(Since 2000, Redmond has experienced a population growth of 26.9 percent | Photo courtesy of the City of Redmond)
No longer the lesser stepchild to Bend, Redmond has emerged as a city that successfully blends residential, retail and industrial sectors. Though still a relatively small town, Redmond has outpaced Bend in manufacturing growth, and as of the 2020 census, it now has a population of 33,274. “The Redmond population really jumped over the past decade,” reports Damon Runberg, East Cascades regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department. “There are more than 7,000 new residents since 2000, a growth of 26.9 percent. Population gains nearly matched Bend’s during the ten-year period.” He adds, “This is very impressive. Statewide, the population only rose by around 10.6 percent.”
“We are growing, as are most other Central Oregon cities,” says Redmond Mayor George Endicott. “We have been going through a whole bunch of growth management plans in Redmond, including parks, transportation, talking about building a new sewer treatment plant and the downtown urban renewal, both in the traded sector and in commercial and retail.” Endicott says there is also conversation about small apartments going into the downtown area to help address the need for housing that is affordable. “A lot of young people are struggling to find housing; these apartments would be small, like 400 square feet, and be in the middle of the commercial and retail area,” he says. “It’s pretty exciting.”
As the pandemic has marched on, individuals and business owners alike have relocated to Redmond and other Central Oregon cities to escape bigger metropolitan areas, finding the space needed to grow and blossom while still enjoying the plethora of benefits the region has to offer. “Looking at employment growth over the last decade, there was very fast growth in construction,” says Runberg. “This is to be expected, as the construction sector was in the depths of a burst housing bubble ten years ago.” He says non-discretionary industries — such as health care, retail trade, leisure and hospitality and other services — saw large employment gains to serve the growing population. “However, the real economic development wins are the impressive gains in manufacturing, up a whopping 72.5 percent from levels in 2011, as well as transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 132.45 percent.” He continues, “These traded-sector industries bring outside dollars into the community, resulting in broader economic gains.”
Redmond isn’t just adding jobs, it is also adding higher-paying jobs, Runberg says. “When accounting for inflation, or increased costs of goods and services, wages for Redmond workers in 2021 were up 26 percent — more than $10,000 annually — from levels in 2011. This is more disposable income for families and households throughout the community.”
John Roberts, AICP, Redmond deputy city manager, says that the city conducts “pre-development” meetings on a weekly basis with developers, and demand for those meetings, particularly for bigger projects, continues to grow. “The interest in doing business in Redmond remains significant,” he says. “When we updated our Comprehensive Plan 2040, we projected growing at 1,000 new residents per year; that growth rate the last two years has been accelerated at 2,000 people per year.” He adds, “The tempo for planning applications and building permits remains robust — an indication of the interest in doing business or living in Redmond.”
Roberts says there are three things that likely set Redmond apart from its surrounding Central Oregon sister cities: The available land to develop within its Urban Growth Boundary; having the diversity of 11 effective committees or commissions for the city that spur community engagement; and having relatively modest and quick review times for development-related permits. To keep up with the pace of growth and activity in Redmond, the city has created a “Keeping Your Eye on 2025” list of projects; those in progress anticipated to be completed by 2025, and others the city expects to start in 2025 (See Redmond 2025 sidebar story).
As with any quickly growing area, transportation is a topic Redmond city officials are addressing. “We continue to talk with legislators about transportation, as we continue to have some choke points,” says Endicott. “I have been pushing a new interchange and truck route on the east side of town into the industrial area to try to relieve some of the traffic congestion. We are asking the feds to support that.”
Part of what makes Redmond so desirable is its central location: It is highly accessible to surrounding ski areas and lakes, and boasts sweeping views of the Cascades from many parts of town. With Smith Rock located in neighboring Terrabonne, Redmond is minutes away from a world-class rock-climbing venue, and the Crooked and Deschutes rivers amble through the region, providing abundant fishing and water sport activities. Dry Canyon, with its steep canyon walls and varied scenery, is a mecca of dirt and paved trails ideal for runners, hikers and mountain bikers right in the heart of town, and is home to a park that offers a pavilion, benches, picnic tables, water fountains, a dog park, tennis, pickle ball, softball and disk golf.
“We are getting ready to build a new $2.5 million park on the south end of the canyon that is about 7 acres,” says Endicott. “It’s a good-sized park. We just approved some of the concepts for this, so we will be going through the planning process and hope to have it completed in about a year, though we still have to go through the approval process.” He adds, “We have a goal of having a neighborhood park within walking distance of every resident. It’s a lofty goal, but we continue to work on it. It is a priority. I’d like to see a family recreation center here similar to Sun Mountain Fun Center in Bend. It would give the kids a place to hang out.”
While the geography of Redmond is impressive, the city is also home to the region’s only commercial airport, Roberts Field, which was formerly the World War II-era Redmond Army Air Base. As Central Oregon continues to grow, new routes are being added to the roster regularly, including the addition of competitively priced flights from Avelo Airlines as of this spring. Endicott says the airport is another big area of focus for the city. “We are going after federal dollars to double or triple the terminal, and to add jetways so we don’t have to walk in the snow to get to the planes,” he says.
In the entertainment and cultural arenas, Redmond has a nice mix of eateries and brewpubs, offering just about any type of culinary experience desired. Art galleries, a movie theater and the Expo Center also provide options for fun. According to the Redmond Urban Renewal Agency, six new businesses in the retail/restaurant/service sectors have opened in Downtown Redmond since the beginning of 2021. Those businesses include Halo Donuts & Deli at 457 SW 6th Street, which provides morning sweets and midday sandwiches; High Desert Music Hall at 818 SW Forest Avenue, offering live music, food and drinks; Atomic Bazaar Vintage, which has opened at 615 SW Cascade Avenue and has retro furniture, clothing and home décor; and Tite Knot Craft Coffee at 706 SW 10th Street, which offers locally roasted coffee and goodies. Rounding out the new businesses in downtown are Shannon Leahh Home at 339 SW 6th Street, with new furniture, home décor and design services; and Axis Salon at 627 SW Deschutes Avenue, featuring Aveda hair care products and services.
“Partnering with new businesses coming to downtown is core to our mission and objectives to attract new business and catalyze future investment,” says Kathryn Osbourne, chair of the Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory Committee. “Grants and loans from Urban Renewal are part of many of these projects and ultimately help continue to create a growing and attractive downtown in which to do business.”
“We are proud of Redmond. We are quite a prosperous community, and we pride ourselves on being family friendly,” says Endicott. “I have an old saying that you either prosper or you atrophy, and we continue to prosper. I’m glad to see it, and I hope it continues.”
qualityinfo.org • ci.redmond.or.us • redmondoregon.gov
Redmond Keeps its Eye on 2025
Future planning is a priority for city officials in Redmond as the region continues to grow. Below is a listing that identifies current and future projects in Redmond, provided by Deputy City Manager John Roberts, AICP.
Redmond 2025 / Redmond 2025 Crystal Ball
Successful Completion by 2025
New library downtown (Library District)
Redmond Wetland Complex Operational
New Well 9 in Dry Canyon
New Public Safety Facility
Skyline Village: 450-500 affordable and workforce housing units
Central Dry Canyon – Infrastructure Improvement Plan
Starting / Commencing 2025
Airport Terminal Expansion
Decommissioning of existing Police Station
Redevelopment of Water Pollution Control Facility
Develop Pershall Property / Park
UGB expansion initiated
South Hwy 97 improvements starting at Veterans Way
Aspirational and Cooperative Efforts
New 1 Megawatt Substation to address Power Capacity
RESTCC (Regional Training Facility)
First tenant for Large Lot Industrial (LLI) / South Redmond Tract
Quarry Interchange
Fairground Expansion
National Guard Armory Relocation
Family Fun Center
Master Planning Efforts
West Redmond Area Plan (WRAP)
Refinement of Eastside Area Framework Plan
Housing Needs Analysis / Housing Production Strategy Update
Parking Management Plan and Update
Urban Forestry Plan
Power Grid Study
Parks Plan and Regional Trails Planning update
CDBG Consolidate Plan update
CIP / Equity
Historic Preservation Plan update
System Development Charge updates
