Port of Lewiston panel gets update on proposed physical therapy center, Lewiston Tribune, Jan. 14, 2016

Plans are continuing to unfold for an in-patient physical therapy center near Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories at the Port of Lewiston’s Business and Technology Park.

A third party acquiring about 2 acres to lease back to Advanced Health Care is expected to close on the deal in the middle of February. The land is next to ClearView Eye Clinic on the 2800 block of Juniper Drive.

That update was provided Wednesday at a Port of Lewiston meeting where commissioners approved a 20-foot waterline easement to the city of Lewiston that would serve the property and another 4.5 acres. The port and the buyer will split the waterline’s construction costs, which are predicted to be about $20,000.

Advanced Health Care expects to have 35 full- and part-time employees at the venture, which will provide intensive rehabilitation for patients recovering from knee, hip and shoulder replacements. The building will be about 20,000 square feet, have about 30 beds and be part of a chain that has locations in Denver, Meridian, Idaho, and Albuquerque, N.M.

As Advanced Health Care makes plans to fill a spot on port ground, another business has left the port. Printer’s Distillery ended its port lease Dec. 31, Port Manager David Doeringsfeld said.

The distillery has an outstanding balance of $2,998 on its rent and will pay the amount, with 5 percent interest, over the next six months. The monthly lease rate was $2,050 for the 7,5000-square-foot space, for which Doeringsfeld said the port is now seeking a tenant.

Printer’s Distillery will cover the amount in arrears with sales from the state of Idaho and Alaska, owner Matt Plemmons said in an email.

Even though Printer’s Distillery is no longer at the port, Plemmons said it continues to produce and bottle vodka in the Tri-Cities.

“My sales and market penetration in Idaho, Washington, and Alaska have been fantastic,” he said. “I now have more demand than supply, which is good.”

The port was a place where he distilled some test spirits as the business evolved, Plemmons said.

“The port was planned to be a fully functioning distillery. But (a) delay in funds cut that plan short,” he said. “I’m now looking to develop a smaller operation and take advantage of some new distilling technology – including emerging methodology from the University of Idaho.”

Leaving the Port of Lewiston isn’t the only change at Printer’s Distillery. The business is now owned only by Plemmons. Two Clarkston city councilors, Brian Kolstad and Skate Pierce, previously were partners.

Plemmons also owns Greenfield Company, a marijuana retailer in Clarkston. The two ventures are in no way related, Plemmons said.

In other business Wednesday, port commissioners approved contributing $25,000 this year to Pioneer Ports, a group comprised of the Port of Lewiston, the Port of Clarkston and the Port of Whitman County. The other two ports have also each given $25,000. The organization has hired a Seattle-area public affairs consulting firm that is helping write news releases and coaching port officials on how to make presentations so they convey the same message.

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