Construction of the first restaurant in Kennewick’s Vista Field could start in late summer.

The upscale Japanese eatery, called Kuki Izakaya, will be on a prominent 5,000-square-foot corner property called Lot 15, which has frontage along Crosswind Boulevard.

Port of Kennewick commissioners recently approved a $95,000 purchase and sale agreement with Kuki LLC – registered to Richland restauranteur Isabelle Na – for the property.

It’s the latest in a recent slate of activity for Vista Field, a former municipal airport owned by the port that’s being transformed into a regional town center with commercial and residential development. A purchase and sale agreement for Lot 25 – the site of a future five-story mixed-use building – was approved this spring, and redevelopment of the southern gateway began.

Residential development at Vista Field also could be be on the horizon.  

Port commissioners on June 11 approved a letter of interest from BlueChart Homes, which wants to build nearly 300 homes in Vista Field in phases. The move kicks off a collaborative design process, and port staff and the developers will work together on a purchase and sale agreement for commissioners to consider at a future meeting.

New restaurant 

Meanwhile, the new eatery, Kuki Izakaya, will be a 3,500-square-foot “stylish upscale restaurant serving Japanese-style cuisine (and) attracting customers with local wines and Japanese traditional sakes,” according to information provided to port commissioners.

A new upscale Japanese restaurant is planned for Lot 15 in Kennewick's Vista Field. LPR Architecture is the designer and Construction Services of Washington is the general contractor.

| Port of Kennewick

Commissioners voted unanimously May 28 to approve the agreement, saying it’s another positive development for the long-planned Vista Field.

“This is a pretty exciting time,” said Commission President Skip Novakovich.

Commissioner Thomas Moak added that, “I hope it’s the first of many restaurants that we’ll see at Vista Field,” while Commissioner Ken Hohenberg said he can’t wait to try it out.

Na has two other local restaurants with her husband, BK Hong, including Ara Sushi & Grill off George Washington Way and Chicken & Bowl off Swift Boulevard, both in Richland.

The new restaurant’s design is working its way through the collaborative design process with Vista Field town architect Matt Lambert of DPZ CoDesign, the port information said.

The contractor, CSW - Construction Services of Washington, is working on permitting, and construction is anticipated to start by late summer or early fall, the information said.

The project must be completed within two years, under the agreement.

During the May 28 port meeting, commissioners took note that Na and Hong have loyal customer followings at their other restaurants. 

“I look forward to seeing this (new) business thrive. I hope they stay so busy that they’ll have to look for another location in the future as well,” Hohenberg said.