Where Heritage Meets Progress

Opening up a path led by innovation and grounded in tradition

Union Gap is a community on a path of reinvention, blending a rich agricultural past with bold, forward-thinking development. Originally known as Yakima City, this vibrant town was renamed Union Gap in 1917 and has since evolved into a regional hub. With a population of just over 6,600 residents and a bustling daytime influx of approximately 30,000, Union Gap brings together innovative infrastructure projects and a warm, business-friendly atmosphere that welcomes both tradition and advancement.

A Community Rooted in History and Hospitality

“The average person doesn’t know where Union Gap starts, and Yakima ends. So, we’re very close neighbors. They are basically our bedroom community, and we’re the commercial side,” says Mayor John Hodkinson.

Union Gap’s charm is evident in its public spaces, including Ahtanum Youth Park, offering an ideal space for sports and recreation, and Fullbright Park, home to the Central Washington Agricultural Museum. One of the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the museum showcases more than 150 antique tractors and over 1,000 pieces of historic machinery and is a major draw to the community.

“We’re proud to be associated with it,” shares City Manager, Sharon Bounds. “They’ve got acres of exhibits that showcase life on the farm over the past 100 years.” City events from car shows and tractor swaps to the beloved Old Town Days and parades further enrich the community, drawing visitors from near and far and cementing Union Gap’s reputation as close-knit and welcoming.

The Beltway Project- A City Transformed

Key to the city’s growth is the ambitious Beltway Project, a $53 million investment that is changing Union Gap’s economic and physical landscape. Originally introduced over two decades ago, the project has evolved in several phases, with the completion of phase one in 2016, and phase three in 2020 as part of a WSDOT initiative.

Currently, phase two is under development. “We’ve got one more layer of asphalt to put down on that,” recounts Jason Cavanaugh, Director of Public Works. “It’s basically two miles of roadway with some roundabouts that could open up land for current developers. It ties into the final piece, which is a connector into State Route 97 and Interstate 82. The idea there is to allow freight traffic to be able to bypass the downtown corridor in order to get to the interstate more effectively.”

With phase 2b currently being finalized, Union Gap is now working to secure additional federal dollars to begin construction. This phase will introduce an overpass spanning the railroad tracks and a roundabout, improvements that have been carefully designed to integrate with the upcoming Main Street revitalization. “We were just recently awarded $498,000 from the Sandy Williams Legacy Highway Grant, and that’s going to be used for 60% of the design on phase two of Main Street revitalization. It was a huge, huge deal to get that funding,” Cavanaugh reports.

The plan is to create a pedestrian-friendly area, with wider sidewalks, bike paths, and parking in front of businesses. “The roadway will shrink from a four-lane road down to a three lane, and the center would be a turn lane,” he describes. “The idea is to get people to come down to the downtown Main Street area and shop and hang out, in the little boutique shops and cafes, maybe some breweries.” Union Gap is also encouraging mixed-use development through its Central Business District zoning, envisioning a downtown alive with residential and commercial options.

A Business-Friendly City

Bounds outlines Union Gap’s diverse industries that are a part of the fabric of the community. Having the Valley Mall located in Union Gap is an incredible asset and a great draw for shoppers. “Key employers include the local Department of Transportation and Department of Ecology who have offices here,” she details. “The schools fall into that category, and a few of our large car dealerships. We also have Pexco Aerospace, Borton Fruit and of course, there are chains, like Kohl’s, Costco, WinCo.”

Mayor Hodkinson points out the city’s approach to regulation, noting, “We’ve tried to keep our regulations to a minimum. The philosophy here is, ‘What can we do to help?’ We want business. We’re probably the friendliest business community in the area. We get things done. We get them done quickly. We don’t hang you up for six months trying to get a building permit.”

By streamlining development meetings and encouraging communication, the city offers an environment where business owners and developers feel supported every step of the way.

“We attempt to get as many of our staff members in the room to answer all the questions at once, rather than trying to piecemeal information to these developers,” Cavanaugh remarks. “ I know that’s a big deal for a lot of these guys. They always talk about how helpful it was that the public works director, the building official, the inspector, the fire marshal, the civil engineer, can all be in the same room and get all their information at once.”

Bounds emphasizes that Union Gap’s welcoming atmosphere extends internally as well, expressing that the city council has been exceptionally supportive of both constituents and staff. “If you want a strong city, you also have to build it from within, with staff. The investments we make in them really have a payoff to the public,” she asserts.

Mayor Hodkinson echoes the sentiment, describing, “We have a family here, and that’s the way our employees, I believe, feel about it. They say hi, they have a smile on their face. You can hear them laughing in City Hall. It’s a friendly, warm place to come to.”

Future Growth and Development

When it comes to attracting growth, Cavanaugh admits, “We aren’t necessarily targeting businesses. The Beltway opens up for some larger companies that might have distribution centers, but I think we’ve got a pretty healthy mix of a lot of different industries. We have agriculture, we have manufacturing, we have retail, we have tons of restaurants. We’ve got your small mom and pop shops. We’ve got tons of auto dealerships. We’ve got the mall, one movie theater. So, we’ve got a really broad spectrum of different companies where people come and shop and work.”

One area the city is focused on is housing, with the goal of attracting more residents into the community. Planned developments include a large apartment complex with 372 rental units and 56 townhomes, located near major retail anchors and in proximity to upcoming amenities like car dealerships and a new multi-care emergency room. “It’s a good location for people to walk to shopping, or maybe to their employment,” he relays.

Adding to the amenities, Union Gap has recently unveiled a new Library & Community Center right next to City Hall. The city also boasts a full-time bus service, paid for by the constituents. The mayor illustrates. “We connect with bus service from Yakima and Lower Valley, so you can get most any place you want to, and our residents don’t pay when they use that transit system in Union Gap.”

Looking Toward a Bright Future

The future is full of promise for the city of Union Gap. Looking ahead, Mayor Hodkinson says he is focused on the completion of the Beltway Project and seeing the economic potential of that area.

“It’ll be interesting to see how it develops out, because right now, it’s kind of a blank slate,” Cavanaugh remarks. “The friendliness and the development friendly attitude of Union Gap draws all types of businesses down here. We have the land, we have the wherewithal, we have the want, compared to some other surrounding jurisdictions.”

For a small city, Union Gap has some big changes on the horizon, and much to look forward to.

At a Glance

Who: Union Gap, Washington
What: A small friendly city, with much to offer.
Where: Yakima County, Washington
Website: www.uniongapwa.gov