Ford Group to invest $3.6M on commercial building for up to 7 tenants

A small project grew to 10 times its original size when

the Ford Group decided to put a 34,000-square-foot building on nearly two acres

of open land in Richland.

“We just wanted a place to store our boat,” said Greg

Ford, owner of the Ford Group and Brashear Electric. “But since we had all that

land, we kept going.”

Original plans for a 3,000-square -foot office and

facility to store a boat and an RV, eventually became plans for a commercial

building at 1953 Fowler St. in Richland that can hold up to seven tenants,

depending on size of the space.

The project is visible from Highway 240, as it’s tucked

at the end of Fowler Street, near the westernmost edge of Columbia Park, just

east of Cost Less Carpet and Smart Foodservice.

The project is listed as “She Shed” on its building

permit, a spin on the popular term “man cave.”

There are currently no committed tenants outside of the

owner’s office, but Ford said he has had “some serious inquiries,” including

one that could occupy about half of the space.

Ford described the future building as “fully sprinkled

and rated for any type of tenant.”

He owns other properties in the region, but this is the

first his company is building from scratch.

The total value of the building and land are estimated at

$3.6 million.

The area is zoned

for general commercial construction and the building is expected to be finished

and ready for occupants by the start of May.