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Independence is in the midst of a construction boom, city officials say.

A 20-acre land parcel has been purchased by the city with plans for a new hotel, a $15 million-plus apartment complex is being built, 60,000-plus square feet of industrial space is under construction and approval recently was issued for a 100-unit subdivision.

City Manager David Clyne on Monday announced that the city entered into a contract to purchase riverfront property on C Street from Valley Concrete & Gravel for $800,000. The purchase is scheduled to close before the end of 2014.

鈥淭his is an interesting parcel that’s been perceived for quite a few years as an opportune site to acquire to complete our riverfront development,鈥� Clyne said. 鈥淗igh-quality lodging is really missing in this area.鈥�

Clyne said the city is in negotiations with an investor who’s interested in committing $5 million to $10 million to develop a large hotel on the site. City officials also are hoping that the site gains retail, dining and housing elements.

鈥淚 think the pieces are coming together on the location,鈥� Clyne said. 鈥淥ne of the outcomes we’d like to achieve from this is to develop two consecutive miles of waterfront 鈥� and getting control of this site completes the first of the most important steps.鈥�

Independence Economic Development Director Shawn Irvine said it’s 鈥渘ot unrealistic鈥� that ground would be broken on the parcel by next summer.

Polk County is second only to neighboring Yamhill County in number of acres dedicated to viticulture, Irvine said. He’s had winery owners approach him and say the lack of higher-end hotels in the area hurts their tourism.

鈥淭here’s no quality lodging in Independence,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’ve got smaller, affordable, balcony-access hotels. They’ve got TVs and are clean, but some people are looking to stay somewhere nicer than that.鈥�

Irvine said a feasibility study conducted for the city determined that Independence needs at least 50 additional rooms to meet existing demand for hotel space.

鈥淏ut we believe having a good quality hotel on a riverfront location with good access to downtown would generate more demand,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’ve got a lot of people looking, but they’re hesitant because there’s not lodging in the area.鈥�

Developer Karl Ivanov, owner of Clackamas-based I & E Construction, is building a 204-unit apartment complex about a half-mile northwest of downtown Independence. His firm performed a market study and determined that the area was ready.

鈥淲e follow the opportunities where they take us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he market study came in pretty well there in terms of multifamily housing.鈥�

He said the apartments will be a mix of studios and units with one, two or three bedrooms, and rent for about $1 per square foot.

鈥�(Ivanov) is the one who made us realize we’re really going again,鈥� Irvine said. 鈥淗e came from out of the area to build these apartments here.鈥�

It’s not all new construction; the 119-year-old, two-story Cooper Building, at 206 S. Main St., is being renovated by Bodie Bemrose of Salem-based B.C. Bemrose & Co. Irvine said retail and restaurant space will likely take up the bottom floor and apartments will occupy the second floor.

The building is brick, with a cupola at the northwest corner.

鈥淚t’s a smaller project, but for our community it’s a big deal,鈥� Irvine said. 鈥淭he building was owned by an absentee landlord for about 20 years, but was purchased last year by someone local.鈥�

Adding to the residential construction boom, the Independence Planning Commission on Monday approved construction of a 100-unit subdivision southwest of town, Irvine said.

鈥淚nterest in Independence is really high right now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t feels like there’s construction going on everywhere. The economy is definitely back.鈥�

Meanwhile, a 30,000-square-foot building under construction in Independence will be the new home for Universal Seed Co. Also, a new 20,000-square-foot building will be home to Marquis Spas as it adds pools to its line of spas and other products, Irvine said. Additionally, a 14,000-square-foot building with flexible interior space is in the pipeline; it’s being built entirely on spec.