Townhome developer offers millions to build hundreds of homes at Kennewick’s Vista Field

A development team from Western Washington wants to build 300 homes on the former runway at Vista Field that’s being redeveloped in the bustling Columbia Center district.

BlueChart Homes LLC offered to buy most if not all of the single-family home sites in the Port of Kennewick’s prized urban village project.

The port’s elected commission will consider accepting BlueChart’s multi-million dollar offer at its regular business session at 2 p.m., today, June 11. Watch the meeting at meet.goto.com/310245037

The Vista Field airfield in the middle of Kennewick welcomed its last airplane at the end of 2013.

Crosswind Boulevard and water feature in Port of Kennewick’s Vista Field project in west Kennewick near Toyota Center.

The port has worked ever since on a plan to transform the 103-acre property into a walkable village with an Italian countryside vibe and a mix of commercial and residential development linked by walking trails and a streamlike water feature.

BlueChart, a joint venture of Blue Fern Development of Redmond and Chartwell Land Co. of Silverdale, offered to buy 300 or more home sites in April.

The Port of Kennewick awarded a contract to Goodman & Mehlenbacher Enterprises (Game) Inc. to convert a pair of old airplane hangars into a public courtyard with bathrooms at the southern entrance to Vista Field.

The official letter of intent offers $2.2 million for the initial 28 lots in the first phase and $1.65 million for 20 more in the second.

The price has not been set for subsequent phases, but the deal would yield $24 million for the port based on a purchase price of $80,000 per finished lot.

BlueChart Homes LLC wants to build 300 homes at Vista Field near Columbia Center. The firm has submitted a letter of intent to the Port of Kennewick to purchase home sites along the former municipal airfield’s runway.

BlueChart is the fourth would-be developer to signal its interest in being part of Vista Field by pursuing a purchase and sale agreement with the properties that interest it most.

The port has separate agreements to sell sites for a Japanese restaurant, a bridal shop and an $8 million retail and residential building.

No sales have closed. The port itself is behind the only construction to occur so far.

It invested $5 million to create roads and other features for the first phase.

In April, it broke ground on a $2.1 million Benton County-funded project to convert two former hangars into a visitor plaza with bathrooms. The “Southern Gateway” project is ongoing.

Biggest private proposal to date

BlueChart’s vision is the most ambitious private proposal by far.

It would construct 300 or more private homes along Vista Field Boulevard over the course of eight phases. Vista Field Boulevard tracks the northeast-southwest alignment of the now-closed runway.

Akula Group, based in Vancouver, Wash., is negotiating to purchase land in Vista Field from the Port of Kennewick for a five-story building containing a mix of retail shops, apartments and luxury condominiums.

BlueChart’s offer gives it exclusive right to all single-family residential lots at Vista Field through the fifth phase, as long as it sticks to the development schedule.

Redmond-based Teak Construction LLC, based in Redmond, Wash., is BlueChart’s general contractor.

Its portfolio includes a range of projects, from three-unit townhome developments to larger apartment communities. it shares an executive with BlueChart in CEO Benjamin Paulus

According to its letter of interest, BlueChart will create a library of at least 12 home types and 36 variations, all subject to approval by the port’s designated architect.

The approach ensures a variety of homes that all comply with the port’s Tuscan vision for Vista Field.

DPZ Design, the port’s design consultant, reviewed the offer and said BlueChart’s vision suits the Vista Field dynamic.

Yori Nah and Bumki Hong, owners of two Richland restaurants, want to build Kuki Izakaya Japanese Bar & Grill in the Port of Kennewick’s Vista Field village. The duo went public with their interest a year ago and recently made an offer on the property.

“DPZ wishes to share our strong support for this proposal and desire to collaborate with BlueChart Homes,” it said.

BlueChart submitted a letter from Northwest Bank confirming it has a high degree of confidence that the partners have the financial and operational capacity to carry out the project in Kennewick.

Japanese restaurant and more

The other proposals for Vista Field

• Akula Group, based near Vancouver, agreed to buy Lot 25 at Crosswinds Boulevard and Azure Drive in December. It plans to build an $8 million five-story retail and residential building at the center of the property. Akula officials could not be reached on the status of design work.

• Isabelle Yuri Na of Kuki LLC agreed to pay $95,000 for Lot 15 earlier this month after several months of negotiations that started in early 2024. Na and her partner operate two Richland restaurants. They plan to open Kuku Izakaya Japanee Bar & Grill at Vista Field in two to three years. A closing date has not been set.

• Nearly a year ago, Amber Keller staked a claim at Vista Field for her business, Blueberry Bridal Boutique. It was the first business to enter a purchase and sale agreement with the port. That deal is also pending.

This story will be updated.

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