Industrial Park at TransAlta Works to Land Tenants as Another Site Reaches Completion

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Site one at the Industrial Park at TransAlta is now essentially complete after the nonprofit organization that operates the project constructed a road to the 26-acre property and installed water and sewer infrastructure.

The site is the second property that has been completed by IPAT, with the first one being only 8 acres in size.

Allyn Roe, chief operating officer of IPAT, said the work at site one cost $3.7 million. About $2.7 million was awarded through the federal Economic Development Administration, with more than $1 million allocated through state funds. 

“All the construction improvements were done with grant funds,” Roe said.

The site was graded, the road was constructed and the infrastructure was completed. Two types of water are available, one which is essentially raw water utilized for industrial needs and is not treated for consumption, and a smaller secondary line has potable water. 

“I think the biggest vision is just bringing in someone that makes sense and is a good fit for the community, and a good fit for the property,” Roe, IPAT’s only employee, said. “Also specifically on this property that we did it grant funded so we want a good return on that investment. Being able to say the money went toward construction jobs, that’s good, but we also want to say it was a worthwhile investment to attract someone to come in and provide good jobs and investment.”

IPAT has seven areas designated for industrial properties totaling about 4,300 acres in size. The boundary of the properties is about the same size of Centralia city limits, Roe said. 

The land, donated by TransAlta as it transitions away from coal, aims to help fill a gap that will be present after the company shuts down its last coal-fired unit in 2025.

“In concept, it's a neat thing just on the fact that this used to be a 150-foot hole where we are standing on now,” Roe said at the site earlier in November. “Now it’s like a 150-foot mountaintop essentially, so this is a reclaimed surface coal mine site. To take something that’s gone through and had the resources mined out of it and then to come back through and redevelop that property for industrial development, it kind of capitalizes a second time on the property.”

Roe said the sites are aimed to appeal to large clients, ones that would result in statewide significant projects. The sites would be a good fit for heavier industrial clients who may produce a lot of noise and light pollution, or those needing the larger infrastructure.

It’s estimated the clients would spend about $1.2 billion on building and constructing its facilities. The clients would also have a high water and power demand, which the sites would be able to provide. 

“Some of the clients that we see, the amount of power that they are using is equivalent to the amount of power the whole entire county utilizes,” Roe said.



With Bonneville Power Administration lines close by, and a natural gas line that runs under the lines, clients would be able to tap into the services they need. Rail extensions are also available to the properties. 

As a nonprofit organization, Roe said IPAT is not interested in profiting off the land sale, but is more concerned on finding a good fit in terms of either investment dollars, or the quality jobs the clients bring.

“We’ve had people interested in purchasing property out here that we had to say no to just because it wasn’t a good fit,” Roe said. 

For the recently completed site one, Roe said the minimum amount of jobs they want on the site is 60. 

The larger properties that will be developed will likely have a minimum amount higher than that due to their size. 

Those sites are already being marketed.

Roe said IPAT has had five proposals looking into property. The proposals include detailed information outlining what the sites provide as well as other pertinent information. 

He said it was exciting to get the interest they have because it shows what it could bring to the county. 

“Everyone asks when it’s going to happen. I don’t know, but all we know is without the properties out here we wouldn’t be talking to them,” he said. “The county doesn’t have other similar sites with the infrastructure to be able to provide for them.” 

Roe, who has been apart of IPAT since last February, said the sites will bring quality jobs, and good wages to the area. It will also help tap into the students who go to school and want to stay in the area.

“We’re not looking for those low paying jobs,” he said. “We want semi-skilled with good wages to it and that’s what we are essentially requiring if we sell the property to somebody, or most likely incentivize property for someone to come in here that’s offering that.”