The Port of Benton recently completed construction of the Washington State University Hanford History Project Storage & Archive Facility in Richland.

The building at 3251 Port of Benton Blvd. is across from the USS Triton Sail Park, at the corner of Port of Benton Blvd, and 11th Street. It features 7,500 square feet of warehouse and offices and is constructed of masonry block with architectural metal finishes. It is temperature and humidity controlled for archive storage.

The project cost $3.1 million, which included port-owned land. The property is on a portion of a 3.2-acre parcel that is planned for future additional buildings.

The investment aligns with the port’s commitment to regional STEM tourism, which aims to bring visitors to the community in alignment with tourism resiliency planning.

The permanent archive and storage facility provides twice as much space as currently available, and provides working archival, documentation and research space for its current three staff members, future staff capacity and dedicated collaboration space for university interns and volunteers.

The permanent home enables the collection to grow while keeping costs consistent and manageable, a long-term priority of regional partnerships with Washington State University Tri-Cities, Hanford History Project, Manhattan National Park and the U.S. Department of Energy.

This facility is serving as the first phase of the wider White Bluffs STEM Center, with plans reserved for phase II to provide permanent leased space for the Manhattan Project B Reactor Tours and artifacts associated with the USS Triton Sail Park.

Overseeing the project is Port of Benton’s Roger Wright, contract engineer, and RGW Enterprises.

Architects West is the architect.

Booth and Sons is the general contractor.