Steam Plant May Evict Only Tenant Developers Obtain Judgment Against Knipprath Cellars

At a time when the developers of Steam Plant Square are eagerly looking for tenants, they may be ousting the only one they’ve got.

Knipprath Cellars owes Steam Plant Square $1,609 in back rent and attorney’s fees, according to a Superior Court judgment, and the locally-owned winery may be evicted.

According to court documents, Knipprath Cellars, located at 163 S. Lincoln, owes $750 for August’s rent, plus tax and insurance and $600 in attorney’s fees.

“You can’t run a business without people paying rent,” said Ron Wells of Wells and Co., which is developing Steam Plant Square as a restaurant and retail complex with Washington Water Power.

“That’s the first rule of property management,” Wells said. “At some point you have to deal with rent not being paid.”

Winery owner Henning Knipprath was reluctant to comment, but said he is trying to keep the space.

“We’re busy working on it,” Knipprath said. “It’s too soon to say (if he will be evicted).”

Knipprath founded the winery in 1991 and moved to its current location two years later.

The winery, which presses grapes from the Yakima River valley, has won awards for its Cabernet Sauvignon and its Gewurztraminer.

Steam Plant Square inherited Knipprath Cellars as a tenant when the partnership purchased the Seehorn Building several years ago. Knipprath’s lease was not changed following the purchase, Wells said.

Originally scheduled to open this spring, then this summer, Steam Plant Square is now expected to open in November.

The project occupies the large steam plant dominated by two huge smoke stacks, as well as the Sehorn Building on Lincoln Street and a new building constructed to connect the two.

Wells said in July that he hoped to announce tenants for the project this month, but said Monday that might still be a few weeks away.

“We don’t have any signed leases at the moment,” he said. “We have a number of leases under negotiation.”

The project is expected to draw a mix of tenants that include an upscale restaurant, a cafe and boutiques.

Knipprath Cellars was thought to complement the mix of stores, Wells said.

“We were expecting them to stay there,” he said. “I had certainly thought they would stay and blend in (with the other tenants).”