Future of Cottonwood Plaza looks promising

February 3, 2011

There is activity at the Cottonwood Plaza in Bishop, it just happens to be going on in a Lahontan Regional Water Board laboratory. The prospective buyer of the plaza is waiting results from soil samples before proceeding with escrow. Photo by Mike Bodine

Cottonwood Plaza is still empty, but there is work being done to fill it. While waiting on environmental reports, the prospective buyer has reportedly been accepting bids to retrofit the plaza with new windows.
Realtor Stan Smith of Pleasant Valley Associates said Tuesday that everyone involved is awaiting the results of soil samples from the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.
“No one’s backing out,” Smith said.
These samples were taken from the site near the former Burger King location, one in August and another in November. Smith explained that Lahontan is studying to see if there is any difference in the two samples and to determine if the soil is stable and free of measurably harmful contaminates.
The corner of North Main and West Yaney was once the site of a fueling station. The soil is being tested for contaminates that may have been spilled and seeped into the ground from that station.
Smith said he did not have an idea when the report from Lahontan would come back but he said that the report is “at the staff level,” and it could come any day.
He also said the prospective buyers have been looking into the cost of replacing the windows at the plaza, “which is a pretty good sign.” An architect has also been to the site, Smith added.
The El Pollo Loco Restaurant, purported to go into the former Burger King locale, is also waiting the Lahontan report, Smith said.