cleaned using soda blasting equipment.

During the project, traffic delays in the area are likely to occur. Drivers should use alternate routes if possible until the project is completed.

Access to businesses in the area will be maintained and traffic will be allowed through the project area when possible.

As always, the schedule for this type of a project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

For additional information about this project, contact Streets and Traffic Operations Manager Joe Rosenlund at 576-6430.

North Front Street Brick Cleaning – News Release

P.O.W. Contracting, Inc., a Pasco-based construction firm, is the primary contractor for an approximately $980,000 project that will improve the irrigation system in several neighborhoods in Yakima.  Work on the West Yakima Irrigation System Phase 2 Improvements project is nearly complete and will be finished in time for the start of the 2015 irrigation season this spring.

The contractor has completed the installation of all new irrigation mains and services throughout the project area. Once local asphalt plants open in late March or early April, the contractor will complete the final surface restoration on Summitview Avenue and Cleman Avenue. Until then, a temporary trench patch will remain in place. Final landscape restoration will also take place later this year in areas disturbed by installations.

The project will improve the irrigation water delivery system in neighborhoods between Summitview Avenue to the south, Lincoln Avenue to the north, 21^st Avenue to the east, and 37^th Avenue to the west.

Approximately 5,130 linear feet of new 3-inch and 4-inch high-density polyethylene (“HDPE”) pipe and approximately 7,390 linear feet of new 3-inch to 12-inch polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) pipe has been installed.  More than 200 new irrigation service connections have also been completed as part of the project.

Funding for the project is provided from the City’s Irrigation Capital Improvement budget.

For more information about the project, contact Water/Irrigation Engineer Mike Shane at 576-6480.

Irrigation Improvement Project Update – News Release

A one-block section of Barge Street will be closed to all traffic for most of this week while the roadway is prepared for repaving. From Tuesday, February 10^th through Friday, February 13^th, Barge between 48^th Avenue and 49^th Avenue will be closed while crews from the City of Yakima Streets & Traffic Division remove deteriorating asphalt and lay new gravel in advance of the road being repaved.

Once local area asphalt plants begin operation later this year, the one-block section of Barge will be repaved.

Access to homes and businesses in the project area will be impacted, but will be maintained when possible. Emergency vehicles will be allowed through the project area if necessary.

As always, the schedule for this type of a project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

For additional information about this project, contact Streets and Traffic Operations Manager Joe Rosenlund at 576-6430.

Barge Street Repaving Project – News Release

Yakima City Council Meeting Review

The Yakima City Council held its most recent regular agenda business meeting on

Tuesday, February 3^rd, 2015.

Action taken by the Council on February 3^rd included:

– Appointing Roger Lewis to the Yakima Parks & Recreation Commission

– Setting the date for a public hearing on March 3^rd regarding the Yakima Airport Master Plan

– Approving an agreement with the Downtown Association of Yakima to provide services including the beautification, improvement, and promotion of Downtown Yakima

– Providing direction regarding specific potential/pending state legislation

Follow this link to watch Y-PAC coverage of the February 3^rd Yakima City Council meeting – http://bit.ly/16hmTFS

Yakima City Council regular agenda business meetings air live on Charter Cable channel 194 and are replayed at 7:00 pm the following night. The meetings are shown again at 9:00 am on the following Saturday and Sunday and are also available on the City of Yakima website – http://www.yakimawa.gov/.

Yakima City Council Meeting Review – February 3rd, 2015