Years in the making, the new Plant Growth Facility at Washington State University's Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center (TFREC) began construction on April 1, 2026.
The WSU Board of Regents greenlit construction in March of a final design fine-tuned by scientists and architects to support current and future tree fruit research needs.
Flad Architects and Absher Construction are the design-build team.
Construction of the $18 million, 24,000-sq.-ft. facility is expected to wrap up in a year, with an opening planned for summer 2027.
"It's going to be very exciting to see it take shape," said Lee Kalcsits, endowed chair and programmatic lead of TFREC. "As people see it grow, they'll really start to understand the capabilities it's going to bring."
Replacing 70-year-old greenhouses, the new building was designed to meet critical space and environmental needs for plant growth and scientific experiments.
Controlled environments are one of TFREC's biggest needs.
In the new design, two wings of planned greenhouse space with 20 compartments, totaling about 9,000 sq. ft., will let researchers control lighting, temperature and CO2 levels. That level of control will help researchers more quickly develop ways to help trees withstand heat, cold, drought, pests and diseases.
Similarly, other new workspaces and laboratories built into the design, including a 2,150-sq.-ft. clean microbiology lab space, as well as several rooms for DNA-based experiments, create the necessary infrastructure for new projects.
"This will help us do more of the kinds of advanced molecular work that we haven't been able to tackle until now," Kalcsits said.
Supporting the greenhouses, a roomy new headhouse offers a large working area with support facilities and an attached 1,500-sq.-ft. area for growth chambers.
Along with a common area and administrative space, the Plant Growth Facility also will include an 80-person capacity conference area, where WSU scientists can host conferences to educate industry members and share discoveries. The space will be 40 percent larger than the biggest existing meeting space at TFREC.
In developing the building, Flad Architects and Absher Construction blended thoughtful design with hands-on expertise to create spaces that support collaboration and innovation, said Kimi Lucas, director of operations for CAHNRS.
The Plant Growth Facility will be used throughout the year by researchers from eight different WSU programs, including breeding, tree and environmental physiology, pests and diseases and tree fruit. Two U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists engaged in whole-plant research, pear genetics and plant pathology will also use the space.
Construction is supported by a $10 million allocation from the Washington State Legislature's 2025–27 capital budget. The Northwest Nursery Improvement Institute, AgWest Farm Credit, Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, Yakima POM Club, Mike and Kathy Hambelton, Rainier Fruit Co., H.R. Spinner, Stemilt Growers and other industry partners have pledged more than $1.7 million to aid the project.
The remaining costs of construction will be supported by royalties from WSU's Cosmic Crisp apple variety, WA 38.
A topping-off ceremony, which traditionally celebrates the placement of the final beam in a building's construction, is envisioned for fall 2026, about halfway through construction. ♣
