Sykes building could become a home for wine

By Dan Thesman on Monday, August 14th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

MILTON-FREEWATER – The Milton-Freewater City Council meets tonight (Monday) at 7 p.m. and is scheduled to vote on authorizing a $625,000 grant agreement with Business Oregon for a shared wine production facility. It will be housed in the former Sykes Enterprises call center building. The grant will aid this project in infrastructure improvements.

City Manager Linda Hall said City Planner Laurel Sweeney and Electric Department Superintendent Mike Watkins, who previously served as community development supervisor, have been working on getting a shared wine production facility in Milton-Freewater going on 20 years now. Hall said the facility is slated to open this fall.

Watkins said the facility will provide a space for wine producers to use and serve as a start-up home for small wineries.

“They’ll share some equipment, and it will cut the cost down,” he said.

Watkins said the goal is for the startups to grow and go out on their own, but stay close to Milton-Freewater.

Sweeney said it also will make use of a building that’s been empty for so long.

“It’s super exciting to see something come in that not only gives us jobs, and a place for wine to be processed, but it will hopefully turn into a community spot,” she said.

Sweeney added that the city would like to see the shared wine production facility become a place where food trucks can set up, families can dine, and people can enjoy wine tasting. Tonight’s city council meeting will be held in the Albee Room at the Milton-Freewater Public Library, 8 SW Eighth Avenue.