Another Franklin County farm is being plowed under to meet Pasco’s growing appetite for industrial land.

The Port of Pasco will establish a new industrial center off Highway 395 after closing a $4.4 million deal  to buy 55 acres from Cox Family Land LLC.

The port will operate the property as Pasco Industrial Center Highway 395, or PIC395. It is on the east side of the highway. The existing – and full – Pasco Processing Center, its industrial park catering to massive food processors, is nearby.

The deal gives the port breathing room to develop its next industrial park, Reimann Industrial Center, to the north. It needs two years to install utilities and other infrastructure to serve industry.

PIC395 on the other hand is ready to go almost immediately.

It is “shovel ready,” meaning it has the road and utility infrastructure to develop almost immediately.

Foster Wells Road is to the north and Capitol Avenue on the east. It does not have rail access but is zoned industrial. The city is expected to annex it this summer. It will remain in agricultural production until a firm is identified to purchase a site.

The port said it will work with Franklin County, the city of Pasco and the Franklin Public Utility District to develop the site, which is expected to cater to similar clients to Pasco Processing Center.

Jim Klindworth, chairman of the port’s elected board of commissioners, said the ready-to-go property gives the port a way to respond to demand from food processors and other industrial businesses.

“We are very excited to add this new property to the port’s land portfolio. It will help us meet heavy demand for industries a that are ready to go,” he said.

Randy Hayden, the port’s executive director, called the site an opportunity the port couldn’t afford to pass up.

“With all the growth we are seeing in the industrial center, the port wanted to have property available to locate new business in Franklin County. PIC395 checks all the boxes,” he said in a prepared statement.

The deal was funded from the port’s Economic Development Opportunity Fund and includes water rights for agricultural and industrial purposes.