By SUE RYAN
News staff writer
March 24, 2007

Port of Hood River commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a Memorandum of Understanding on the proposed sale and redevelopment of the Expo Center to DaKine Hawaii.

“This has been a long time coming and after extensive evaluation and public outreach it will allow a very prominent building on the waterfront, that is underutilized, to become a catalyst for future waterfront development,” said Sherry Bohn, port commission president.

The DaKine Hawaii company located in Hood River in 1986 with nine employees. The company manufactures and distributes gear for winter and summer sports. The company currently operates out of the old cannery building at 308 Columbia Avenue.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.

The Expo Center is a 31,650- square-foot structure originally used as a Clark Door manufacturing plant. The port decided last fall to pursue the remodel due to a $60,000 annual operating loss on the building.

One of DaKine Hawaii’s objectives as stated in the agreement is to maintain their existing presence in Hood River, which provides current employment for 70 full-time employees.

With the move to the Expo Center, the company forecasts an increase in personnel that includes an additional 15 management positions over the next five years.

Under the agreement, the port will sell the property to DaKine at a valuation basis that will be determined through a negotiated process. The commissioners also approved a $4,750 contract Tuesday night with Integra Realty Resources for an appraisal of the Expo Center.

The first step is for Hennebery Eddy Architects, of Portland, to carry out an $85,000 contract to draw up schematics for the redevelopment of the building. The port and DaKine will share that cost.

The development timeline (see box) includes starting construction on the remodel March 15, 2008. Events are still scheduled at the Expo Center through 2007 with the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center still occupying a portion of the building.

“Along with this exciting opportunity to finally begin development on the waterfront, the commission and port staff remains committed to offering assistance to current users of the Expo Center so that they can find alternative locations for their events in 2008,” Bohn said.

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During their meeting commissioners also heard an update on studies on the delta from hydrologic engineer Andrew Jansky.

He brought preliminary data that will be presented at an April 2 meeting that shows a combination of aerial and underwater surveys with river flow and volume information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“The pool (Bonneville) is one variable but how much water they are squirting through the dam at The Dalles makes a big difference,” Jansky said. “One-half a foot difference makes a huge change on the sandbar.”

Besides the issue of volume changing the river Jansky said it was obvious from further analysis of the aerial photos that the woody debris is concentrated in a few areas.

“The concentration of debris in three areas is so dense that it may cause problems (once submerged),” Jansky said. “Those areas should be designated as high hazard.”

Bohn said a common question from the community has been why doesn’t the port simply hire someone to scour it off. Janksy replied that those debris areas are on the portion owned by the state’s Division of State Lands, which requires a permit for any such work from any individual or agency. They also limit when the work can be done.

“Only at certain times of year between November and February,” he said. “You can’t do it until next year.”

In other business, the commission:

* Approved an $82,747 contract with Alford Landscape Services, Inc. for landscaping Second Street.

* Appointed Jerry Keith and Jerry Tausend to the budget committee.

* Amended a real estate contract with Ast Commercial Real Estate.

* Approved a recission of a land use agreement with Silver and Wise, LLC for property acquired from Coburn Electric, Inc.

* Approved a Hood River County Historical Museum request to waive a user fee for the Sept. 22 “Cars of Yesterday” static display on the marina green.

* Approved a $1,200 change order on the toll plaza remodel for a prefabricated toll booth.

* Ratified change orders in the amount of $37,870.01 to the Marina Center building tenant improvement project for sprinkler systems and floor repair.