JUNE 2007: AROUND THE STATE, DISPATCHES
SALEM
Usually golf courses and senior citizen living options go
together. Generally, though, they don’t share the same
land. Due to increasing water supply issues, the Bottle Creek
Golf Course could see a new life as an aging-in-place
residential area if the city approves zoning changes. As
general manager Mary Rentfro says, “There isn’t
sufficient water for us to sustain a golf course.” After
meeting with neighbors and discussing options the senior
residential development emerged as the most popular idea. The
golf course would turn into a mix of single-family dwellings
and park areas. A care facility would also be built to assist
older citizens, allowing residents to remain in their
neighborhood even as their needs change, says Rentfro. After
applying for a zone change this spring, owner Terry Kelly now
must wait for the city’s approval before beginning a
subdivision application.
A 146-acre site remains up for grabs after Wal-Mart declined
to build a warehouse on state-owned Mill Creek land. Wal-Mart,
which would have spent $140,000 per acre for the lot, would
have been one of the first companies to begin developing at
Mill Creek. Of the 650 acres, 515 are available for purchase,
the rest set aside as a wetlands park. According to city
manager Bob Wells, while the area is surplus state land it
remains within the city’s urban renewal area. Salem will
provide the infrastructure necessary for development such as
water connections and streets.
Employees at Yamasa, an international company known for its
soy sauce, moved into a new warehouse location adjacent to its
existing facility. The 10,000-square-foot space cost a little
more than $1.3 million to build, according to Yoshifumi
Daikoku, manager of administration. Before obtaining the
occupancy permit for the new warehouse in February, Yamasa was
in leased space a mile away from its manufacturing facility.
Daikoku says the Salem facility is the only one in the
U.S. to brew and package their soy sauce.
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