Cashmere surpluses former library site, eyes redevelopment

CASHMERE — Cashmere City Council members took a first formal step toward redeveloping city-owned property March 23, voting to declare the former library site surplus while opening a broader conversation about how underused land in the downtown core could be put to better use.

The council unanimously approved a motion to surplus the old library property, clearing the way for the city to eventually sell or repurpose the site once the new library is fully occupied.

Councilmember Jayne Stephenson, who brought the item forward, signaled her support for the move.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all year,” Stephenson said following the vote.

The action on the library property came alongside a wider discussion about another city-owned parcel near the railroad tracks and Division Street, where council members weighed competing ideas about how the land should be used.

Councilmember Jeff Johnson described the parcel as an underutilized asset in a key location, arguing it could support commercial or residential development while still incorporating some public parking.

When you come into Cashmere, Johnson said, the property sits in a visible part of the city that could benefit from investment. He suggested that selling or redeveloping the land could generate both one-time revenue and longer-term economic activity.

Director of Operations Steve Croci urged a more cautious approach, pointing to the lot’s current role as parking.

While the space may appear underused at a glance, Croci said it serves a steady rotation of vehicles throughout the day, including trucks and business-related parking, and warned that removing it without a replacement could create pressure elsewhere downtown.

Council members also raised practical considerations, including the presence of a major sewer line running through the parcel and the need to maintain sufficient public parking if redevelopment moves forward.

Rather than taking immediate action on the railroad-adjacent property, the council leaned toward further study, including evaluating infrastructure constraints and determining how many parking spaces would need to be preserved.

The discussion reflects a broader question facing the city as it looks ahead to growth: how to balance redevelopment and new revenue opportunities with the day-to-day needs of residents, businesses and visitors.

For now, the only formal action was on the former library site, where the surplus designation marks the beginning of what could become one of the city’s more visible redevelopment opportunities in the coming years.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media