What's NEW in Bend?

New "Feature Page" I've created this page to help keep you informed of important changes in the City of Bend, as well as any real estate market updates of interest. Please feel free to contact me with your comments or suggestions regarding this page or web site.

12/10/06 - New!
Newport Bridge is NOW Open . . .
Read the full article here - I'll be posting pictures of the new bridge on my Bend Photography website soon.

Constant growth in Bend continues . . .

NorthWest Crossing’s commercial district will grow this winter with two new restaurants, a string of retail shops and some offices - details -> What's goin up?!

6/1/06
Bend is the 6th fastest appreciating city in the US - Read the article from MSN Money.

5/4/06
Westside Bend being reshaped by new up-scale projects
Familiar buildings and businesses on Bend's trendy Westside are being replaced with mixed-use condos, shops and restaurants.
Source: Bend Bulletin

4/21/06
Trader Joe's coming to Bend!
City of Bend Senior Planner Craig Chenoweth, who is working on the site plan for the building, said Trader Joe's is in the process of signing the lease for the Cascade Village space.
Source: Bend Bulletin

4/12/06
Bend area homes up 6.3% in first Quarter!
Sales volumes, in fact, are up in all of the region's major markets, despite the traditional slowness of the late-winter season. Bend registered 485 homes sold in the first quarter, up about 4 percent from the first quarter last year. But Redmond posted 257 sales, up 35.6 percent and Jefferson County, where Madras is undergoing something of a renaissance, saw sales boom by more than 184 percent to 54.
Source: Bend Bulletin

4/10/06
High Desert economy staged for more growth, experts say . . .
Draw to resortlike living keeps Central Oregon booming - reports the Bend Bulletin: Central Oregon economy should remain strong in 2006 despite signs of a slowdown in housing markets nationally.
Source: Bend Bulletin

GGL Architecture Designs Newport Lofts

GGL Architecture, LLC has been retained to design the Newport Lofts. The mixed-use project is located at the southeast corner of NW 10th and Newport Avenues in Bend.

This first-rate project will be composed of 4,600 square feet of retail use on the ground floor and five residential lofts on the second floor with covered decks and rooftop gardens. The exterior will feature extensive brick and concrete block for its façade, and abundant daylighting.

Construction is scheduled to start spring of 2006.

Third Salt Lake City Flight Begins

Delta Air Lines' third Salt Lake City flight started on December 1. The added flight increases Redmond-Salt Lake City flights from two to three daily. Delta Flight 3862 is operated by Skywest Airlines using the same 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet flown for Redmond's other Delta flights. The announcement came after only eight months following a successful effort by the Redmond Airport, EDCO, COVA and the Central Oregon Air Service Task Force (COAST) to attract Delta to the Central Oregon market.

Delta Connection carrier SkyWest's schedule between Salt Lake City and Redmond/Bend now includes a mid-day flight:

Flight/Departs/Arrives
3863 Redmond/Bend at 6:45 a.m. Salt Lake City at 9:15 a.m.
3864 Redmond/Bend at 1:25 p.m. Salt Lake City at 3:55 p.m.
3864 Salt Lake City at 11:20 a.m. Redmond/Bend at 11:50 a.m.
3862* Salt Lake City at 2:55 p.m. Redmond/Bend at 3:25 p.m.
3862* Redmond/Bend at 3:55 p.m. Salt Lake City at 6:25 p.m.
3865 Salt Lake City at 8:35 p.m. Redmond/Bend at 9:05 p.m.
* Effective December 1, 2005

Travel time to Salt Lake City on the regional jet is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Economic Development for Central Oregon Director Roger Lee is excited about the news. "Timing on this flight is excellent since travel on and around the holidays is a peak time for the Redmond Airport."

Salt Lake City is Delta's third largest hub with 125 daily flights to 64 locations in the U.S., while Delta's commuting partner, SkyWest Airlines, has an additional 156 additional departures.

IronHorse Chosen to Reflect History Area

Brooks Resources Corporation announced that a name has been selected for the new neighborhood it is developing in Prineville, Oregon. The name IronHorse was chosen in order to reflect a strong element of the heritage and tradition of Prineville, while conveying an authentic sense of place. "One of our key objectives during the entire process of building this new neighborhood has been to stay close to the rich roots of Prineville," said Randy Jones, Brooks Resources Corporation project manager. "We believe that the name 'IronHorse' reflects the rugged and independent spirit of this area."

The name represents many aspects of the area, including the ranching and equestrian history of the property. "Iron horse" is also a traditional term for "train" and is reminiscent of Prineville's municipally-owned railway. Prineville citizens and public decision-makers have played a key role in the evolution of this project since its inception. A complex survey by a third-party agency was conducted which included interviews with residents, small-business owners and others in an attempt to capture Prineville's authentic and distinctive characteristics. Well-attended public workshops were held in order to gather an even broader section of resident input to ensure a responsive and highly designed neighborhood that blends with the local community. IronHorse, a mixed-use community located in Prineville has been designed as a natural extension of the existing historic area. This unique neighborhood brings together the very best of traditional neighborhood developments across the West, while recognizing the need for quality, sustainable and self-supportive growth in Prineville.

3/21/06
"A Taste of Green" Governor Kulongoski tells renewable power experts to consider energy research center for Bend. Posted: March 21, 2006 2:07 am

3/7/06
USA TODAY article:
Rachel Scdoris, a local blind dog sledder blazes Iditarod trail for visually impaired

3/3/06
Details emerging about future downtown parking
At a Bend City Council work session on Wednesday night, the city’s private traffic consultants outlined recommendations for changes when the city’s new parking garage opens downtown next month. Some recommendations: 1) that a monthly pass in the parking garage be $45 per month, with possible discounts of $10 or so per month at the beginning to lure customers; 2) when the garage opens, the parking lot at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Wall Street, and the Mirror Pond lots next to Drake Park, be closed to permit holders and become paid parking lots at 50 cents per hour or $4 daily maximum, with free two-hour parking eliminated; and, 3) that parking enforcement hours be extended to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from the current 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, the merchant validation program would end.

The paid “smart meter” parking at Greenwood and Wall and the Mirror Pond lots would be a one-year test to gauge the reaction of downtown visitors to metered paid parking. Although the city is considering on-street paid parking, nothing will move forward until the Newport Avenue Bridge reopens after its replacement this year. City staff is concerned that the bridge closure already will affect downtown businesses, and they don’t want to add to any problems by instituting paid on-street parking while the bridge is out. Plus, as Mayor Bill Friedman made clear on Wednesday, the city council has not approved on-street paid parking. The council will consider a staff proposal on the consultants’ recommendations at its March 15 meeting.

2/16/06
Housing Market Expanding - Get ready for more growth!!

That's the advice from some of Central Oregon's key prognosticators.
Source: Bend Bulletin

Bend Home Sales, LLC
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Email: John Melton

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