The Port of Chehalis and the city of Chehalis received money from the distressed counties fund after the Board of Lewis County Commissioners approved the $163,000 allocation for the projects at its Monday meeting.
The port was awarded $125,000 for a two-year pilot program that will bring a coworking space to downtown Chehalis. The project will provide desk space for rent by the hour, day, week or month.
Of the money awarded, $115,000 will cover the purchase of the building at 478 N. Market Blvd., Chehalis. The remaining $10,000 will be used for any remodeling costs.
The port and the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team have partnered to move the project forward.
“Just on behalf of Chehalis Community Renaissance, thank you again for your support of this new initiative and new project we are going to be taking on,” Annalee Tobey, executive director of CCRT, said.
The space will “increase the viability of the downtown district,” according to Tobey.
Lewis County Commissioner Gary Stamper said if the project is not ultimately successful, the port would be required to return the $125,000 to the distressed counties fund.
The city of Chehalis was awarded $38,000 in funding for projects associated to the Chehalis-Centralia Airport. The money will be used to collect and analyze data to help target businesses that would be interested in existing and underutilized facilities at the airport.
The funds will be used to develop a conceptual land use plan to attract businesses to airport property.
Brandon Rakes, with the airport, said the money will allow for the development of a commercial area on the northeast corner of the property.
Matt Matayoshi, executive director of the Lewis Economic Development Council, said both of the projects focus on “out of the box” ideas.
“The projects are saying to the community that we are not going to continue to do the same things and expect different results,” he said. “We are going to try something different.”
Distressed counties funding, otherwise known as .09 money, is granted to public facilities that serve economic development. It’s a 0.09 percent sales and use tax rural counties are allowed by state law to impose.
Both of the projects received approval from the .09 committee prior to the commissioners making the final decision.
