Boat builder buys space at Wilma

The Port of Whitman County has closed the sale on one of two buildings it has owned at the Port of Wilma. Debbie Snell, Port properties and development manager, reported to the Port board last Thursday that the sale closed Jan. 17 for the building at 1845 Wilma Drive.

Buyer Mark Huett plans to locate an aluminum boat building facility in the structure which he purchased for $230,000.

The process on the sale began last summer, and it was extended to allow Huett more time to come up with the funds for the purchase. The building was the former site of Renaissance Marine, which moved to a larger building at the Port of Clarkston.

Bennett Lumber Products had previously leased the building and then subleased it to Renaissance. Bennett’s lease was terminated to allow the sale to go through.

The Port will continue to lease the site of the building to Huett. Property sites at Wilma are owned by the Port and leased to tenants who develop facilities on the sites according to their needs.

Snell also told the Port board that Huett was interested in purchasing the building next door at 1847 Wilma Drive.

The Port previously received a full-price offer of $250,000 on the other building at 1847 Wilma, and a sale closing date had been set for Nov. 1. That sale fell through, and the building went back on the market through Palouse Commercial Real Estate.

“Huett is now interested in making an offer,” said Snell. “He will more than likely do so.”

Huett previously made an offer below full price, and Snell reported the agent is working with him to get the offer up.

“The second offer from him was considerably larger than the previous offer,” she told the commissioners. “We’re letting that play out.”

The commissioners said they did not want to have to extend a sale closing date as they did with the other building.

“Make sure to have finances ahead of time so that he has it all figured out,” Commissioner Tom Kammerzell said.

The last occupant of 1847 Wilma Drive was Hells Canyon Rock, which vacated the site more than a year ago. The building was originally built for Spacial Dynamics, a microwave research development firm.

The only other building now owned by the Port is the Henley Court building at the Port’s Pullman Industrial Park.