Steady growth in the Tri-Cities real estate market is allowing Windermere Group One to open a Kennewick office in the Southridge area.

The new office at 3617 Plaza Way Ste. A in Kennewick is taking the space that was formerly occupied by Smasne Cellars.

Dee Boyle, Windermere Group One’s marketing director, said the 2,300-sq.-ft. space is being remodeled throughout May and will open in mid-June.

Windermere Group One was founded in 2010 by owner Jeff Thompson, but its roots reach even further back. Thompson was a partner with Dave Retter in Windermere Real Estate Tri-Cities. Retter started Windermere Tri-Cities in 1992 and Thompson joined the group in 1997.

In 2010, the Retter and Thompson dissolved the partnership, with Retter retaining Windermere Tri-Cities and Thompson starting Windermere Group One. Thompson’s goal was to explore a new business model that allowed agents and employees to become partners in the company. Thompson believed that allowing the employees to have stock in the company, would encourage them to take ownership and help them drive growth.

And it’s worked.

When Thompson started, his Richland office at 490 Bradley Blvd. had a staff of about 35, including agents.

Now that office was bursting at the seams, with 67 employees, including agents and staff.

“We just needed more room,” said Boyle. “And what better place than Southridge?”

Boyle said about 18 of the agents will move to the new office and the rest will continue to serve customers out of Windermere Tri-Cities’ Richland office.

“We are excited for our agents to have another location to assist their clients and to be part of a growing area,” she said.

Windermere Group One’s new office at 3617 Plaza Way, Ste. A, Kennewick will open in June. The phone number is 509-737-1141. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, go to grouponetricities.com.