Articles

Wallowa Resources Stewardship Center is the hub of Wallowa County businesses and services in agriculture and natural resources and the home of Wallowa Resources. We want the Center to help invigorate downtown Enterprise and be a central meeting place for businesses and services in agriculture and natural resources. The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service District has offices in the west wing at the Center. A branch office of Schwabe-Williamson-Wyatt, a Portland-based law firm with notable expertise in environment and water law is in the north wing as well as EnergyTrust of Oregon. The offices of Sun Storage are in the basement of the building.

The facility was originally a community hospital. Rather than tear down on old building, we are striving to be green by renovating and making improvements to reduce energy consumption. Renovations created meeting rooms and office suites while retaining quirky features of the building's former use. Adding solar panels on the south facing roof helped offset energy expenses for the structure and tenants. Over ten years, the Center will realize a net cash benefit of approximately $26,500 from the solar panels. Plans are underway to add a biomass boiler system to further maximize use of local energy.

An information technology center (ITC) was recently equipped, thanks in part to a grant from Pacific Power Foundation. The ITC will enable visual/audio linkages to meetings and educational offerings – saving time and travel for tenants and community members. When fully operational, lifelong learning and credit courses will be available – and many will originate from the IT Center!

For information on available office space in the Wallowa Resources Stewardship Center or other questions, please contact Jeffrey Wecks.