(Photo above by Bill Mintiens)
The most recent employment report for Crook County shows a slow but steady improvement — the unemployment rate dropped to 8.9 percent in March, down from 9.5 percent in February. Unemployment levels remain down since March 2014 when the rate was 10.9 percent.
However, by most standards, the unemployment is high compared to Deschutes County at 6.0 percent, the lowest since December 2007 and the State of Oregon even lower at 5.4 percent.
Still Prineville is an optimistic community with progress and major improvements seen all over town. Opening this fall will be the new $18 million Barnes Butte Elementary School. The 73,000 square-foot construction boasts a pod design with each grade level of classrooms surrounding and looking into a commons area. The structure is multi-level with an ample 6,000-square foot gymnasium for use by both the school district and entire community.
Expected to stimulate development in Crook County, St. Charles Health System broke ground on the new St. Charles Prineville Campus replacing the aging Pioneer Memorial Hospital. The $30 million facility is expected to open this September. The new hospital’s location, along with its new philosophy on healthcare, is expected to be a much-needed economic development shot in the arm for Prineville.
Much of Pacific Crest’s decision to build in Prineville centers around need and the soon-to-be-built St. Charles Medical Center’ expansion into Prineville. Prineville currently has a poverty rate, senior population and a senior poverty rate higher than state averages.
The IronHorse Lodge seeks to serve the increasing population of seniors paying too much for housing, living in substandard conditions or living without permanent housing. The buildings will be modeled after their award-winning Little Deschutes Lodge in La Pine.
As all of Central Oregon can boast extraordinary recreational opportunities, Prineville is receiving more and more visitors who are discovering the hidden gems of the area according to the Prineville Chamber of Commerce. When people think of Prineville, Oregon they often think of a quiet ranching community, rural living and the western lifestyle. But many recreationalists know the Prineville area as a place to enjoy peaceful forest trails for mountain biking, dispersed camping, world class fly fishing and an outdoor experience free from the crowds often present in many other popular recreation areas.
A newly recognized attribute shows the area as a cycling destination. Within a short distance of Prineville there are many miles of open road will suited for cycling, a wide spectrum of mountain biking trails and miles of gravel roads ideal for the newer cycling trend of gravel riding.
The historic courthouse is a grand icon of the history of Crook County and a newly improved museum and annex offers visitors a detailed look into the region’s past. Combined with a wide variety of lodging options, these attributes make the community very attractive to visitors from all over.
Surprisingly an emerging art community is blossoming within the quiet town of Prineville. On May 8, Prineville businesses will host their first Art Crawl event of the season. The event will kick off a series of monthly Art Crawl events that will occur on the 2nd Friday of the month from May through September.
Prineville rests at the heart of Oregon’s data center boom with news that Apple is planning a major expansion of its existing facility in Prineville. The company recently filed permit applications to develop the remaining portion of the company’s data center location. According to various news reports Apple is expanding its 338,000-square-foot data center, which began construction in 2012, with a matching facility and massive solar array this year.
Coupled with the Facebook data center, the area will see millions of dollars of construction jobs and revenues. Apple is strongly environmental stating that in 2014 they converted 100 percent of their U.S. operations to renewable energy, invested in the future of sustainable working forests and designed several of their products to be beryllium free.
Last year Facebook unveiled a detailed economic impact study, which it commissioned from ECONorthwest, to measure its economic impact on a regional and statewide level since it broke ground on its Prineville data center in 2010. The highlights of the report are impressive with the total economic output associated with the construction of the data center and its 2013 operations at $573 million.
Over the past five years, Facebook has invested approximately $450 million in the three buildings at the Prineville Data Center. The economic impacts generated by construction spending over five years include 651 jobs in Central Oregon.
A major plus for the residents of Prineville/Crook County is the generosity of Facebook. Since 2011, Facebook has donated $1,065,000 to Crook County schools and qualified nonprofits through its Community Action Grants program and local donations including the support of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
Several outstanding nonprofits and schools were awarded a total of $100,000 this year to support projects that put the power of technology to use for community benefit, help improve education at all levels and bring people together either physically or virtually. The three largest gifts went to Crook County High School (Science Department) – $10,000, Heart of Oregon Corps, Inc. – $9,000 and Rimrock Trails Adolescent Treatment Services – $8,659.
Crook County is sounding a lot like a diverse community of economic opportunity and appealing lifestyle. Data centers are putting the area on the map and providing tax revenue and donations to help the rebounding community. Tourism provides a welcome economic boost to the picturesque town. Officials and organizations within Crook County are hard at work ensuring visitors have a positive experience when visiting the area.
With the location of Apple and Facebook seemingly multiplying on the hill above Prineville, a state-of-the-art hospital and elementary school, businesses wanting an affordable, friendly, culturally rich community to grow their companies will soon view Crook County as a viable setting for development.
