Taylor Brooks to Helm New 95-Acre Commercial Development at Juniper Ridge
The announcement of a major new 95-acre industrial and commercial project for Bend’s north side has been welcomed by economic development chiefs as enabling expanding homegrown firms to stay in town, rather than needing to relocate to other communities to accommodate their growth.
Earlier this year, Bend City Council agreed to sell two city-owned lots in the Juniper Ridge Area of northeast Bend to a team of renowned local developers, Taylor Brooks – a partnership of Taylor Development and Brooks Resources.
In a complimentary scenario, the City also agreed to buy three lots from Taylor Development in the Core Area, off 2nd Street & Franklin Avenue, including the former Paulson Flooring building, to add to existing adjoining holdings and boost potential future plans for a downtown district earmarked for redevelopment.
Taylor Brooks paid a total of $8 million for the Juniper Ridge lots (5 &8) – one located off Cooley Road east of the Les Schwab headquarters, the other to the north, off NE Talus Place – with consideration given to the significant level of infrastructure work to be undertaken by the buyers, which would help kickstart further activity in the area.
City Manager Eric King hailed the move as a welcome addition to the somewhat anemic existing commercial inventory in town, adding, “The sale of the two lots is another step forward in the development of the Juniper Ridge Area.
“This is a location the City has identified as a place to invest in more employment and industrial uses that benefit our community.
“Additionally, the Core Area properties have been identified as locations that can meet the short-term and long-term community needs by ultimately supporting redevelopment goals for the area with future public uses, including the potential development of a new City Hall.”
Located in northeast Bend, Juniper Ridge is a 500-acre industrial and business park that sits at the center of Central Oregon. The City has been coordinating efforts to develop the campus for industrial and employment uses over the longer term.
The latest chunk to be handed over for private development is largely thanks to the efforts of the Juniper Ridge Working Group, an advisory body which has spent several years strategizing over the best ways to open up large tracts for future use since its formation in 2016.
As part of its original proposal for the Large Tract/Phase 1 property to be considered for approval by the City, Taylor Brooks said, “The Juniper Ridge area represents a critical opportunity to meet the growing demand for commercial and industrial building space and growing infrastructure needs in northeast Bend.
“Established as a collaborative venture between two pillars of the local development landscape, Taylor Brooks brings forth a wealth of expertise, commitment, and a profound understanding of the Bend community.
“Our collective experience, spanning decades, is deeply rooted in Central Oregon, embodying a shared commitment to the sustainable growth and prosperity of the City of Bend.”
Brooks Resources, with its longstanding legacy in land development, has played an instrumental role in shaping the distinctive character of Bend. Since its inception, Brooks has consistently demonstrated a dedication to responsible development practices, community engagement, and the preservation of the natural beauty that defines this region.
Taylor Development, renowned for its innovative approach and successful project delivery, complements this legacy by bringing a “fresh perspective and contemporary vision to the collaboration”.
Brooks Resources President and CEO Kirk Schueller said, “Based on our existing investments in two Juniper Ridge lots and our understanding of the vision for Juniper Ridge, we are uniquely positioned to recognize the challenges and opportunities presented by this project and are confident in our ability to navigate them successfully.
“As long-term locals, we realize the significance of aligning our development strategies with the values and aspirations of the City of Bend.
“Subject to market demand and any unforeseen delays, we expect to invest in excess of $24 million in critical street and utility infrastructure in Juniper Ridge over the following 6 years, benefiting current and future development projects.”
Taylor Brooks’ plan is to serve a variety of industrial users by subdividing the acreage in Lot 5 and Lot 8 into parcels ranging from just over one acre up to 12+/- acres in size, in the belief that the smaller lots provide flexibility to accommodate larger users through lot consolidations as demand dictates.
Many of these lots are envisaged to be sold to end users and developers interested in building speculative industrial spaces, while Taylor Brooks is considering retaining a block of lots, within Lot 5, totaling up to 25 acres to develop buildings in a separate integrated industrial park.
Taylor Brooks said it intends to adopt and enforce architectural design standards covering all the lots created through these subdivisions.
Through adopted architectural design standards, it is anticipated the industrial buildings and surrounding landscape will contribute to the livability of Bend by appealing to desirable and sustainable businesses that are attracted to quality environments.
At the same time, those design standards will recognize the importance of allowing economically feasible buildings to be constructed, adding to the attractiveness for businesses to locate there.
The plans align with the goals of the Juniper Ridge Urban Renewal Area (URA) by growing the incremental property tax revenue available to the URA, first by purchasing the lots and thus adding them to the property tax rolls, and second by adding property value as buildings are constructed. The increased tax increment will help finance the remaining public facilities contemplated in the adopted Juniper Ridge Urban Renewal Plan.
Schueller added, “Our primary goal is to meet the demand for industrial employment land, helping to rectify the known deficiency of supply within Bend.
“We anticipate that this new inventory will not only provide space to accommodate the growing industries that currently exist in Bend but will create opportunities for new industries to locate operations or headquarters in Juniper Ridge.
“We believe that this development activity in Juniper Ridge will strengthen Bend’s position as a regional economic center.”
Proceeds from the sale will be allocated to the City’s General Fund as discretionary revenues with the intent of the funds being used to support additional land management strategies and development of property in Juniper Ridge, as well as support the City’s redevelopment goals within the Core Area.
Industry sectors such as aerospace, medical devices, computer electronics, software, telecommunications, educational services, financial services, pharmaceutical, and alternative energy resources will be specifically targeted to expand into Juniper Ridge.
Schueller said it was hoped the project would be “very competitive” regarding pricing, whether on a “build to suit” or speculative basis, and Taylor Brooks would retain ownership or sell to owner-occupied entities to help the City attain its goals in providing space for businesses to grow.
He said the partnership was already fielding a steady stream of inquiries, including receiving three preliminary Letters of Intent.
City of Bend Real Estate Director Matt Stuart added, “This is the culmination of several years’ work by the Juniper Ridge Working Group, which strategized on best ways to move forward, including putting out the Request for Proposal (RFP) to get the large tract land into developers’ hands.
“The City platted large lots but did not develop themselves, as the original vision was formulated pre-recession and market conditions changed in the interim.
“A big catalyst to allow development was completion of the North Interceptor Sewer Line that allowed us to plat and create the new lots. The advisory group decided it would be better to let private developers lead the way in getting product to market to meet city goals.
“We are excited to see momentum continue, to join existing companies in the area including the Pacific Power regional headquarters and City Public Works site.”
EDCO Bend Area Director Don Myll added, “We are excited to see these opportunities open up after the City did the yeoman’s work in completing the process of readying for development.
“It is great news that the project will be led by reputable developers and offer more scope for growing local companies, and jobs.
“We have already seen an uptick in inquiries and my prediction is that we will primarily see substantial growth of existing companies.
“Another positive is that part of Juniper Ridge has been identified for future residential development.”
Taylor Brooks is already currently developing a build-to-suit industrial campus for biopharmaceutical company Seran Bioscience, comprising 47,000 square feet of medical-grade warehouse space on land it owns at Juniper Ridge.
With a hefty $200 million investment led by Bain Capital’s Life Science arm, Seran’s new commercial facility is looking to bridge the gap between clinic and market for its customers.
With the new commercial production plant, Serán, which debuted in 2016 and currently has about 195 employees in Bend, also expects to create about 40 to 50 new jobs in the near term, said CEO and co-founder, Dan Smithey, Ph.D.
“We’re anticipating that in three years or so, we’ll be double the size we are,” Smithey said.
“Thankfully, Serán has grown really fast, from zero to almost 200 people in eight years, and we’re still seeing that there’s a niche to fill here.”
The Taylor Brooks team has also developed a master plan for a future 8-acre, multi-building campus in Juniper Ridge off 18th and Cooley that will incorporate commercial, retail, and industrial uses.
Site work is underway and construction on the first three buildings starts in early 2025 with completion anticipated late next year. Negotiations are ongoing with prospective lease tenants.
Well-known local developer Kevin Spencer has also spearheaded activity in Juniper Ridge through his Empire Construction & Development company, having already bought and platted lots and working on several prospects, including building a new facility 17,000-square-foot office/warehouse headquarters for long-term Bend-based contractor TOMCO Electric.
The project, which also includes an auxiliary building, was designed by STEELE Associates Architects with amenities including 480V EV chargers, fitness room, wash bay, prefabrication area and a second story breakroom with balcony.
