New office and retail space is nearing completion in Clinton; the construction on the Clinton Square Complex will be finished in early March.

“This is when the first businesses are moving in,” said Libby McCauley, owner of L&L Properties, the builder of the complex.

So far, a beautician and a nail salon plan to move in. There are six units available at 615 square feet and the rents are competitive with others in the area, McCauley said.

The building located on Storkson Drive near Dairy Queen is part one of a two-phase building process.

The construction on a second building has not started yet. It will house two units with about 700 square feet which can be converted into one big space.

“We have movable walls,” McCauley said.

Construction on the building will be completed in June or July. Building two will be located opposite the first building across the parking lot.

The complex will nicely blend with the Clinton architecture, McCauley said.

“We went for a nice, rustic island look. We wanted the building to have the unique Whidbey Island feel,” she said.

The company hopes to attract a number of services and businesses to the location.

“The town is growing,” McCauley said. “I feel Clinton is going to be the gateway to Whidbey.”

As a business location, Clinton is becoming more and more attractive to companies, especially with the ferry bringing steadily increasing numbers of walk-on passengers who come to spend a afternoon on the island.

Many newcomers to South Whidbey and companies from the mainland who are interested in opening a branch office on Whidbey have been interested in this opportunity, McCauley said.

But more stores and services in Clinton is also good news for residents.

“The business complex in Clinton is a real convenience for residents of the South End who are trying to minimize their driving miles and trips to the other side. South Whidbey is a great place to do business,” said Nancy Rowan, executive director of the Langley Chamber of Commerce.

“It is exciting to see new development in the Clinton area that will provide top notch facilities for existing businesses and create space for new businesses wanting to come into the area,” she said.

The layout is inviting to restaurants, clinics, lawyers or insurance offices and any kind of retail.

“We’d love to see a little café or deli go in. People tell us we need a breakfast place here,” McCauley said

The facility has a septic tank that can support a small restaurant.

A daycare center would be another prospective tenant that McCauley would welcome with open arms.

“We really need a great daycare center here in Clinton,” she said.

Larry McCauley is overseeing the construction of the complex. He said the buildings are very energy efficient and meet Washington State energy code. All new tenants can customize their space, including flooring and wall colors. The individual suites offer all the infrastructure needed to run a modern business, from plenty of outlets to Internet wiring, and each unit also has individual heating and air conditioning systems. The building is equipped with monitored fire and smoke detectors and security systems, McCauley said.

The McCauleys came to Whidbey Island eight years ago and have since built numerous apartments, houses and commercial spaces on the island.

Being part of the community and giving people new spaces to live and work is a rewarding aspect of their work, Libby McCauley said. They try to include the community in their projects as much as possible.

“We used 90 percent local contractors,” she said.

L&L Properties is offering walk-throughs of the building. Listings and leases are handled by Tom Handy, associate broker at Coldwell Banker/Tara Properties in Freeland.