91视频

When the Port of Portland Commission voted Wednesday to purchase 222 acres of land in Gresham to develop for industrial uses, Gresham wasn’t the only city lobbying for the $26.5-million deal. Troutdale Mayor Jim Kight also came to the meeting to show his support for the deal.

Kight said he was there to support the Gresham purchase to promote more employment opportunities in east Multnomah County 鈥� and also to relate the success that Troutdale has seen with its own port-developed industrial land at the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park.

With both developments, the port aims to supply large lots of industrial land that is lacking in the region.

鈥淭here’s very few large parcels left in the three-county area; and that why the port wanted to make this purchase 鈥� a pretty bold one, frankly 鈥� of this property,鈥� Kight said.

Kight said the development is doing good things for Troutdale, helping the city towards the goal of having more local jobs, instead of being a 鈥渂edroom community.鈥�

The port recently announced it is continuing development into phase 2 of the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park. Phase two will develop nine lots on the 180-acre site. The first two phase 2 lots will be available by December 2014, according to Port of Portland spokesman Josh Thomas.

The Troutdale property is already home to the FedEx regional distribution hub, and its $129 million, 441,000-square-foot building. The FedEx building is on a lot that was developed in phase 1 of the industrial park project, along with two other lots, which are still unoccupied.

Kight hopes that the Fed Ex development will bring more tenants to the property.

鈥淲e’ve heard that where a FedEx is built, other hubs are built out within five years,鈥� Kight said. 鈥淚f you have a business dependent on a product getting to a customer, it’s a great advantage to have a (FedEx) regional hub right down the street.鈥�

Thomas said the port has been fielding interest on two of the lots at the Troutdale site.