By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
Eastown is rapidly moving from an idea and a drawing to development on the ground.
The Eastown area of Bonney Lake runs from 214th Avenue East, along both sides of state Route 410 East, to about 234th Avenue East.
The first step in the process of developing the area is the construction of a sewer lift station at 22123 SR 410, on what was Don French's property.
The grading and filling of the site for the lift station began about 10 ago. The developers are Ray Frey and Rick Gienger of Eastown LLC.
Frey and Gienger are building the lift station, the gravity lines that will connect other properties to the lift station and the pressure line from the station to the city's sewer main at 214th.
The station is located at the north portion of the property, which is the lowest area in Eastown. Gravity lines will be constructed that will run under SR 410, connecting the properties on the south side.
“The lift station has been designed and our goal is to be done with it by next year,” Frey said.
Frey said once the lift station is started there will be a “mad dash for every parcel” by commercial interests.
Eastown is commercially zoned and has been in the planning stage for years.
The city proposed setting up a utility local investment district (ULID) agreement in 2006 to get sewer lines built and allow development of the area to proceed. However, Frey and Gienger decided to move ahead with sewer construction on their own to speed up the process.
The two developers will collect late-comer fees from those who connect to the sewer lines and lift station to pay for the construction.
