The effort to bring a new Costco — with a gas station — to Bend has passed another hurdle.
The City of Bend Planning Commission voted 3-2 to move the plan to the Bend City Council for approval or denial.
If approved, the new Costco development would sit along Highway 20 between Cooley Road and Robal Lane in north Bend. It would replace the Costco that’s currently on Bend’s eastside along Highway 20 and NE 27th Street. The new location would mean easier access to Costco for people coming from Redmond and Sisters.
The Gateway North Costco proposal has plans for 420 employees, a gas station, car wash and a tire center.
The project would also bring restaurants and multi-family housing, plus a road built through the site to connect Highway 20 with Hunnell Road.
Central Oregon Daily reached out to Costco for more information on the new store, but the company said it does not comment on stores more than three months before they start to build.
RELATED: Costco, Fred Meyer plans official for Bend’s north side
Some people Central Oregon Daily spoke with Tuesday said they are excited for the possibility of a new Costco.
“I think Costco is a great company. I think if they’re going to be here in town and one with a gas station, that’d be really exciting. Gas is expensive. Costco makes it easy,” said Calley Yeadon of Bend.
“I feel great. I think it would be a good idea because, yeah I like Costco,” said Shelley, also of Bend.
Not everyone is happy about the approval. The planning commission allowed Bendites who disapprove to speak their minds.
“There’s so many businesses that are out of business, businesses that are closing early because they don’t have enough employees and things like that, but you guys want to go and put this big, huge Costco and all these gas stations and things like that. What about the gas stations that are going to go out of business because of it?” said commenter Nicole Smith.
The new Costco would bring significantly more traffic to the area. But also coming to that section of the city is improvements from the Bend North Corridor Project which will add roundabouts at Cooley and at Robal.
Below is our report from April of 2020 on the plans to build the new Costco.
