OLYMPIA, WA-Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers recently submitted a “special use permit” to Lewis County officials in efforts to continue to make the state of Washington home to the company’s Northwest operations. For more than two years, Ritchie Bros. has searched from the Washington-Oregon border up in to Bellingham, WA to find a suitable site that met its relocation criteria.
This search also included the evaluation of expansion opportunities at its current location in Maytown, WA--11 miles south of Olympia--however according to a company statement; there were no achievable or viable options on that front. In doing this search, the company has identified a proposed relocation site in Lewis County, which meets its criteria. This site is situated just south of Napavine on the west side of Interstate 5, which is accessible via Exit 68.
Ritchie Bros. has been holding unreserved public auctions in the state of Washington for more than 38 years. Moving the company’s Northwestern operations to Lewis County would “signify the continuing growth of a well-established relationship between the state and Ritchie Bros. and would also serve to continue with the company’s long-standing customer relationships in the region,” according to a prepared statement.
“We really hope that we can continue to call the state of Washington our home for many years to come,” explains Scott Lennon, Ritchie Bros. real estate manager. “Our hope is to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the new property by the end of this year and hold a grand opening auction—inviting the community and our new neighbors—by the end of 2011.” The company could not be reached for further comment regarding the relocation.
According to a prepared statement, one of the more outstanding features of the Lewis County property plans proposed by Ritchie Bros. is the design of a storm water system that meets, and exceeds, county and state requirements for stormwater control. Robert Balmelli, president of Lewis County-based RB Engineering, will be leading the proposed water system project at the potential property. “We will be using a higher standard of storm water design than the county requires so that there is no damage to the downstream off-site drainage ways or streams,” says Balmelli. “Additionally, we will be installing a state-approved water system on-site that uses a year-round water supply of approximately 750 gallons per day.” According to Balmelli, the average household consumes about 400 gallons of water per day, “so the amount that would be consumed by the Ritchie Bros. site is very low.”
Other features of the Ritchie Bros. proposal include: Approximately 40% of the property will be dedicated to wetland; the entrance to the site is planned within less than 500 feet from the I-5 exit; and a large part of the property will be dedicated for on-site event parking.
Ritchie Bros. conducted its very first auction in the state of Washington in Seattle in 1972, and its first-ever unreserved auction in Olympia in 1979. Ritchie Bros. conducts, on average, four auctions a year at its Olympia auction site.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is considered one of the largest industrial auctioneers, selling more equipment to on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. The company has more than 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 41 auction sites worldwide.
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.
Once you are an ALM Digital Member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
*May exclude premium content© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
