Yakima’s Fruit Row Designated National Historic District

It’s called Fruit Row and it’s located along North First Avenue and for many years it was the central location to begin the shipment of valley fruits and vegetables shipped around the world. Now the are is listed as a National Historic District.

IF YOU PRODUCED FRUIT YOU KNEW FRUIT ROW WAS THE PLACE TO BE

Fruit Row saw big benefits from rail when Northern Pacific Railway rolled into the valley. It was a game changer for growers who had to invent new ways to pack the commodities so they could be shipped to other states and countries. Today valley produce is shipped in a variety of ways by both trucks and rail and from many different places other than Fruit Row.

THE DESIGNATION IS SIMPLY TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE AREA

The purpose of the district is to protect and retain the legacy of the district consistent with future re-development. There are several incentives that come with placement on the National Register of Historic Places to encourage owner investment in continued agricultural use of the buildings, including:
"Tax Credit 20 Percent: Federal income tax credit on a qualified amount of private investment for certified rehab of a listed building (National Register).
Special Valuation Program: Allows property owners to deduct qualified expenditures for rehabilitating a listed property from the property’s taxable value to achieve a 10-year special valuation on assessed property taxes."

THE YAKIMA CITY WILL PASS A PROCLAMATION NEXT MONTH

Now that the area has been listed as a National Historic District the city is expected to proclaim September at Harvest Month in Yakima at the next Yakima City Council meeting set for September 3rd.