Port sells its last Wilma building

The Port of Whitman County last week accepted an offer on the final building it owned at the Port of Wilma. The Port accepted an offer from Martin Frostad, who owns an O-ring business.

“It's a rubber ring that seals things,” said Joe Poiré, Port executive director. “That will be the business he puts there.”

The Port since January had been entertaining offers from Mark Huett on the building, located at 1847 Wilma Drive. Huett in January purchased a building at 1845 Wilma Drive and made plans for an aluminum boating production there. In January, Port Properties and Development Manager Debbie Snell reported that Huett had made an offer below the asking price of $250,000 for the second building. At that time, she reported that the real estate agent was working with Huett on the offer.

Huett appeared at the Port meeting last week when the Port accepted the offer from Frostad, who was not present.

Frostad offered $235,000 for the building, while Huett offered $220,000. Poiré reported at the meeting that he had received a call from Huett that morning indicating that his offer had increased to $236,000.

“Mark has brought in an offer to counter, and these offers time out at 5 p.m. today,” Poiré told the commissioners, indicating the original offers of $235,000 and $220,000.

A discussion ensued, and it was determined that Huett's higher offer was not yet valid because it was not submitted through the real estate agent, Palouse Commercial Real Estate. The commissioners and staff decided to not wait for Huett to go through the real estate agent and instead opted for the guaranteed high offer from Frostad.

“We're out of the property ownership at Wilma,” Commissioner Tom Kammerzell said following the unanimous vote from the commissioners.

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.

This sale leaves the Port with only one commercial property, the Henley Court building in the Pullman Industrial Park.

Though the Port no longer owns the building, it leases the land for the building to Frostad. Port properties at Wilma are leased to tenants.

This sale is expected to close in August, said Poiré.