Winlock is about to change, many of us are aware that Winlock is getting an industrial park, but did you know there is more than that coming to our community.
Recently at a meeting Mayor Brandon Svenson stated there were 500 new homes and apartments in the planning stages. What that means is that 500 new residences are going to be built in the city limits. We have all seen Grand Prairie explode with more homes coming. The space across from the Shell Station is reserved for apartments. There are to be 10 different buildings with 4 apartments in each.
With an increase of residences will come an increase of the population. Many have wanted Winlock to stay the same size, but we all knew growth from the Seattle and Portland area would eventually come to our area. We have seen property taxes increase by at least 25%, home values have soared. All in the name of progress. Winlock has always been poised to be a great little city, it just took some time off for a while. With the new growth and people, the downtown core should be bustling in a few years.
We also have the Lowe's Distribution Center going up. If you have driven on I-5 from Winlock, then you have seen the large concrete structure being built. This is one of the few that will probably go up in our lifetime. The new Lutheran Church is also coming together at the corner of Hwy 505 and Military Rd. There is also another piece of large land that is for sale. The area by the freeway is about to change.
Winlock is also seeing changes downtown. Roy's Place has been sold and the new owners have been busy getting it ready for all of us to enjoy. A couple of buildings are up for sale and people are looking at those as well. There are even a few being worked on. Our little city is about to change. If you remember Winlock from the 60s and 70s, it was a bustling little city with all buildings occupied. It is looking like we'll have a downtown core to shop in again.
Mayor Svenson said, "The city council, and Winlock city staff are being proactive with the growth to minimize the impact on the community."