Port of Whitman County is seeking an engineering firm for $2 million brewery

The Port of Whitman County is seeking an engineering firm as it moves forward with its planned Pullman Industrial Park on the northern edge of the city.

The Pullman Industrial Park is anticipated to house a second Hunga Dunga Brewing location. The plan is to develop a new $2 million, 12,000-square-foot building with a production center, restaurant, taproom and event venue.

Hunga Dunga, which already has a Moscow location, will be involved in the port’s interviews with the engineering firms that apply, said port Executive Director Kara Riebold during a Wednesday meeting. Those interviews are scheduled to take place in mid-January. Proposals from engineering firms are due Jan. 10.

The Port of Whitman County is supporting the expansion with a $2 million, low-interest loan it received from the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board.

The Pullman operation of Hunga Dunga will have space for Paddock Spirits Company, a venture of Cory and Blake Preston, who are the owners of Etsi Bravo nightclub in Pullman.

Also on Wednesday, the Port of Whitman discussed the feasibility of creating a child care facility in Colfax.

The port is considering purchasing or constructing a building that can be used as a child care center, but it first wants to seek assistance from a consultant.

Riebold told the Daily News that Colfax is in need of a daycare facility for children ages 3 and under. This is a concern that has been brought up by the Whitman County Commissioners and Whitman Hospital.

Riebold said the port would not operate this facility, but it could take a role in constructing or leasing a building for that purpose.

A consultant would help the port understand the scope of work for this project, including identifying potential sites, preparing pre-design work, figuring out how to manage the child care center and creating a funding plan.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.