[CouvScott]

Project offers new library, new look for downtown Vancouver
Riverwest - Twin towers of condos and a hotel would anchor a four-block area
Thursday, May 25, 2006
ALLAN BRETTMAN
VANCOUVER -- An anonymous donor has pledged $5 million and a developer has given a $2 million tract of land for a proposed main library downtown.

Now it is up to voters to decide Sept. 19 whether to approve $43 million in bonds that would pay for that library and another on the east side, as well as other system improvements.

The new main library would be one of the cornerstones of the $165 million, four-block Riverwest project next to Interstate 5 near downtown Vancouver.

Riverwest would feature two 12-story buildings with condominiums, a seven-story office building and 17,000 square feet of retail space. One of the condominium buildings would also house 75 to 85 hotel rooms on the lower six floors. Also, 11 town homes would be built near one of the condominiums and a restaurant would be built on a public square.

Developer Killian Pacific has said construction could start as early as the first half of 2008. The property, currently the home of a car dealership, is next to a movie complex near the Interstate Bridge.

Susan Hildreth, in-coming president of the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association, said libraries are becoming part of other developments in urban areas where land is scarce and neighborhoods are "reinventing themselves."

Riverwest's construction depends on voter approval of the bonds.

Here's why: In March, the state Legislature named Riverwest as one of three projects statewide that would receive money under a Local Infrastructure Financing Tool. The bill would provide Vancouver with as much as $500,000 annually for 25 years to pay for 400 of the 900 spaces in a Riverwest underground parking garage.

That money -- funneled through the state from a variety of Vancouver tax sources -- is contingent on the library being part of the project, said Steve Burdick, director of economic development for the city.

If the library bond fails, "then we're back to Square One," Burdick said.

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library District board approved several resolutions Tuesday night setting in motion the Sept. 19 bond vote.

The $43 million bond, which requires a 60 percent supermajority, would pay for:

The new 90,000-square-foot main library about four blocks west of the existing main library on Mill Plain Boulevard.

A new 25,000-square-foot branch library next to the Firstenburg Community Center on 136th Avenue.

Technology improvements at the Vancouver Mall library, including wireless access and self check-out stations.

The cost to taxpayers would be an estimated 17.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation over the life of the bonds, or $35 a year for a home with an assessed value of $200,000.

[MarkDaMan]

c'mon 'couver...I'd like to see this come together.

[pdxstreetcar]

excellent news, this should be a great project

[CouvScott]

Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By THOMAS RYLL, Columbian staff writer Advertisement


Shortly before 10 Tuesday morning, the county commissioners voted unanimously to vote unanimously shortly after 10 to put a $43 million library construction measure on the Sept. 19 ballot.

It was all on account of state law that makes the commissioners the Vancouver Library Capital Facilities Area board. Voters formed the facilities area as part of the first attempt, in 2004, to pass a library measure. But the financing portion failed then, as it did, narrowly, in November.

In accordance with the rules, the commissioners, acting as the library facilities board, voted Tuesday morning to again put the measure before voters. A few minutes later, the commissioners, acting as county commissioners, approved a consent agenda that included the bond proposal.

Discussion on the proposal was short Tuesday. Commissioners were briefed on the library's request at a work session last week. "I'm sold," said Commissioner Steve Stuart. "This is a situation where two plus two doesn't equal four. It equals nine."

The proposal would build new libraries in downtown Vancouver and east Vancouver, at the site of the city's new Firstenburg Community Center, and provide new equipment for the Vancouver Mall Community Library.

The new downtown library would be the keystone of the Killian Pacific Riverwest project, proposed for the four blocks at Evergreen Boulevard and C Street now occupied by the Carr auto dealership.

The plan for Riverwest includes 200 apartments, 120,000 square feet of office space, 15,000 square feet of retail space, a central plaza, the 90,000-square-foot library and an underground parking garage.

An anonymous donor has pledged $5 million to the library's bond effort, and the Killian family is donating the site, valued at $2 million, for the Riverwest library.

Despite climbing construction costs, the Sept. 19 package will accomplish everything in the November 2005 bond measure, but for $1 million less. The November proposal got 59.37 percent of the vote, but needed a 60 percent supermajority.

Today's Mill Plain library building, dating to the early 1960s, is 48,000 square feet. If voters approve the bond issue, most of the Mill Plain building would be used for book processing and administrative offices, but some space would be reserved for public use after the library moves out.

$200,000 home: $35 a year

A 25,000-square-foot library would be built in east Vancouver, next door to the Firstenburg Community Center. That library, referred to now as the "eastside library," would replace the tiny Cascade Park Community Library, which is about 2,500 square feet.

The bond issue would have an estimated tax rate of 17.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or about $35 per year in property taxes on a $200,000 home.

The library proposal would also be one of the first beneficiaries in the state of a measure for three pilot projects approved by the Legislature this year. The measure makes a portion (400 of 900 spaces) of the Riverwest underground parking lot eligible for public financing. Of those 400 spaces, 200 would be free to library patrons and 200 would be available for other public use.

If the city, the county, the Port of Vancouver and the library district all concur, property tax proceeds from a portion of the taxes on the project would be plowed back into the cost of those parking spaces. The arrangement would not affect other property taxpayers.

At last week's county commissioners' work session, Stuart praised the eastside library, so close to the Firstenburg's pool, as the ideal place for children "to run around and get their energy out and then sit down and read a book."

That prompted Bruce Ziegman, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District executive director, to quip, "So long as they still don't have their swimsuits on."

[CouvScott]

Wednesday, August 2, 2006
By JONATHAN NELSON Columbian staff writer Advertisement


Downtown Vancouver's lone auto dealership is a step closer to leaving its landmark site and joining the competition at the auto mall near Andresen Road.

Carr Auto Group is asking the city to change the zoning of seven parcels, four of which the Oregon-based company owns, so it can build Cadillac and GMC, Pontiac and Buick showrooms at the corner of Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast 66th Avenue. The two buildings would stretch across 4 acres, an acre bigger than the dealership's location at 901 C St.

Dan Kuske, vice president of Carr, said the company is talking with General Motors officials about the design of the two showrooms. He said the earliest construction could begin would be later this year.

"We have the utmost urgency to get it going," Kuske said. "Time is running out on us."

The urgency is rooted in an agreement between Carr and GMC that requires the auto lot to move out of downtown and near the Vancouver Auto Mall within three years after the 2005 purchase of Bill Copps Motors.

Carr, which employs 60 people, paid approximately $1.9 million for the four parcels, Kuske said. The price for building the showrooms hasn't been determined, he said.

Carr executives had hoped construction would have started this summer, but finding the land and maneuvering through the planning process has taken longer than anticipated.

Carr's entry into the Clark County market mirrors the national trend of consolidation. Last year, Vancouver businessman Alan Webb expanded his line of automobiles when he bought the Vancouver Mazda Dodge dealership. He also intends to move the company from its Hazel Dell location to the auto mall area.

The downtown auto dealer opened in 1917. Copps became a partner in the business in 1967. The property, now owned by Killian Pacific, is being considered for a major redevelopment project that would move the downtown library onto the site as part of a residential, retail and commercial complex.

Jonathan Nelson covers retail. Reach him at 360-759-8013 or jonathan.nelson@columbian.com.


Update

Previously: Carr Auto Group of Hillsboro, Ore., bought the Bill Copps Motors dealership in downtown Vancouver in 2005.

What's new: Carr is asking the city for a zone change on land near the Vancouver Auto Mall and intends to move the dealership to the new site.

What's next: Company officials hope construction can get started before the year ends.

[urbanlife]

very cool news.

[PDXPaul]

Man the 'couve starts changing once I leave. Close up old Bill Copps and build something decent on it. And that closed down Denny's too on Mill Plain.

[CouvScott]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/riverwestvancouver.jpg

[Dougall5505]

oooo purdy

[MarkDaMan]

Yeah for da 'couv! That is really going to change the, uhumm, skyline.

[der Reisender]

if what is in that drawing actually gets built it would be a really nice addition to vancouver. if they get light rail someday it could be a popular, affordable alternative for those urban dwellers who cant afford portland's inner city, like me

[CouvScott]

Friday, August 4, 2006
Columbian editorial writers Advertisement


When progress takes hold and neighborhood improvements kick in, one of the biggest temptations in the hurried drive to modernize is to ignore history. Such disregard for the past is a sign of arrogance.

Consider six old houses on Evergreen Boulevard, just east of C Street, in downtown Vancouver. When the $165 million Riverwest project begins, it would be easy to simply pretend those aging structures never existed. Few people would probably even miss them.

But one of those houses the 99-year-old Kiggins House at the east end of the block has for more than a decade been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by the famous former mayor, John P. Kiggins, who wanted to build a home on the lot because it was within view of the Vancouver Barracks stockade, where he was briefly incarcerated. Holly Chamberlain, the consultant who wrote the 1995 application for historic recognition, explains: "This was part of him thumbing his nose. 'OK, I was in jail briefly in the Army, but I went on to become a successful citizen.' "

Indeed, and that's why we were delighted this week to learn that the old Kiggins House will not be demolished when work begins on Riverwest, the four-square-block project that will include apartments, office and retail space; a central plaza; a new library pending voter approval; and a 700-space underground parking garage. The property is best recognized for the Carr auto dealership, which is being moved to the auto mall near Andresen Road.

As The Columbian's Jeffrey Mize reported Wednesday, the Kiggins House might be moved, but it won't be destroyed. "Under no circumstances would we be a party to seeing that building demolished, no way," said George Killian of Killian Pacific, the company that wants to undertake the project.

City officials are working with a Portland State University graduate student who is searching for an individual or a group that would be willing to move the Kiggins House and the five other buildings.

The Kiggins House might be kept as a part of Riverwest, but if it's moved, we hope it will be to a site nearby. That would conform with the intent of Tom Jones, president of the Esther Short Neighborhood Association, who said: "One of my biggest arguments since I became president is that I didn't want to lose our downtown image, where it is so commercial and modern like downtown Portland. I prefer to keep our rustic look."

A great success story in downtown redevelopment has been Esther Short Park, popular not for steel, glass or asphalt, but for trees, grass and public gathering places. That's the kind of attention to history that should guide the renovation of downtown Vancouver. Let's remain enthusiastic about the future, but whether it's recognizing pioneer woman Esther Short or saving the old Kiggins House for later generations to appreciate, let's not forget the past.

[der Reisender]

seems like a good thing to be saving the Kiggins house with its local history and whatnot, but the other five buildings too? is there any significance to those ones?

[PDXPaul]

I can't remember what other buildings on the street with kiggins look like but whenever I go to Kiggins I always feel like I'm back in the 50's.

Is anything happening on the block that's cleared and fenced north of vancouver center and east of heritage place? It's kitty corner from Eshter short park.

[CouvScott]

seems like a good thing to be saving the Kiggins house with its local history and whatnot, but the other five buildings too? is there any significance to those ones?

Here is a picture of the Kiggin's House... ( I couldn't get a picture of the front of the house due to trees along the street)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-045F.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-046F.jpg
The rest of the other housing isn't anything special.

[360Rich]

Man I hope this project comes together. Primarily for the continued redevelopment of downtown Vancouver, and selfishly for the fact that I work directly across the street, eight floors up, with a great view of the site.:cool:

Here are two more images from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library's site.

http://www.fvrl.org/aboutus/drawings/MainLibraryRendering.jpg

http://www.fvrl.org/aboutus/drawings/MainLibrarySitePlan.jpg

[CouvScott]

:previous: Is this where you work?
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-772F.jpg

[360Rich]

:previous: Is this where you work?
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-772F.jpg

That's the one.

Man, you're good.

[CouvScott]

Thanks. I have a few customers downtown and have been in that building for a few TI walk throughs.

[CouvScott]

Low turnout - Unofficial returns show passage of a bond in a primary election featuring few contested races

FACTBOX
• Local Measures

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
ALLAN BRETTMAN
VANCOUVER -- Voters gave a comfortable "supermajority" approval to a $43 million bond to build two libraries in Vancouver, unofficial returns showed in Tuesday's primary and special election.

Construction of a new Cascade Park branch next to the Firstenburg Community Center could begin late next year, said Bruce Ziegman, executive director of the Fort Vancouver Library District. Construction of a new main library, as part of a mixed-use development near downtown, probably would not begin until 2008 at the earliest, Ziegman said.

"We thought we had a really good plan," Ziegman said, accepting hugs of congratulations at Clark College's Gaiser Hall.

The bond needed 60 percent plus one vote to be approved. Unofficial results showed it received 62.8 percent approval to 37.2 percent rejection.

Turnout in Clark County showed 54,163 ballots cast of 187,861 ballots provided to eligible voters, a 28.8 percent participate rate. Election officials had projected a voter turnout of 33 percent. Vote counting will continue for several days.

[360Rich]

Great news for downtown Vancouver.

2008 at the earliest is disapointing...

Construction of a new main library, as part of a mixed-use development near downtown, probably would not begin until 2008 at the earliest, Ziegman said.

[PDXPaul]

Awesome! I told my parents to vote for the libraries.

[CouvScott]

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
By MARGARET ELLIS, Columbian staff writer
A 90,000 square-foot library, left, would be a keystone of the Killian Pacific Riverwest project proposed for the four Vancouver dowtown blocks at Evergreen Boulevard and C Street.

Third time's a charm for the Fort Vancouver Library District.

After two defeats, a $43 million bond issue to replace two Vancouver libraries got about 63 percent of the vote, according to early ballot counts Tuesday. It needed 60 percent approval to pass.

"We came so close last time, it shows there is overwhelming support for the library," said Jerry King, chairman of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District's board of trustees.

The stakes were high in this election, because a $5 million anonymous donation and a $2 million donation of land by Killian Pacific were contingent on passage of the bond issue.

The current Vancouver Community Library on Mill Plain Boulevard is 48,000 square feet. The bond will pay for a new 90,000-square-foot library in the planned Riverwest development by Killian Pacific. The site is at Evergreen Boulevard and C Street, five blocks from the current library. Riverwest will also include 200 apartments, 120,000 square feet of office space, 15,000 square feet of retail space, a central plaza and an underground parking garage on four blocks now occupied by the Carr auto dealership, which plans to relocate. Two hundred parking spots will be free to library users.

Most of the current library building will be used for book processing and administrative offices, but some space will be reserved for public use.

A second new library will be built to serve east Vancouver. A 25,000-square-foot library will be built next door to the Firstenburg Community Center on 136th Avenue. It will replace the Cascade Park Community Library, which is about 2,500 square feet.

The bond will also pay for equipment upgrades at the Vancouver Mall Community Library.

"We had a real good package," King said.

The bond issue will cost property owners an estimated 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $32.50 per year for a $250,000 home.


District's close losses

In past years, voters have rejected measures that would have improved the county's libraries.

* On Nov. 8, 2005, a $44 million bond issue that would have replaced the Vancouver and Cascade Park community libraries failed with 59.37 percent approval. It needed a 60 percent supermajority.

* On March 9, 2004, a $48 million bond issue got 55.69 percent of the vote. It also would have expanded the main Vancouver library and built a larger library in east Vancouver.

[360Rich]

Friday, September 22, 2006
By JULIA ANDERSON Columbian staff writer


Developers George and Lance Killian are "more than ecstatic" over voter approval this week of Fort Vancouver Library District's $43 million bond measure.

The Killians are proposing Riverwest, an ambitious project on four blocks in downtown Vancouver that will include a 90,000-square-foot library, apartments, office space, ground-level retail and underground parking.

With passage of the library bond issue, planning can begin for the entire $165 million project, Lance Killian said Thursday.

If all goes well, construction on the site -- now home to a Carr Auto Group dealership -- could begin in the first half of 2008, Killian said. But a lot needs to happen between now and then.

Some aspects of the project are beyond the control of the Killians.

For instance, Carr Auto wants to move off the Riverwest site but must first build a new facility on property it purchased at the corner of Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast 66th Avenue, near the Vancouver Auto Mall. That construction could get started in December.

Then there's demolition at the Riverwest site, as well as figuring out where to move several historic structures used for office and retail space that border Evergreen Boulevard.

Financing has to be nailed down, and details regarding the library project are still to be worked out.

By year's end, the Killians hope to have some of those issues resolved.

"Right now we're just savoring the library bond passage," Lance Killian said. "It really says a lot about where the community wants to go. Over the next several months, we'll be planning the future of Riverwest."

Besides the 90,000-square-foot library, the project will include 200 apartments, 120,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of retail, a central plaza and underground parking.

http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/09222006news61360.cfm

[mcbaby]

that's great! now all vancouver needs is lightrail to portland.

[PDXPaul]

Light rail would do so much for the couve.

[CouvScott]

I agree. And if we could keep the unicorporated county out of the vote, my guess is it would pass.

[mcbaby]

how do you get people excited about it again? people say it's gonna come sooner or later. why not sooner. why can't people demand some action now. start planning for where they want it and start on the funding.

[PDXPaul]

I think the I5 crossing is supposed to come with the replacement of the I5 bridge, so it's waiting on that. Not certain though.

[CouvScott]

I agree. I think it's caught up in this 10 year think tank for the I-5 crossing, when it might be able to come across the Railroad bridge (although I'm not sure).

[CouvScott]

Construction pics - project will be finished in January
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-918F.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-919F.jpg

[urbanlife]

where in Vancouver is it?

[MarkDaMan]

^Mill Plain, west of the 205. It's a pretty standard medical building, though CouvScott is showing the building from a pretty flattering point of view, at least for this building.

[urbanlife]

gotcha, I have never been over into that area of Vancouver before.

[360Rich]

Here are a couple of shots I took yesterday of the block where the development will be. It's currently an auto dealership.

Facing East, with I-5 in the background (same view as the renderings).
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5535/carrif4.jpg

Kiggins House and others along the north edge of the block
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/1175/carr2og3.jpg

[CouvScott]

Sunday, November 26, 2006
By JEFFREY MIZE Columbian staff writer

When Celinda Rupert has out-of-town visitors, she typically doesn't bother bringing them to downtown Vancouver.

There is just not enough for people to do, she says. Or enough people, for that matter.

Downtowns are a place for people to live, work, play and shop. But even the district's advocates say Vancouver still has a way to go on the play and shopping pieces.

A 90,000-square-foot library, which took a giant step forward when voters approved a $43 million bond measure in September, could provide an infusion of people when it's built as part of the $165 million Riverwest project.

"We need more bodies down here," said Rupert, president of Vancouver's Downtown Association and owner of the Iduhair salon on lower Main Street. "We were certainly happy to see the bond pass. We were all just holding our breath and saying, 'Please, please, please.'"

The current 48,000-square-foot library is only four blocks to the east, but it's cut off from downtown by Interstate 5. Its Central Park location isolates it from restaurants, coffee shops and other downtown amenities.

There is little foot traffic. Library users typically drive there for a specific reason and leave when they are finished.

"Right now," said Steve Burdick, Vancouver's economic development manager, "if you want a cup of coffee or a sandwich or if you want to take a break, you aren't going to patronize a downtown coffee shop."

Bruce Ziegman, the library district's executive director, said 500,000 people use the current library each year, a figure he expects to increase to 750,000 with a new library in a prime downtown spot.

"Downtown is becoming a great place to live, but there still needs to be a critical mass in terms of the number of people," he said. "I think the library is going to be a tremendous asset."

Patty Duitman, operations manager for the library district, said officials examined other cities to see how libraries fit into downtowns.

"When it's closer to the downtown, when it's closer to other places to go, people go," she said. "It's not just a sole-destination spot. It becomes part of a trip for the day."

Libraries and businesses can have a symbiotic relationship, with each attracting customers to the other, but Ziegman believes downtown merchants stand to gain the most.

"A downtown library is just good for business because we attract a lot of patronage," he said. "Since it's free, they can spend their money elsewhere."

The city has loose plans to give those patrons plenty of opportunity to spend. Conceptual drawings for Riverwest show a plaza in the middle of the mixed-use project leading out to the existing sculpture garden on the opposite side of C Street.

From there, it's a quick walk farther west to storefronts on Broadway and Main streets. Plans are being drawn up to spruce up Main Street in hopes of forging a retail corridor worthy of the street's name, although the city lacks $10 million to pay for the envisioned improvement.

City officials are considering other ways to foster retail development. Burdick said the Vancouver City Center Vision plan, which the city council could adopt in late December, aims to promote retail on Main Street by prohibiting ground-floor apartments and condominiums and by barring curb cuts, which break up the sidewalk and discourage pedestrian use.

Libraries also can play a more direct role in downtown revitalization. Seattle's $165 million library, which opened in May 2004, has received nationwide attention for its unorthodox architecture.

Ziegman said he doesn't expect the yet-to-be-designed Vancouver library to be an architectural wonder, but that doesn't mean it has to be unimaginative.

"I definitely want a library that people come just to see it, as well as to use it," he said. "When somebody brings their family to town, I want them to say, 'I need to take you to see the new library.'"

Libraries also can play a critical role as downtown gathering places. The image of the stern librarian ready to rap the knuckles of anyone who doesn't whisper is quickly fading.

"We will be able to have parts of the library that are quiet for study," Ziegman sad. "And we will have areas where people can talk and mix and chat and socialize."

The library, along with redevelopment of the former Boise industrial site on the Columbia River waterfront, could push downtown toward the point where there are plenty of people with money to spend, but not so many that parking is a hassle and rising land values force out longtime merchants.

Those worries likely are years off, and so is the downtown library. Construction on the Riverwest project isn't expected to start until late 2008, and library officials say the new library might not open until the first part of 2011.

"It's just like the waterfront," Rupert said. "We're excited, but it's going to be a while."

[PuyoPiyo]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-772F.jpg

And that is where I go for the Bank of America all the times lol.

Hurry up library, all I can say.

[mcbaby]

ugh.. flashback

[BrG]

Cross your fingers on this one, as it has plenty of the usual hurdles to get over. Everything from the soaring cost of construction (libraries are very expensive to construct, per square foot), to other land use issues.

If the development team can get a good crack at really doing this, I will expect some great things.

[CouvScott]

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
JULIA ANDERSON
Columbian business editor

Employees at Southwest Washington Medical Center get their first look inside the new Firstenburg Tower on Tuesday. The hospital wing, set to open to patients in February, is designed to take advantage of natural light. The 60,000 square feet of glass weighs more than 405,000 pounds. (JANET L. MATHEWS/The Columbian)

Susan Ebrite watched with satisfaction Tuesday as hundreds of her fellow employees streamed into the expansive lobby of the new hospital wing at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver.

"It gives me chills," said Ebrite, who manages lab support services. "It's my first time in here after watching it go up for more than a year. This will really be uplifting for the staff."

Tuesday's employee tours were the first of a series of events planned over the next several weeks as the eight-story Firstenburg Tower heads toward an official opening Feb. 19.

The structure, named for donors E.W. and Mary Firstenburg of Vancouver, is the main piece of a $150 million expansion at the medical center's main campus at 8716 E. Mill Plain Blvd. The Firstenburgs gave $15 million to the tower project.

The facility is the second major capital project for Clark County's growing health care industry to come on line in the past 18 months. Legacy Health System opened its 220-bed Salmon Creek Hospital in August 2005.

'Trading spaces'

As the medical center plays host over the next six weeks, tower build-out will continue and a 20-member "Trading Spaces" team will begin the job of moving equipment and staff into the new space.

In addition to several floors of private patient rooms, the tower will accommodate new catheterization labs and surgery suites.

Approximately 400 of the medical center's nearly 3,300 full- and part-time employees will work exclusively in the new tower.

Doctors are expected to perform approximately 50 surgeries a day in the tower's new operating rooms.

"One can not underestimate the impact on employees as they adjust to new processes and work flow in the new space," said Julie Jones, director of critical care services. Jones is co-leading the transition team with Ron Hulse, director of facilities management.

"We want people (employees) to spend time getting used to the new space before they start taking care of patients there," Jones said. "We've been planning for more than a year to make sure the step-by-step move-in schedule goes well."

In shifting some operations into the new tower from older campus buildings, the medical center expects to add about 30 to 40 new positions, Jones said.

Underlying the transition will be the opportunity to work more efficiently with greater patient and family satisfaction, Jones and Hulse said.

"We don't want to build a new facility, but then just layer on the same model of care," Hulse said. "We want this to be more like a hotel experience and less like a hospital experience."

Floors seven and eight will be the first to open for patient care as two nursing units in older spaces are closed and remodeled. The entire process, including the remodeling, is likely to take a couple of years.

Lots of 'Wow'

On Tuesday, Linda Thomas, a 14-year medical center employee, said the new wing will be a definite morale booster.

"A lot of people are going to take a lot of pride in it," Thomas said. "It's cheery, it's bright, it just feels grand. There's a lot of wow here."

Public tours of the new tower will begin at the end of January.

Julia Anderson writes about the business of health care for The Columbian. To reach her, send e-mail to julia.anderson@columbian.com or call 360-759-8071.


Update

* Previously: Construction began more than a year ago on a new eight-story hospital wing at Southwest Washington Medical Center.

* What's new: On Tuesday, medical center employees got their first look inside Firstenburg Tower.

* What's next: Official opening is set Feb. 19.

[PuyoPiyo]

Common building.. Wish it is in Downtown Vancouver..

[CouvScott]

Development - A report says supporting projects in Vancouver helps the county, state

Tuesday, December 19, 2006
ALLAN BRETTMAN

VANCOUVER -- State and city money spent on downtown projects is money well spent, a city-funded study contends, and city officials want state legislators to notice those positive results.

City officials will take that message and the study to Olympia sometime after Jan. 8, when the Legislature convenes, in hopes of continuing state support for local development projects.

On Monday night, it was the Vancouver City Council's turn to hear the study results, and most council members praised the findings.

"This is huge news, in my view," Councilman Dan Tonkovich said. "I think under anyone's reasonable analysis . . . you have to conclude that investment in downtown has been and will continue to be a winner."

The study says government will have spent nearly $55 million between 1997 and 2006 on developing downtown Vancouver -- $27.75 million from the state and about $27 million from the city.

As a result, government can expect a total net benefit of $133.5 million by 2025 -- including $87 million to the state, $27 million to the city, $8.7 million to the Vancouver School District, about $4.5 million to Clark County and $4.4 million to C-Tran, among others. The projections are based in large part on additional sales taxes from projects that would not have been developed without public cash infusions.

Vancouver and Identity Clark County, a private economic development organization, paid consultant Paul Lewis about $14,000 to prepare the study. Lewis is the city's former finance director.

Lewis told the council a five-person committee oversaw the study's methodology and findings. The group included: John Becker Blease, an assistant finance professor at Washington State University Vancouver; Deborah Ewing, a commercial real estate broker for Eric Fuller & Associates; Dave Groth, managing owner of the Vancouver office of PGP Valuation, a commercial appraisal firm; Debra McCracken, senior property manager for Norris, Beggs & Simpson; and Bob Ridgley, retired chief executive officer of Northwest Natural Gas.

"We looked at all the benefits that accrued from public investment," Lewis said.

Among the study's findings:

Of the city's $26.9 million invested downtown, $10.2 million has been spent on the Vancouvercenter and West Coast Bank Building parking garages. That's the most money spent in any of eight categories. The money has gone mostly to pay debt service for construction of the garages.

Transportation was the second biggest recipient of city cash, with about $5 million spent, primarily for two projects near Esther Short Park. About $4 million has been spent on land acquisition, mostly to buy and demolish the old Lucky Lager Brewery, now the site of Vancouvercenter. Also, the city invested $2.3 million in refurbishment of Esther Short Park.

Nearly 1,500 jobs have been created thus far because of the new development.

[PuyoPiyo]

1,500 created jobs, already? Wow Vancouver WA is really growing!

[360Rich]

Economy - A study says core projects will boost tax revenue far higher than what Vancouver has invested

Wednesday, December 20, 2006
ALLAN BRETTMAN
The Oregonian

VANCOUVER -- Two downtown mixed-use developments, each valued at $20 million or more, will be announced in early 2007.

Beyond that, Steve Burdick, manager of economic development services, had little detail to reveal Monday night to the City Council.

But for Burdick and other supporters, the anticipated development is an example of why government involvement is good for the health of the downtown economy. He told the council the developments likely would not have occurred without other government-supported projects leading the way since the mid-1990s.

A study he presented to the council says the city and state should expect to reap far more in tax revenue by 2025 than they have invested in downtown development since 1996.

The study's conclusions are expected to be presented to state legislators who will consider laws in their 2007 session that might allow further investment in revitalization projects throughout the state.

The report is timely for another reason.

The council is preparing to consider adopting a new Vancouver City Center Vision & Subarea Plan. The return-on-investment study is likely to be among the selling points Burdick and others will use to promote the new plan. Council action is expected in February.

The previous downtown blueprint -- the Esther Short Subarea and Redevelopment Plan -- guided the development of Esther Short Park, Heritage Place Condominiums, Vancouvercenter, Esther Short Commons, the West Coast Bank Building and the Hilton Vancouver Washington and Convention Center.

The Esther Short Plan included a 30-square-block downtown area. The new development area would include about 130 blocks.

These are downtown properties within that area that, in the past five years, city officials have mentioned as possible development sites:

400 E. Mill Plain Blvd.: A shuttered Denny's restaurant sits on the triangle-shaped property and once was the future home of a Burgerville drive-through restaurant. Those plans fell through.

But the Al Angelo Co., which developed Heritage Place condominiums, is exploring a development on the site.

The Angelo plan has prompted Washington Department of Transportation officials to request a new review for a proposed clock tower near the apex of the triangle property, said Jan Bader of the city manager's office.

307 E. Mill Plain Blvd.: The new Burgerville, had it been built, would have replaced the Burgerville across the street, at 307 E. Mill Plain Blvd., which is the oldest continuously operating restaurant of the Vancouver-based chain.

Instead, Burgerville president Tom Mears is working with developer Elie Kassab to build a mixed-use structure with retail, offices and residential units. The development would be built on the existing Burgerville site and adjoining property, Mears said.

500 block of Main Street: The former site of the old Monterey Hotel and the Frontier Building is a grassy lot next to the West Coast Bank Building, which serves as the headquarters for developer Killian Pacific.

Killian Pacific has drawings that call for an office and retail building on the vacant lot, owned by the developer and the city.

But nothing is expected to happen there soon, George Killian said. The developer is busy with other projects.

Allan Brettman: 360-896-5746 or 503-294-5900; allanbrettman@news.oregonian.com

[CouvScott]

Exciting news! These two blocks were both off of my radar.

[360Rich]

Same here.

If 307 E. Mill Plain Blvd gets redeveloped into a mixed use site, I sure hope they find a spot for a Burgerville!

[360Rich]

I hadn't heard anything about the new Burgerville on the old Denny's site (400 E. Mill Plain Blvd) falling through.

I'm glad it did. That triangular block is the entrance for many into downtown. It needs to be something interesting and noteworthy. I'm not sure a clock tower qualifies as either, but it's a step in the right direction.

Below is a link to both sites on a Live Local map.

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=45.631801~-122.669321&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=5552946&sp=Point.rm4s2z4s9t0v_307%20E%20Mill%20Plain%20Blvd%2c%20Vancouver%2c%20WA%2098660-3241%2c%20United%20States___~Point.rm4s2z4s9w9t_400%20E%20Mill%20Plain%20Blvd%2c%20Vancouver%2c%20WA%2098660-3244%2c%20United%20States___

[CouvScott]

I hadn't heard anything about the new Burgerville on the old Denny's site (400 E. Mill Plain Blvd) falling through.



The mayor asked Burgerville to not pursue that location. They said, and I agree with them, that this was a gateway to downtown Vancouver and wanted a signature project there.

As for BV, I definitely think they need to keep the 2nd original (the first looking the same but located in the heights) restaurant there as a tribute to history.

[mcbaby]

it's about time. there is some prime real estate in downtown vancouver that has been neglected for so long and so many half assed projects sprinkled around that part of town.

[PuyoPiyo]

Wow, Vancouver WA is really gaining ^-^

But it have been ALWAYS and BIG shame when Dennys resturant in downtown Vancouver closed down. :(

[der Reisender]

found on Oregonlive, wasn't sure where else to drop this:

Downtown Vancouver street redesign on hold
VANCOUVER -- Attorney Scott Horenstein envisioned a bold project on Main Street, with a mixed-use structure on a half block at least three levels high, with retail, offices, parking and residential units.

But to the disappointment of Horenstein others, the city has shelved plans for a dramatic street makeover, which had been scheduled to commence next year.

Now, the earliest that improvements could take place is 2008, but no funding has been committed. Other city transportation priorities, downtown and elsewhere, take precedence over tired-looking Main.

The Main Street Improvement Project calls for a redesign from Fifth to 15th streets, with new accent pavers, sidewalks, parking , public art, overhead lighting, trees and other landscaping, and street furniture, such as benches.

A proposed business and occupation tax on businesses would have paid for Main Street and several other transportation improvement projects around the city.

But the City Council backed away from the B&O tax, adopting a per-employee fee on businesses which will generate far less money. Main Street dropped off the transportation priority list.

-- Allan Brettman

[mcbaby]

maybe they can use the eventual transportation funds to revamp main street when they finally get light rail up there. i know the tentative plan runs light rail right up main.

[360Rich]

Plans shift for ex-Denny's site

Wednesday, January 31, 2007
JULIA ANDERSON Columbian business editor

Market reaction already is modifying an ambitious redevelopment plan for the former Denny's restaurant site in downtown Vancouver.

Initially, a nine-story building with condos and possibly a restaurant was envisioned for the site by the Al Angelo Co.

The Vancouver commercial and residential real estate company expects this week to sign a long-term ground lease for the property at 400 E. Mill Plain Blvd., considered the gateway to downtown Vancouver. It's been more than two years since a Denny's restaurant closed there.

But neither condos nor a top-floor restaurant got much traction over the past several months, said Al "Corky" Angelo Jr.

Angelo said his family-owned company, already a major downtown property owner, is now considering construction of a 100,000-square-foot office building with a bit of ground-floor retail.

"We're actually in the process of redesigning the whole thing," Angelo said. "Right now we're talking about five or six floors of office with two floors of covered parking and some retail."

Angelo said the site's islandlike location -- bordered by Interstate 5, Mill Plain and 15th Street -- made the building's residential component unattractive. In addition, no name-brand restaurants showed interest in the project.

"It doesn't look like housing or a restaurant of any size is part of the equation," Angelo said this week.

City planners seem comfortable with the changes.

"The building needs to make an urban architectural statement," said Steve Burdick, Vancouver's community development manager, of what the city would like on the site. "That's the key. The site is never going to have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Office probably is the logical thing. ? 100,000 square feet is a lot of office space."

By comparison, Columbian Publisher Scott Campbell is constructing a 112,000-square-foot, six-story building southwest of Esther Short Park. Price tag? About $30 million.

Separately, the city is planning construction of a signature clock tower on a portion of the site similar to one in Esther Short Park across from the Hilton Vancouver Washington.

Angelo said his company, which is based nearby at 404 E. 15th St., would likely relocate to the new building.

The Angelos began working on the project in November.

"We tested the market with a couple of ideas, and based on the response, we've made some adjustments," he said.

The company is scheduled for a preliminary conference with city planners early next month.

http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/01312007news99143.cfm

[CouvScott]

Plans shift for ex-Denny's site

Wednesday, January 31, 2007
JULIA ANDERSON Columbian business editor

Market reaction already is modifying an ambitious redevelopment plan for the former Denny's restaurant site in downtown Vancouver.

Initially, a nine-story building with condos and possibly a restaurant was envisioned for the site by the Al Angelo Co.

The Vancouver commercial and residential real estate company expects this week to sign a long-term ground lease for the property at 400 E. Mill Plain Blvd., considered the gateway to downtown Vancouver. It's been more than two years since a Denny's restaurant closed there.

But neither condos nor a top-floor restaurant got much traction over the past several months, said Al "Corky" Angelo Jr.

Angelo said his family-owned company, already a major downtown property owner, is now considering construction of a 100,000-square-foot office building with a bit of ground-floor retail.

"We're actually in the process of redesigning the whole thing," Angelo said. "Right now we're talking about five or six floors of office with two floors of covered parking and some retail."

Angelo said the site's islandlike location -- bordered by Interstate 5, Mill Plain and 15th Street -- made the building's residential component unattractive. In addition, no name-brand restaurants showed interest in the project.

"It doesn't look like housing or a restaurant of any size is part of the equation," Angelo said this week.

City planners seem comfortable with the changes.

"The building needs to make an urban architectural statement," said Steve Burdick, Vancouver's community development manager, of what the city would like on the site. "That's the key. The site is never going to have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Office probably is the logical thing. ? 100,000 square feet is a lot of office space."

By comparison, Columbian Publisher Scott Campbell is constructing a 112,000-square-foot, six-story building southwest of Esther Short Park. Price tag? About $30 million.

Separately, the city is planning construction of a signature clock tower on a portion of the site similar to one in Esther Short Park across from the Hilton Vancouver Washington.

Angelo said his company, which is based nearby at 404 E. 15th St., would likely relocate to the new building.

The Angelos began working on the project in November.

"We tested the market with a couple of ideas, and based on the response, we've made some adjustments," he said.

The company is scheduled for a preliminary conference with city planners early next month.

[mcbaby]

hmmm..

[PDXPaul]

Man I remember that Denny's...

[PDXPaul]

We need light rail.

[CouvScott]

Pre-application conferences have been scheduled for Thursday, February 8, 2007, in the Citizens Service Center Fourth Floor Conference Room, 1313 Main Street. The following projects will be discussed:

9 a.m. PRJ2007-00063/PAC2007-00004 D Street Tower
Description: Nine-story mixed-use building.
Location: 400 E Mill Plain Blvd
Assessed Parcel Size: 29,375 square feet
Zoning Designation: CX
Neighborhood Association: Esther Short

[CouvScott]

Vancouver has special interest in annexation bill

Friday, February 09, 2007
By KATHIE DURBIN Columbian staff writer

OLYMPIA -- The fight over who controls annexation decisions in Clark County has made its way to the 2007 Washington Legislature.

Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, introduced a bill that would give boundary review boards the authority to expand annexations. The bill would reverse a 2006 Washington Supreme Court ruling that such boards could only reduce annexation proposals.

"That makes no sense," said Moeller, a former Vancouver city councilman.

House Bill 1162 gives boundary review boards the authority to add or delete territory and to adjust the boundary of a proposed annexation to include "all or any land located within an unincorporated urban growth area."

The purpose of his bill, Moeller said, is to allow cities to annex adjacent urbanized areas.

"The whole idea behind the Growth Management Act is that things that look like cities and act like cities should be cities," he said.

Clark County commissioners dismantled the county's boundary review board last year after Vancouver talked about asking the board to expand a proposed 823-acre annexation to encompass an urbanized area 20 times as large.

Moeller says HB 1162 is a precursor to a bill he plans to introduce in a future session that would require annexation in the state's most populous counties to be governed by boundary review boards.

"I want eventually for our county to have a boundary review board again," he said.

Opposition to the bill comes mainly from people who refuse to sign annexation petitions and then learn that cities have annexed their land anyway, Moeller contends.

"They don't understand the idea of a republic," he said. In a republic, "You get your say, but you don't always get your way."

Suzan Wallace, Vancouver's annexation coordinator, told the House Local Government Committee this week that the bill is important to the city's ability to plan for future growth.

"As Vancouver is the fourth-largest city and one of the fastest-growing in the state, we see this bill as a tool to implement our annexation plan, and we do have an active annexation plan," Wallace said in an interview. Being able to plan for delivery of urban services also is critical to the city's business recruitment efforts, she said.

"The role of the boundary review boards is to assure that services are delivered in the most effective and efficient way," she said.

The bill also has drawn support from King County, the cities of Renton and Longview, and the Washington State Association of Boundary Review Boards.

But local taxing districts have concerns.

Harold Schlomann, executive director of the Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts, said his organization opposes the bill because it would give boundary review boards unlimited authority to expand city boundaries -- and force residents of special taxing districts into cities -- without a vote of the people.

"I believe all annexations should be approved by voters," Schlomann said.

Clark County did not testify at the hearing. Moeller said Mike Burgess, the county's new lobbyist, told him: "We don't have a boundary review board, so we don't have an issue here."


Update

* Previously: The Washington Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that boundary review boards could only reduce, not enlarge, annexation proposals.

* What's new: Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, has introduced a bill that would give those boards the authority to expand annexation areas.

* What's next: Moeller hopes to introduce legislation in a future session requiring that boundary review boards govern annexations in the state's most populous counties.

[PuyoPiyo]

Keep it up.

[PDXPaul]

"We don't have a boundary review board so we don't have a problem." What a bunch of hacks. Fucking embarassing.

[mcbaby]

i'm glad i don't live there any more.

[CouvScott]

Sunday, February 18, 2007
JULIA ANDERSON Columbian business editor

Vibration-free surgical suites.

Sophisticated stroke-treatment facilities.

Private family-friendly patient rooms.

These features, along with dramatic landscaping, striking architectural design and a comfy hotel-like lobby, debut Monday as Southwest Washington Medical Center opens Firstenburg Tower to patients.

Named for donors Ed and Mary Firstenburg, the new eight-story, 154-bed hospital wing also swings open the door to the medical center's next 150 years.

Established in 1858 by Sister Joseph of the Sacred Heart as the first hospital in the Pacific Northwest, the medical center seems well-positioned to grow, even prosper, as the region's dominant health care provider and Clark County's largest employer.

"A couple of years ago, it wasn't clear that Southwest would be this successful in rebounding from the opening of Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital," said one top Clark County health care executive. "It's actually been surprising."

For Dr. John Greves, a long-time Vancouver Clinic cardiologist, the medical center's new tower, which features five cardiac catheterization labs and two open-heart surgery suites, takes heart and stroke treatment in Clark County to the highest level.

"This new technology gives us a big step up in terms of what you can see and do when treating a patient," Greves said. "This is a major gift to the community, not just for now, but for the next 20 years."

To that end, the medical center foundation over the past two years has won pledges totaling nearly $50 million to support medical center programs and projects. The Firstenburgs and David and Patricia Nierenberg, each with $15 million pledges, and Linda and Corky Angelo and Ed and Dollie Lynch, at $1 million each, are among top donors.

"Big goals create momentum and excitement," said Jean Rahn, foundation executive director. "People want to be part of something that's really going to change the future of the hospital."

Next steps

The tower project, part of a $150 million expansion at the medical center's main campus on Mill Plain Boulevard, is just part of securing a future for the not-for-profit community-based organization.

Here's what's happening:

Legacy impact: After losing about 10 percent of its business to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital in the past 18 months and experiencing a decline in net operating income, the medical center expects an upturn in revenue and earnings this year.

"The good news is that we've rebounded quickly," said Joe Kortum, medical center CEO. "Within less than a year, we appear to be back on our old growth curve. We expect to see a net operating margin of about 5 to 6 percent this (fiscal) year."

Kortum said the opening of Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital has meant more people staying on this side of the river for their health care. "We're gratified by that," he said. Medical Center emergency department ambulance diversions to Portland, for instance, are down from an average of nine hours a day to less than one hour a day.

David Nierenberg, vice-chairman of the medical center board of directors and a donor, said he's changed his view about Legacy.

"If I had to do it again, I would not have taken an oppositional stance (to Legacy)," Nierenberg said. "There's enough need in this community for both to prosper and work together for the benefit of the public."

Tower rollout and bed expansion: To start, 62 beds of the tower's 156 beds will be activated for patients. Two floors are devoted to critical care and three floors to medical/surgical beds. As patient facilities are closed in older parts of the medical center's main campus, more new beds will open in the tower.

Refurbishment of 156 rooms in older parts of the complex is under way. By 2011, the medical center expects to be operating all 442 of its state-licensed beds in response to the region's population growth and aging demographic.

Capital expansion: More construction is expected on the main campus, with another hospital tower on the drawing board in a few years.

Geographic expansion and alliances: Recently, the medical center purchased 12 acres in east Vancouver, opposite Home Depot on Southeast 192nd Avenue. How the property will be used has not been decided.

Additional expansion is likely east and north through new affiliations, Kortum said. A major announcement is expected later this spring. Such collaboration makes sense as a way to cut costs and at the same time enhance preventive care.

Past experience: In 2003, Kortum came to Vancouver from Arizona, where he led Northern Arizona Healthcare, a consortium of three community hospitals. At the time, he said he was most proud of "engineering the merger between two hospitals in the area that had been involved in a medical arms race."

Program partnerships: The medical center has formed an alliance with Seattle-based Providence Health & Services, which operates 28 hospitals, including four in the Portland area. The medical center is the exclusive provider of a Providence Medicare Plan for subscribers in Clark County, which brings patients to the hospital. The medical center also partners with Providence as part of a cost-saving group-purchasing program and sends certain patients to Providence for treatment.

The bottom line

Rainy Atkins, medical center chief operating officer, sees Firstenburg Tower helping the medical center's overall bottom line because it will support more efficient services, it gives physicians the latest technology, and it will be an asset in recruiting more top physicians to the area.

Atkins acknowledges that the medical center faces big challenges -- formidable market competition, a shifting health insurance landscape, rising labor costs, and increasing bad debt and charity write-offs.

"To stay in the black, we've got to focus on service and our centers of (treatment) excellence, pay attention to expenses, and continue to grow," she said.

The medical center executives and board are counting on the tower to bolster that growth.

"The combination of (community) philanthropy, return on the medical center's investment reserve and strong operating results puts the medical center on a reasonably strong footing when others might be struggling," Nierenberg said.

Julia Anderson covers the regional health care industry. Reach her at 360-759-8071 or julia.anderson@columbian.com.


By the numbers: Southwest Washington Medical Center

4.03 days Average length of stay for inpatients.

238 Average daily inpatient census.

532 Active physician staff.

3,200 Total work force, part- and full-time employees.

4,061 Births last year.

104,314 Emergency room visits.

307,000 Square feet in new Firstenburg Tower.

SOURCE: Southwest Washington Medical Center, for fiscal 2006, which ended Sept. 30.


By the numbers

$150 million Southwest Washington Medical Center expansion cost, including tower.

$13.8 million Net operating income.

$17.7 million Charity write-off.

$25.5 million Uncollected bad debt.

SOURCE: Southwest Washington Medical Center, fiscal 2006, which ended Sept. 30.

[CouvScott]

Sunday, February 18, 2007
TOM VOGT Columbian staff writer

Rich Dallam's recent stint as a hospital patient wasn't as much fun as it could have been. But it was worse for his wife.

That's why the Seattle architect had several reasons to smile as he showed off Vancouver's newest hospital facility.

Dallam helped design the Firstenburg Tower, an eight-story project that opens Monday on the campus of Southwest Washington Medical Center.

Dallam is a partner in NJJB, a global architectural firm, and leads the health care design practice at its Seattle office.

It's a job that had Dallam flat on his back at one point, getting a patient's-eye view of hospital hallways as his design team fleshed out the tower's interior plan and lighting concepts.

"We had people push us around on gurneys, and that's why there is no downward lighting" glaring in patients' eyes, Dallam said during a January tower tour. "For patients on their backs, that's not very pleasant."

That was not the only time Dallam found himself viewing a hospital environment from a patient's perspective.

"I was a patient," Dallam said. "I was just on the receiving end."

Dallam had a cardiac stent replaced in December, too late for his experience to play a role in plans for the Southwest project. Still, his time in the hospital gave him a new insight into user-friendly designs.

"I was thinking about this unit," Dallam said. "My care was fine, but my wife had to sit in a lobby, 11 floors away, during the angiogram. It was supposed to take 1 1/2 hours, and it lasted three hours. You start to wonder what's going on.

"They found an obstructing artery, and called her name in the lobby. By the time she gathered her stuff, she couldn't find them.

"She said, 'This was horrible.'

"That won't happen here," Dallam said. She would be waiting a short walk away, on the same floor.

Even though he rated his quality of care as fine, Dallam knows a few amenities could have made his hospital stay more pleasant, including a view. He explained during a tour of a patient room in the Firstenburg Tower.

"This room is angled for a reason. If I'm on my back, I can look out the window," Dallam said. "Having been on my back for nine hours, I wish I could have had this" room plan.

The Firstenburg rooms also have a "patient vision" system. The flat-panel video screen can be swiveled and tilted to provide TV shows, movies, games or Internet access, and it is part of every patient room in the Firstenburg Tower.

"During my seventh hour on my back, 'patient vision' was sounding really good," Dallam said.

Another issue: "I had a 23-hour stay, and I didn't sleep because of all the noise."

The Firstenburg Tower was designed to improve chances of a good night's sleep, Dallam said. There are no doors opposite the patients' rooms. Hallways are carpeted, and their walls are designed so sound waves don't bounce around.

Patient rooms have sliding doors made of translucent glass.

"It's a bigger opening. The typical door swing is 4 feet; this is 5 1/2 feet," Dallam said.

"That's a big deal for a caregiver who is pushing a bed," said Rainy Atkins, the medical center's chief operating officer.

The bathrooms drew designers' attention, too. The majority of patient falls occur in the bathroom, so the rooms were designed to minimize turning and pivoting, Dallam said.

"This is the first bathroom we've seen set up for patient convenience, not plumbing ease," Dallam said.

Even something as basic as the lobby was designed as more than a place to hang the front door, Dallam said. People walking into the hospital are already carrying a load of anxiety in with them, and there is no reason to pile on more.

"We want people to feel in control. When you can't find the elevators, when you don't know where you are, the anxiety goes way up," Dallam said. "When you get off the elevator, you see someone at a nurse's station. You don't have to go halfway into the unit, past patient rooms, to see a nurse."

Patients can go from their room to surgery without being in a public place.

"If a patient 'crashes' in a public area, it's a horrible experience," Dallam said.

The project also represents a new generation of operating suites, Atkins said. Electrical power, oxygen lines, data systems and other elements of OR infrastructure are routed through ceiling-mounted booms.

"There are no cords on the floors, which reduces tripping hazards, and it's easier to swab the floors clean," Atkins said.

"How you create the airflow in the OR can increase or lower the chance of infection," she added.

The tower's foundation includes springs to dampen vibrations, which will become even more important, Atkins said, "as even more intensive surgical procedures come along."

The Firstenburg Tower will accommodate technology it doesn't even have yet, Atkins said, including minimally invasive robotic surgery.

"A hospital is a community anchor," Dallam said. "It lasts 75 to 100 years."


Did you know?

* A patient room for one person (about 15 feet by 22 feet) is larger than the original St. Joseph Hospital of the 1850s. (Half of the 24-foot-by-16-foot cabin was used as a bakery.)

* In addition to designing hospitals, the NJJB architectural firm has designed the Seattle Mariners' Safeco Field, the Los Angeles Lakers' Staples Center and the Philadelphia Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field.



Clark County hospital history

1858: On June 7, John Lloyd becomes the first patient admitted to St. Joseph Hospital. Half of the cabin serves as a bakery.

1911: The fourth St. Joseph Hospital, located just north of the present-day Academy, is dedicated.

1945: Clark General Hospital becomes Vancouver Memorial Hospital.

1972: The 238-bed St. Joseph Community Hospital on 92nd Avenue opens, the first building on the current Mill Plain property.

1977: St. Joseph and Vancouver Memorial hospitals merge, forming Southwest Washington hospitals.

1991: An expanded and remodeled Southwest Washington Medical Center campus doubles in size.

2007: Firstenburg Tower is dedicated, and renovations throughout the Mill Plain campus continue.

[MarkDaMan]

now that the tower is completed, it looks a helluva lot better than it did a few months ago.

[360Rich]

Vancouver's downtown plan: The Height of Controversy

http://www.columbian.com/_images/newsPhotos/newsPic110644_23629.jpg

Friday, March 02, 2007
By JEFFREY MIZE Columbian staff writer

City council's proposal to guide redevelopment encounters opposition over how tall buildings can be

Nine years ago, Vancouver adopted its Esther Short Redevelopment Plan with hardly a word of protest.

Today, as the city council prepares to approve a broader City Center Vision Plan, officials are feeling push-back from those who question some policy decisions that will guide downtown revitalization for the next 20 years.

Members of the Hidden family, owners of The Academy, object to height restrictions they say will prevent additional development near the historic structure at 400 E. Evergreen Blvd.

The Hiddens also oppose a provision requiring that gravel parking lots be brought up to city standards -- complete with pavement, streetlights, landscaping and storm drains. The Academy has the largest of the 19 lots that would need to be upgraded within three years, and one estimate placed the family's cost at $1.16 million.

Identity Clark County, the pro-business group that agreed to contribute $50,000 toward crafting the downtown plan, also is concerned about height maximums. Specifically, the group worries that a 60-foot restriction proposed for Main Street would limit new buildings to only four stories and could discourage, rather than promote, revitalization.

"This appears to be a shortsighted vision for what should be the most valuable and most densely developed property within Vancouver's city limits," Ginger Metcalf, Identity Clark County's executive director, and Larry Paulson, Port of Vancouver's executive director, wrote in a letter delivered to the city council last month.

The council, after several lengthy work sessions, remains uneasy with some of the height restrictions, but the council is expected to vote Monday to proceed with a March 19 public hearing on the vision plan and its implementation measures.

"I think there are ways we can come to agreement on the little sticky issues," Mayor Royce Pollard said.

City officials have spent more than three years working on a plan that encompasses 130 blocks, a much larger chunk of downtown than the 1998 plan, which covered 30 blocks around Esther Short Park.

According to a city report, the original Esther Short Plan spawned $250 million to $300 million of private investment in the city's downtown, and the vision plan has the potential to generate another $750 million.

At the top of the city's wish list for the future is redevelopment of the Boise Cascade site on the Columbia River waterfront. Steve Burdick, Vancouver's economic development manager, told the city council this week that a consortium led by Gramor Development of Tualatin, Ore., would like to have the property rezoned to accommodate a mixed-use waterfront community before it completes the land purchase.

Building heights are a tougher issue. Vancouver already has maximum heights in place, but they do not comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations for safeguarding airspace near Pearson Field.

The city also wants to reduce the existing maximums on Main Street north of Eighth Street to prevent an envisioned retail corridor from morphing into a garish mishmash of building sizes that would sully the area's historic roots.

Councilman Dan Tonkovich believes the new and the old can be blended together.

"There is an opportunity here to create a vision for Main Street, which is supposed to be one of the more significant avenues in a downtown core," he said. "There is an opportunity to create a significant vision in terms of vibrancy, in terms of look, in terms of the feel."

But Metcalf believes the city can protect its historic core through design guidelines, without height limitations that fall below what is necessary to protect Pearson's airspace.

"If we want people to come in and invest in downtown, there has to be some incentives," she said. "A 60-foot building height limit is a disincentive to invest on Main Street."

Metcalf also worries that Vancouver appears intent on preserving some buildings that might not be worth saving. City officials have developed a map showing a number of structures lining Main Street that are eligible for Clark County's historic register.

"If you look closely at some of those buildings, you might contest whether they have historical significance," Metcalf said. "We envision that it could create some development constraints. We're not proposing 30-story buildings in downtown Vancouver. That is not Vancouver."

Laura Hudson, the city's long-range planning manager, said developers always have the option of asking the FAA to allow construction that exceeds the city's regulations.

"They have given exceptions or let people go higher with specific mitigation measures, lighting on the roof, all kinds of things," she said. "If you build to the height limit on the map, we know you will get through FAA."

For The Academy, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the city proposed to increase the existing 40-foot height limit on most of the property to 75 feet. But the zero limit on the property's southeast corner, along Evergreen Boulevard and West Reserve Street, would remain in place to preserve The Academy's historic entry.

That is a stark contrast to what is proposed just across Evergreen Boulevard: a 150-foot height limit where Killian Pacific wants to build the $165 million RiverWest project.

Bill Hidden, one of the three brothers who own The Academy, believes his family is being singled out.

"Can you find any other location where you can find a zero on it?" he asked. "I just want to be treated fairly and the same as others."

Downtown Buzz Terms

A quick look at the details in the Vancouver City Center Vision Plan and associated regulations. Some requirements already are in place and would be extended to a larger section of downtown.

Messy vitality: Defined as "a dynamic and rich mix of residential, cultural, civic, retail and entertainment places that will attract growth, jobs and round-the-clock activity." A guiding principle to downtown revitalization and specifically mentioned in waterfront redevelopment guidelines.

Creative class: A general term for young professionals, including engineers, designers, artists and writers, that Vancouver wants to attract to downtown.

Blank walls: Large walls without windows, doors and other features that create a sterile urban environment. The city doesn't want pedestrians to feel like they are walking through a concrete tunnel.

Maximum building heights: Regulations crafted to protect the flight space for planes taking off and landing at nearby Pearson Field, as well as historical character along Main Street and at The Academy. Developers in some areas can appeal to the Federal Aviation Administration to exceed the maximum heights.

Parking control: Regulations on where and how parking is provided in downtown. Encourages building parking garages by banning new surface lots, except in some areas as part of a phased development plan, and requiring substandard gravel lots to be improved within three years. The city also proposes to eliminate requirements to provide a minimum number of spaces for new commercial development to craft a tighter, more pedestrian-friendly urban environment.

Downtown rezones: A series of changes to comprehensive plan designations and zoning. The biggest change would switch the zoning for the former Boise Cascade waterfront site from heavy industrial to city center mixed use, which provides for a diversity of residential and commercial uses.

Waterfront design standards: Guidelines crafted to steer redevelopment of the Boise Cascade site. Specifically, they call for building to the highest possible densities within height limitations, extending the waterfront trail west from the Interstate 5 Bridge, prohibiting parking garages between the Columbia River and buildings closest to the shoreline, varying the footprint and facades of buildings facing the river, and creating connections between the waterfront and downtown.

Artisan and specialty goods: Bakeries, microbreweries and other small-scale manufacturers, 10,000 square feet or less, that are currently banned but would be allowed in downtown. Manufacturers must allow public viewing, such as a window that lets people see brewers at work, or provide a tasting room or other customer service area.

Rainwater protection: Awnings, balconies, roof overhangs and other features to provide some pedestrian protection during rainy weather. The city proposes to extend protection requirements to Main Street in Uptown Village and to Broadway south of 15th Street.

Building lines: Requirements that construction of new buildings and expansion of existing ones must extend out to the sidewalk to encourage the continuity of window display and to promote a pedestrian environment.

-- Jeffrey Mize

http://www.columbian.com/printArticle.cfm?story=110644

[PuyoPiyo]

Maybe they should just relocate the Pearson.

[MarkDaMan]

So other than the Boise site, the height limits in DT 'Couv are 75'? I had hopes downtown Vancouver could revitalize but it appears these limits are going to limit Vancouver from ever becoming anything but a Portland bedroom community...a shame...

[CouvScott]

I believe someone here dug up the height limits throughout downtown Vancouver. Mitch?

If I remember correctly, there were some areas that allowed a 250-300' height limit. If downtown ever started to get close to a buildout, I'm sure taller structures would be allowed North of Mill Plain where they would not impede the flight pattern.

[CouvScott]

New project going in this summer at East 17th and D...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/17THandD.jpg

[goldstar133]

Looks allot like a retirement community, needs more glass and less of that ugly brick.

[360Rich]

The design doesn't do much for me, but I suppose it's a step in the right direction for the 'Couv.

Arnada Commons gets legs
Friday, 30 March 2007

Depending on financing, mixed-use development could break ground this summer
By Megan Patrick
VBJ Staff Reporter

Arnada Commons, a five-story mixed use development that could span an entire block in the Arnada neighborhood, is one step closer to reality.

The city of Vancouver’s Design Review Committee voted to approve the project after its second presentation to the nine-member committee that reviews plans for building and remodeling in downtown to maintain and increase the appeal and architectural tone of the area.

Now the developer, Arnada Commons LLC, is awaiting site plan approval, which should come about this summer, said Sally Dillon, assistant project manager. But construction hinges on one key piece – money.

The 177,000-square-foot development, set for the block between East 16th, 17th, "D" and "E" streets in West Vancouver, has a projected price tag of $19 million to $20 million.

There are some local and nonlocal "interested investors," but pending site plan approval, no one has set a commitment in stone.

Developers, which include Yury Rahubin who owns a home in Vancouver but primarily lives in Prague, have already spent well over $200,000 in application and architect fees alone, which don’t include surveying or land costs, Dillon said.

Arnada Commons LLC doesn’t own the land, but controls it through options, she added. The block is currently zoned for mixed use and medium-density residential, and is owned by Asghar Sadri and Langsdorf & Gregerson LLP, according to the city.

Vancouver-based Architects Barrentine Bates Lee has drawn up an alluring concept for the U-shaped project that currently encompasses 72 condominiums ranging in size from studios to three-bedrooms, 17,000 square feet of Class A commercial space on the ground level, several good-sized live-work units, underground parking, an indoor community room and a second-story outdoor plaza.

Designers hope the plaza in the center of the development will be freely used by neighbors who don’t live in Arnada Commons as a place to eat lunch or for community art exhibits.

The skyline is graduated – from three stories on the west side to five on the east – and heavily incorporates natural landscaping, including two eco-roofs that are planned for the third and fourth stories. The architecture firm studied the building styles and aesthetics commonly found in the neighborhood and incorporated them into the design and color palette, said architect Robert Barrentine presenting the project to the Design Review Committee.

The first concept was a flat building up and down, but now bay windows and rounded balconies add variety to the concept, said Barrentine, who is also is a member of the Design Review Committee.

Rahubin attended several Arnada Neighborhood Assoc. meetings to gather feedback beginning in 2005, and the association recently voted 19 to 1 in favor of the project. There are some neighbors who still take issue with the height, but are by and large in favor, said association chair Seanette Corkill.

Height restrictions in the neighborhood are 75 feet, and at its tallest point, Arnada Commons comes in at 63 feet, 10 inches, said Greg Turner, senior planner for Design Review Services.

Rahubin is invested in urban living, creating density and creating beautiful living spaces and rather than creating more sprawl, Dillon said.

"Yury’s whole concept is community co-development," she said. "Working with the neighborhoods and city, instead of going in and raping the local community and only thinking in terms of profit."

The neighborhood input led to a more costly design, and lowering the height will likely make the project difficult to finance. And Dillon said she suspects the project may be ahead of its time in terms of market value.

The neighborhood association also pushed to save a substantial dogwood tree on the property’s northeast corner, and Portland-based landscape architects GreenWorks have incorporated it into the landscape design.

http://www.vbjusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1190

[mhays]

Kind of a mishmash, but the brick makes it look ok anyway.

[PuyoPiyo]

5 stories building... Not really exciting for me..

[360Rich]

Council to consider sale of old police building

Friday, April 20, 2007
BY JEFFREY MIZE Columbian staff writer

Developer wants to buy it, replace it with office, residential plaza

A six-story building could rise where the Vancouver Police Department once had its headquarters and city jail.

Elie Kassab, president and chief executive officer of Prestige Development, wants to buy the property at 300 E. 13th St., demolish the old police station and build Prestige Plaza. The project would have five floors of office space, each with 20,000 square feet, five condominiums on the top floor and 149 underground parking spaces.

The city council will be asked to approve an agreement Monday night to sell the property for $200,000.

In November, PGP Valuation Inc. appraised the property at $170,000. If the city cleared the site and removed hazardous materials, such as asbestos tiles and lead-based paint, the property would be worth $600,000, the appraiser concluded.

However, a city report says demolition would cost $520,000 to $830,000 and possibly more, depending on what was found during site clearing.

“It is a terrible building,” said Steve Burdick, the city’s economic development manager. “It has no windows. It’s all chopped up, and it has an old jail in the basement.”

The half-block Kassab wants to buy from the city is located on the same block as the iconic Burgerville on the south side of Mill Plain Boulevard, near the entrance into downtown.


Kassab said he still might purchase the Burgerville site, but he intends to build Prestige Plaza even if Burgerville remains.

“I love their burgers, but they don’t have any (indoor) seating and they don’t have a drive-through, so that facility is a little dated,” he said.

Last fall, Kassab paid $150,000 for one-eighth of the block, the southeast corner of Mill Plain and C Street, where Burgerville currently offers outdoor seating.

Kassab said he intends to move his company’s offices to Prestige Plaza. He said he is talking to three banks, which he declined to name, that could occupy the building’s bottom floor.
One of the banks, he said, is interested in two floors.

“I believe there is a demand,” he said. “We have fairly strong interest in over 50 percent of the project.”

Kassab also doesn’t expect to have trouble finding buyers for the condos.

“I am going to be living in one of them,” he said. “I can actually sell them all myself because they are going to have very good-sized decks, and they are going to have very nice amenities. … They are going to be priced reasonably, and they are going to be tailored to the lifestyle of urban living where people are going to be able to entertain.”

Kassab would like to begin construction in April 2008, which coincides with the deadline for the city to vacate the old police station, provided the council approves the sale Monday night.

Several years ago, the police department moved its administrative headquarters to the former Washington State Patrol building at the west end of Officers Row and dispersed other operations to its central and east precincts.

In recent years, the police department has used the 13th Street building for evidence storage. The city last month submitted plans to build a 14,600-square-foot evidence center, with 16,000 square feet of secured outdoor storage, at 2325 W. Mill Plain Blvd.

Burdick said the city is under no legal responsibility to put the former police headquarters on the market.

The city sought formal proposals for a portion of the old Lucky Lager Brewery site, along the north side of Esther Short Park, before selling the cleared property to the Al Angelo Co., which built the Heritage Place condominiums.

For the portion of the brewery property along the east side of Esther Short Park, the city negotiated a sale with Otak Inc., which built Vancouvercenter on the property.

Vancouver is using a broker to sell the Citizens Service Center, which the city is vacating because of seismic weaknesses that would require expensive upgrades.

“We can sell property however we think the net benefit to the city is the greatest,” Burdick said.

Jeffrey Mize covers Vancouver city government. He can be reached at 360-759-8006 or by e-mail at jeff.mize@columbian.com.

http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/04202007news129645.cfm

[360Rich]

^^^ More info http://www.prestigedev.com/PrestigePlaza/PrestigePlaza.htm

http://www.prestigedev.com/PrestigePlaza/images/NWView.jpg

http://www.prestigedev.com/PrestigePlaza/images/NEView.jpg

http://www.prestigedev.com/PrestigePlaza/images/SWView.jpg

[MarkDaMan]

^WoW...I though Portland had some boring architecture. I have yet to see anything going up over there that isn't stale and beyond safe.

[360Rich]

I couldn't agree more.

It's like all the cities called Vancouver have a combined finite amount of coolness and excellence, and it's all going to the one furthest north.

[mcbaby]

well, like i've said before, i'm glad i got out.

[PuyoPiyo]

Vancouver WA- "Colorful Past, Bright Future". According to Wikipedia.org.

The more Vancouver WA build more new buildings in the downtown, the more denser donwtown Vancouver WA will look like since they already constructed Vancouvercenter, Hilton Hotel, and recently topped out new The Columbian building, plus Fort Vancouver Regional Library are going to relocate to downtown Vancouver WA with bunches of 3-5 stories buildings.

And what's more, if Vancouver WA successfully aqucried(sp?) its own annexs, it will be the second Washington State largest city surpassing Tacoma and Spokane.

Vancouver WA is the state's fastest growing city, according to Emporis.com.

[360Rich]

Burgerville begs to differ about building

Monday, April 23, 2007
By JULIA ANDERSON Columbian staff writer

An official with the Holland/Burgerville chain said the city of Vancouver's plans, revealed last week, to sell a six-story former jail and police headquarters building to a local developer caught the restaurant company by surprise.

Burgerville does not have plans to sell its restaurant site at 307 E. Mill Plain Blvd. to Prestige Development, as suggested by its president and CEO Elie Kassab, said Tara Wefers, Holland executive vice president for design and innovation.

According to Wefers, Kassab, the Vancouver-based restaurant chain and the city have been in facilitated talks to discuss the future of the area around the city's former police station at 300 E. 13th St.

"We are interested in continuing in good faith with that discussion," Wefers said. "It feels premature for the city to agree to sell the (police-jail) building without some sort of agreement."

Tonight, the Vancouver City Council will be asked to approve a consent agreement to sell its building for $200,000 to Kassab, who plans to demolish the structure and build a six-story office-condominium building on the site. Kassab's project, being called Prestige Plaza, would share a half-block with Burgerville's iconic drive-up restaurant on Mill Plain, one of the first established by the chain.

The Holland Inc., which is privately owned, operates 39 restaurants with 1,600 employess throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Previous deal fell through

Last year, the company proposed to replace its Mill Plain restaurant with a new, larger one on the nearby former Denny's restaurant site. That deal did not come together and now the Al Angelo Co. expects to build a retail-office project on the Denny's site.

Meanwhile, Kassab already owns an eighth of a block adjoining the Burgerville location, purchased last year for $150,000, and said last week that he wants to buy the entire site.

Friday afternoon, Wefers contacted The Columbian through the company's California-based public affairs firm to clarify the situation. She said her company is not willing to sell.

"We want to continue to look for creative options" for the property alignment issue, Wefers said.

http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/04232007news130710.cfm

[CouvScott]

Tuesday, April 24, 2007
BY JEFFREY MIZE Columbian staff writer

Proposed project bothers Burgerville


Protests from the Burgerville chain did not deter Vancouver from selling its old police headquarters for redevelopment.

The city council voted 6-1 Monday, with Councilwoman Jeanne Stewart dissenting, to sell the property to Elie Kassab of Prestige Development for $200,000.

Kassab intends to build Prestige Plaza, a six-story building with five floors of office space and five condominiums on the top floor, on the southern half of the block.

The proposed building would tower over the iconic Burgerville along the south side of Mill Plain Boulevard, which often is mistakenly identified as the first outlet in what today is a 39-restaurant chain started by the late George Propstra.

The Holland, Burgerville's parent company, last year proposed building a new restaurant a block away, at the site of the closed Denny's. But company officials abandoned those plans because they said the project would not provide enough return on their investment. The Al Angelo Co. now intends to build a multistory office building at the Denny's site.

At one point, Kassab was interested in purchasing an entire block: the two-story former police headquarters, which includes the old city jail and is being only partially used for evidence storage; and Burgerville's property.

In December, The Holland proposed an exchange with Kassab: the company's property for a new Burgerville on the ground-floor of Prestige Plaza, with indoor seating and a drive-through window. According to Holland's proposal, Prestige Development would be responsible for all design, construction and furnishing costs and also would pay an undetermined amount of compensation for lost profits during the construction period.

One week later, Kassab replied with a brief letter saying the company's proposal was "not economically viable for this project."

Holland President Tom Mears said before Monday's decision that company officials were surprised to see the sale of the old police headquarters moving forward.

The Holland, Kassab and the city each contributed $5,000 for the Leland Consulting Group of Portland to work with them and try to find consensus on a redevelopment plan.

"We thought we had this arrangement between the city and Elie and us to come up with mutual solutions that we can all agree with," Mears said. "By going forward (with the sale), it looks like we are being left out."

Kassab already owns one-eighth of the block, near the southeast corner of C Street and Mill Plain Boulevard, where his development plan calls for the entrance to a 149-space parking garage.

Mears said that amounts to "building a brick wall right through our parking lot and cutting off visibility."

Following Monday's council decision, Mears and Kassab briefly exchanged a few strong words outside the council chambers, but the two men shook hands and appeared to be willing to discuss how they still might find common ground.

"We just need to talk - that's all," Mears told Kassab.

The words also were sometimes heated during Monday's council discussion, with several council members raising concerns about the city offering to sell the property to Kassab without placing it on the market.

Councilman Tim Leavitt the sale is "perceived as a behind the scenes, behind closed doors, disposition of public property."

Councilwoman Jeanne ­Harris said those type of deals soon will not be necessary ­because the time when ­Vancouver must recruit downtown investors is rapidly vanishing.

"It's a happy day when we are looking at not having to approach people to develop downtown," Harris said. "Really that is the only way we have gotten downtown going in the past 10 years."

Stewart said the sale of city property always should be done openly through a bid system.

"I'm concerned we are going into micro-controlling who gets what and where they get it," Stewart said. "We can't afford for the public to see or believe that we have a favored developer."

All of this was a little diffic ult for Pat McDonnell, Vancouver's normally mild-mannered city manager, to hear.

"I just think there are times that I should be quiet," McDonnell said before disregarding that thought.

McDonnell called it "offensive" to suggest the city had engaged in back-room dealing. City officials wanted to bring different property owners together to redevelop the entire block, something a competitive bid process likely would not accomplish, he said.

"We are still hoping that they are going to come together," he said. "So I am taken aback a little about the process being closed."

[der Reisender]

from the Oregonian...no idea what project this is

11-story condominium building proposed for downtown Vancouver
Posted by The Oregonian April 25, 2007 17:58PM
Categories: Clark County

VANCOUVER -- An 11-story condominium would be built over an existing four-story parking structure downtown under plans submitted to the city.

The 123- to 126-unit structure would be built at 703 Broadway St.

703 Broadway Condos, as the project is named, would include studio spaces, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

A three-story office building already sits atop the fourth level of the parking garage. The new condominiums would be added on the eastern half of the upper parking deck, according to the plans.

The ground level would include a lobby that would serve the residential building and the parking garage. The fourth level of the proposed new structure would include new meeting rooms, a lounge area, an exercise room, a swimming pool, private patios and storage.

Neither the owner, 703 Broadway Vancouver LLC, with mailing addresses in Vancouver and Hermosa Beach, Calif., nor project architect, Myhre Group Architects of Portland, could be reached Wednesday evening.

A conference with city officials to discuss the project has been scheduled for May 17.

Allan Brettman: allanbrettman@news.oregonian.com

[PuyoPiyo]

^^^Isn't that Cinemas Movie Theater parking lot? It sounds more like this parking lot... Another over 10 stories seems exciting for downtown Vancouver :D As since I believe there is only 6 buildings that are over 10 stories in Vancouver.

Smith Tower
Bank of America Building
Riveria Bank Building
Vancouvercenter
Southwest Medical Hostipal (out of downtown)
Maybe Legacy Hostipal too (out of downtown too)

703 Broadway Condos should be added if approved, I will love to see it constructing! Let's wait then.

[CouvScott]

:previous: Yes, this is the Cinema parking structure or the Columbia Credit Union Building. This could create Vancouver's new tallest.

[CouvScott]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-773F.jpg

[PuyoPiyo]

:previous: Yes, this is the Cinema parking structure or the Columbia Credit Union Building. This could create Vancouver's new tallest.

Create Vancouver's new tallest? How did you find that, I had been searching around the google and seems not really find anything.. I really hope it is new tallest! Tallest the Better. If it is new tallest in Vancouver, I will miss the circular building Smith Tower as the tallest.

[CouvScott]

Saturday, April 28, 2007
BY CAMI JONER Columbian staff writer

A California development company wants to build 11 stories of condominiums atop an existing four-level parking facility in downtown Vancouver. The result would rival the tallest buildings in Clark County.

The project is being proposed by Laeroc Partners Inc., a Manhattan Beach, Calif. company that purchased the Murdock Building at 703 Broadway in Vancouver in 2006.

Norm Schoen, a senior project manager with Myhre Group Architects in Portland, confirmed Laeroc's plans.

"We are in the process of preliminary design and are scheduled for a pre-application conference on May 17," Schoen said.

The proposal, as described in documents submitted to the city of Vancouver, calls for construction of 123 to 126 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom condominiums (about 11 units per floor) that would rise to the east of the seven-story Murdock Building. The top level of the open-top parking facility would become the first floor of condos.

Despite its size, the project, estimated at about 140 feet high, won't measure up in height to the Bank of America Financial Center next door, which is about 237 feet tall, according to city officials.

That's why the condo project will likely win city approval, despite new FAA height restrictions that are being proposed for buildings in the downtown core.

"Without looking at a map, I'd say they will probably say (the Bank of America building) constitutes a shadow, so it's OK," said Steve Burdick, the city's economic development manager.

The Murdock expansion also fits city redevelopment priorities that call for more living units in the downtown core.

"That's the No. 1 use we're looking for because it provides buying power for everything else," Burdick said.

Preliminary designs call for a fourth-floor courtyard between the Murdock Building and the residential units, Schoen said.

"We'll have to re-engineer the parking structure to support the additional building," Schoen said.

Former owner Elie Kassab said he wouldn't have added stories to the parking structure if he'd kept the building.

"Mainly because I loved my Murdock tenants, and doing something like this may block some of their views. However, it's not for me to say now," said Kassab, of Vancouver-based Prestige Development.

In a combined $22.7 million deal, Kassab sold the Murdock Building to Laeroc Partners last May, along with a 12-screen cinema and a restaurant across the street.

Kassab originally purchased the Murdock Building for its 554-space parking garage, an amenity for theater patrons. He said building atop the parking structure makes sense from a development standpoint.

"Normally, that is the most expensive part of developing, buying the land and building the parking," Kassab said.

LAEROC PARTNERS

WHAT: California real estate and banking company that is proposing an 11-story condominium project in downtown Vancouver.

WHERE: The project would rise above the Murdock Building parking facility at Eighth and C streets. The top story of the open garage would become the first level of condos.

LAEROC FOUNDER: Kim Benjamin.

ESTABLISHED: 1986.

CORPORATE ASSETS: Estimated at $500 million.

WHAT'S NEXT: Architects for the project will meet with Vancouver planners this month.

[CouvScott]

Despite its size, the project, estimated at about 140 feet high, won't measure up in height to the Bank of America Financial Center next door, which is about 237 feet tall, according to city officials.


Ok, so this won't be the new tallest, but there is no way that the BOA building is 237' tall. Maybe that is the elevation above sea level, but even that is doubtful.

[360Rich]

Agreed. I work in the B of A building, and it only has 10 floors.

[PuyoPiyo]

10 floors at 237 feet tall? DOUBT.

10 floors time 12 feet each floor equal 120 feet tall. Nah BOA Building is not the tallest. Smith Tower is, as 48 meters. So Smith Tower should be about 140 to 150 feet tall.

703 Broadway Building is probably equal to Smith Tower.

[CouvScott]

The B of A Tower pictured here...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/MVC-772F.jpg
is a couple of meters taller than the Smith Tower. Here is a story from the past that mentions a taller building, but doesn't exactly point it out. I also think that the new 8 story nursing tower at SWMC is 160', which would be about 3 meters taller than the Smith Tower.

Here is the old file from the Columbian... ( I couldn't find the author of this file)

Copyright Columbian Publishing Company Nov 5, 2003
What's tall, round, home to people, falcons and a TV skycam, and a part of the Vancouver skyline for nearly forty years? That's Smith Tower, of course!
At the time it was built (between 1964 and 1966), "Smith Tower was hailed as the most modern of buildings, featuring what was then a new construction technique: A central core housing stairwells and elevators, surrounded by the units themselves," said Michelle Arevalos, building administrator.
The building consists of 170 wedge-shaped studio and one-bedroom apartments on the top thirteen floors, housing around 200 residents. Each unit boasts an incredible view of mountain peaks, the river, and downtown Vancouver. At fifteen stories, the Tower was the tallest building in Vancouver -- just missing that title by two meters today.
Mid-Columbia Manor, Inc., a non-profit organization made up of local labor unions, sponsors the building. The tower is named in memory of W.R. "Bill" Smith (1895 -- 1971), former President of Mid- Columbia Manor, Inc.
The labor unions came together in the 1960's to build the tower, with the goal of providing affordable retirement living for seniors, especially for those who were members of the labor unions during their working years. They continue to maintain and support the building today.
Michelle Arevalos, building administrator, and her predecessor, Jim Johnson, location manager, both commented on the strong sense of community and friendship that exists in the building. The residents form strong friendships, and enjoy the social activities both in the building and in the wider downtown area.
The second-floor community room is used for movie days, a potluck dinner every Thursday evening, a soup and sandwich lunch on Wednesdays, bingo and bunco. Two church services are held each week, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, each with coffee hours. Bible studies, book discussions, and celebrations for every holiday keep life interesting.
The residents view Esther Short Park as their front yard, walking the short block to the summer concerts, frequently shopping at the Vancouver Farmers Market, and taking advantage of the other activities there. "They are within walking distance of some of the best restaurants in town, too," commented Arevalos, "and they frequently return from an outing raving over the food."
When the bridge was being painted, peregrine falcons that nested on the bridge were displaced, so nesting boxes were built up on the roof of Smith Tower, and they are still in use, said Arevalos.
Parking for cars is "one of the big drawbacks of the building," said Johnson. There are 24 spaces under the building, and as the downtown land has been built up, parking is at a premium. "Some of the residents use nearby parking structures, and many use C-Tran, C- Tran's C-Van service, and Tri-Met. They also share rides as often as possible, and family members provide transportation for shopping and appointments."
Over the years, a room that began life as a beauty salon has now been transformed into a computer lab. "It's used heavily, and it is such fun to see people communicating with family and friends over e- mail, even receiving photos of grandkids and friends," said Arevalos. Cheryl Cody, Resident Services Coordinator, organized the computer room with the assistance of local high school students, and has held classes and workshops to help users become comfortable with the technology. It was funded with cash grants from Paul Allen, SWIFT and others, and software donations came from many resources.
Employees include the administrator, the resident services coordinator, an administrative assistant, and three facilities people.
So, how do you get the windows washed on the building? Arevalos chuckled, and said that the windows are washed every six months, using union-affiliated professionals who know just how to deal with the heights and the sheer face of the building.
When asked what kept him in his job at the tower for thirty-one years, Johnson answered simply, "I loved the people." He declared the time he worked there "quite an interesting part of my life." And Arevalos agreed, saying that she was thrilled to be assigned to the Tower that she had looked at in awe over the years.
Facts and figures:
* Grand opening March 5, 1966
* 170 apartments, all with view
* Age 62 and older
* Studios and one bedroom apartments with air conditioning, kitchens
* Federal rent subsidies for those who qualify
* Large laundry room and recreation room
* Close to shopping, bus lines, restaurants, park, waterfront and more
Address: 515 Washington Street
Phone: 360-695-3474

[CouvScott]

I know I've kind of hi-jacked this thread for a couple of posts, but when researching building heights, I ran across this line in another story and would like to know a little bit more about this construction method. Does anyone have any insight on this method...?

FILES/The Columbian *Unusual look; unconventional method: Smith Tower was built using the atypical lift-slab technique, in which each floor is formed on the ground level then raised into position, with the top floor leading the way.

[BrG]

Typically it's steel columns and concrete decks...."lifted" into place after forming and hardening

http://www.brdcorp.com/productdevelopment/liftslab/liftslab4.jpg

http://www.brdcorp.com/productdevelopment/liftslab/liftslab1.jpg

More here:

http://www.brdcorp.com/liftslab.htm

[CouvScott]

Thanks BrG! Must have been before the technology existed to pump concrete to high locations.

[PuyoPiyo]

Seems like we are having a "Smith Tower VS Bank of America Building" here lol.

Oh. Concrete, it explains why Bank of America is the tallest.

But I always have a heart of Smith Tower for all over Vancouver downtown. Modern, 70s Style, Attractive, that's what Smith Tower is.

[PuyoPiyo]

According to Emporis:

Firstenburg Tower (SW Medical Center) 49 M
Smith Tower 48 M
Bank of America Building 44 M
Riverview Tower 43 M
West Coast Bank Building 30 M

And here's the picture of Smith Tower (taken by me, some of you might already seen this picture).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v500/Ufozacky2k/DowntownVancouver008.jpg

And the construction of Smith Tower I found on the Emporis, for some reason I can't download the picture, AOL sucks lol, anyway here it is.

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=245110

[zilfondel]

Wow, that "lift" construction technique is odd. Considering it completely lacks a core as well as shear walls, I wouldn't want to be in one during an earthquake! Talk about a house of cards...

[CouvScott]

According to Emporis:

Firstenburg Tower (SW Medical Center) 49 M
Smith Tower 48 M
Bank of America Building 44 M
Riverview Tower 43 M
West Coast Bank Building 30 M

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=245110

I have been keeping a rough list as well with some of the taller new proposals. I don't have a lot of official heights though.

Rank Bldg Ht Floors Status Built Use
1 Firstenburg Nurse Tower - SWMC 160 8 Built 2007 Med
2 Bank of America Financial Center 157 10 Built 1982 Off
3 Smith Tower 150 15 Built 1962 Res
4 Riverwest North Tower 150 12 Prop Res
5 Riverwest South Tower 150 12 Prop Res
6 Vancouvercenter NE 150 11 Built 2004 Mixed
7 First Interstate Tower 150 11 Built 1992 Mixed
8 Columbia Credit Union Bldg 140 15 Prop Mixed
9 Housing Authority Building ? 10 Built Res
10 FV Apartments ? 10 Built Res
11 Vancouvercenter SE ? 9 Prop Mixed
12 Hilton Convention Center ? 7 Built 2005 Hot
13 Vancouvercenter NW ? 7 Built 2004 Res
14 The Arts Building ? 7 Built Off
15 Main Place ? 7 Built 1990 Off
16 Riverwest Office Building ? 7 Prop
17 Clark County Service Center ? 6 Built 2004 Off
18 Vancouvercenter SW ? 6 Built 2004 Res
19 Clark County Courthouse ? 6 Built Off
20 West Coast Bank ? 6 Built 2002 Off
21 The Columbian ? 6 Const 2007 Off
22 St James Church ? 3 Built
23 The Academy ? 3 Built

[MarkDaMan]

edit: never mind my question here, didn't see the above list.