Vancouver and Clark County

[mcbaby]

What if a the I-5 bridge was left as is and a new vehicular/light rail bridge was added close to where the current railroad bridge now stands? It could connect to Mill Plain Blvd crossing Hayden Island and linking with North Marine Drive. The vehicular traffic could connect with I-5 at the Oregon Expo Center onramp and another spur could continue on to NE Columbia blvd into North Portland. The lightrail portion would run west along 8th street to the new bridge, crossing the Columbia to stop at Hayden island then across to North Marine drive to connect to the yellow line at the Expo Center. Just an idea. Also, what about brining back a ferry or water taxi system?

[cab]

THE I-5 BRIDGE
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Randy Gragg
Project threatens to scar Vancouver a second time

Gragg: Highway act unleashed pork, paranoia

W ith a nicely refurbished public park, jaunty public market, new hotel and hundreds of new condos, Vancouver stands among the past decade's great downtown comeback stories.

It's so nice you easily can forget what killed it in the first place: Interstate 5.

Sadly, history could repeat itself. Vancouver may have merely gussied itself up for sacrifice again -- for the freeway's 50th birthday.

A task force of 38 elected officials, bureaucrats and members of the public are working hard on the Columbia River Crossing. By name it's an effort to fix the narrow, seismically challenged I-5 bridge. In reality it's a redo of a five-mile "bridge impact zone" stretching from Delta Park to State Route 500.

As anyone who regularly drives it can attest, this stretch of I-5 is a mess. In 20 years, each day will be more "rush hour" than not. Already the bottleneck is clogging the entire West Coast's freight movement. Accident rates run 2.5 times higher than the region's average.

But for little downtown Vancouver, anything but the most brilliantly designed fix will be a disaster.

Don't look for bad guys. Building freeways that destroy cities is a great American tradition stretching back to when President Dwight D. Eisenhower fathered the interstate system. As the former supreme commander of the Allied Forces in World War II, he became enamored with the Germans' efficient movement of troops and equipment on its autobahns. He hoped to build a similar web for the U.S. But things went terribly wrong.

In a riveting new book on the unintended consequences of disaster planning in the U.S., "Wildfire and Americans," historian Roger G. Kennedy provides some jaw-dropping sleuthing on how Eisenhower's dream got hijacked by:

Scientists led by Edward S. Teller, who believed the best defense against nuclear attack was to disperse the entire U.S. population.

Construction and trucking lobbies who wanted to build as many roads as possible to move traffic fast and toll free.

The resulting Federal Highway Act of 1956 unleashed a tide of pork and paranoia so high -- and so far from the efficient German network Eisenhower desired -- that Kennedy argues it inspired the departing president's famously ominous '61 farewell speech warning of the growing "military-industrial complex."

In 1958 with I-5's construction, Vancouver's shop-lined Main Street joined many other streets the freeway program was turning into ghost towns. Now beam ahead 50 years and ask: How much has the highway-building methodology really changed?

So far, the Crossing task force has identified 12 potential alternatives, ranging from small enhancements to a full-meal deal of rail, car, bike and pedestrian bridge. That's fine. But the only issue being discussed is how well they'll move people and freight with no attention to the consequences -- much less the opportunities -- in the freeway's path, next to it or at the end of its ramps.

Check out the task force's Aug. 21 presentation to the Vancouver City Council (www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv) as Ron Anderson, the Crossing's highway alternatives engineer, cheerfully flips through problems and options. To clear the river by the 80 feet necessary to forgo a drawbridge, the new bridge will rise from the Columbia Slough to Sixth Street in Vancouver.

Several ramps will likely be double-stacked to minimize land acquisition. Any new bridge will be built beside the old one to keep I-5 traffic moving during construction, meaning it will fly either through the Fort Vancouver National Historic Reserve or right by downtown's new condos.

Anderson showed freeway cross-sections reaching 60 feet or more. One alternative would lop off a chunk of the City Center 12 multiplex. In essence, the new bridge and freeway ramps will be a lot like adding (or subtracting) a bunch of six-story buildings -- ones nobody will want to go in or near.

Crossing spokeswoman Barbara Hart cautions patience. When the 12 options are narrowed down, she says, the impacts will be studied in more detail. No doubt that's true. But it's testimony to the 50-year tradition of the Federal Highway Act that nothing but transportation is being considered now.

[mSeattle]

Interesting hot-pot, moving people or moving vehicles. Too bad there isn't a "Federal Rail Act". We could save so much land and energy.

[CouvScott]

Wednesday, September 6, 2006
By JEFFREY MIZE, Columbian staff writer


Vancouver officials have wrapped plans to revitalize the Columbia River waterfront and continue downtown's transformation into a single document.

The Vancouver City Center Vision plan seeks to build on the momentum from the 1998 redevelopment plan that focused on 30 blocks around Esther Short Park.

The updated plan, which is highlighted in a draft environmental impact statement released late last week, would expand the redevelopment area to encompass 130 blocks west of Interstate 5, from Fourth Plain Boulevard south to the Columbia River.

The plan embraces many of the concepts that have been discussed for years, including redeveloping the former Boise industrial site on the waterfront, upgrading Main Street in hopes of creating a major retail corridor, and building a pedestrian bridge over I-5 connecting downtown with the Vancouver National Historic Reserve.

The plan envisions adding more than 4,500 households, close to 7,300 additional residents and 9,400 new jobs, including some 1,100 retail jobs, to downtown's mix.

The plan divides the 472-acre area into six districts and projects 401,000 square feet of retail space, 2.43 million square feet of office space and 100,000 square feet of light-industrial space.

The plan calls for a number of specific changes, including rezoning land to City Center, the most flexible of the city's designations, and establishing design principles to guide waterfront redevelopment.

City officials for years have dreamed about the potential to redevelop the waterfront, a dream that might be close to reality now that a group of Clark County and regional investors has purchased Boise's waterfront property.

Gramor Development Inc., of Tualatin, Ore., will invest in and lead the project. Callison, a prestigious Seattle architectural firm, has been hired to design the project.

Comments on the draft City Center Vision plan will be accepted until Oct. 16. Public hearings have been scheduled for Oct. 10 before the Vancouver Planning Commission and Nov. 20 before the Vancouver City Council.

More information is available from Sandra Towne, 360-619-1289.

Jeffrey Mize covers Vancouver city government for The Columbian. Reach him at 360-759-8006, or by e-mail at jeff.mize@columbian.com.


Update

Previously: Vancouver in 1998 adopted the Esther Short redevelopment plan to guide revitalization of a 30-block area around Esther Short Park.

What's new: City officials last week released a draft environmental impact statement on the City Center Vision plan, which would expand the redevelopment program to take in a 130-block area.

What's next: A 45-day comment period will end Oct. 16, followed by a public hearing and possible adoption by the city council on Nov. 20.

[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/bu...6news61360.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

[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]

Vancouver fumbles rule in site cleanup

29 acres - A permit is issued sans environmental review, prompting demolition to stop at the Boise Cascade property

Saturday, September 30, 2006
ALLAN BRETTMAN
The Oregonian

VANCOUVER -- You can't accuse city officials of too much bureaucratese on this one.

Boise Cascade is preparing 29 acres on the Columbia River for sale to developers. That preparation includes knocking down buildings and cleaning up debris.

When a contractor obtained a demolition permit Aug. 2 -- the day after an investment group announced plans to buy the property -- the city granted it quickly. Destruction of buildings -- some dating to the 1920s -- began soon afterward.

One problem: The city neglected its environmental rules in granting the permit.

Before issuing the permit, the city should have conducted an environmental review as required under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA. Six weeks after telling the demolition company it could start, the city had to tell them to stop.

"We missed it," said David Scott, the city's manager of Development Review Services.

Not only that, but several buildings have been leveled without so much as a look to see whether they may be worth preserving -- as a city-funded consultant recommended earlier this year. Two of those buildings were nearly a century old.

The environmental review -- which has focused primarily on dust, noise and erosion -- began Sept. 20 and is expected to be completed Wednesday. Barring objection, demolition would resume Thursday.

Obtaining the required demolition documents is just the latest procedural hurdle Boise has scaled to sell the property, which had been widely coveted for its choice riverside location but dogged by rumors of environmental taint. The state Department of Ecology quashed that talk in early July when it pronounced the site clean. And with demolition expected to be completed by the end of November, the property could be sold soon afterward.

Boise has owned the property, located roughly south of downtown Vancouver west of the Interstate Bridge, since 1962.

The corporation has been working with Ecology for about two years to assess four areas: lead at the site of a warehouse fire, heavy oil at a parts washing and former fuel tank, diesel and heavy oil in a paper storage area, and an oil plume that likely is migrating from a neighbor's property. The first three were cleaned up; the last, located at the northwest corner of the property, requires monitoring as Boise negotiates a cleanup plan with the neighbor, said Paul Skyllingstad, an Ecology hydrologist and its Boise site manager.

For property that had been used as a lumber mill since at least 1911 and a paper mill since 1928, it was pretty clean, Skyllingstad said.

Boise did its own environmental site analysis about two years ago, Skyllingstad said, "and found, wow, we don't have much of a problem here. Let's sell it."

On Aug. 1, a group of Clark County investors, led by Gramor Development of Tualatin, announced an agreement with Boise to purchase the mill property "provided infrastructure concerns can be satisfied."

A closing is expected before year's end. A sale price has not been announced.

The group has said "high-end" condominiums, rental housing, offices, stores, restaurants and public open spaces are envisioned.

The buyers won't have a chance to see if any of the large brick buildings on the site could have served a potential reuse, perhaps like the Portland Armory's second life as a theater, said Robert Freed, chairman of the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission.

"It's disappointing they didn't look at the possible use of these buildings before tearing them down," said Freed, an archeologist.

A consultant for the city recommends just that in a report issued earlier this year.

"Prior to issuance of a demolition permit, the (Boise) complex should be assessed for historical significance and integrity, and if portions of the complex are determined significant, then appropriate mitigation measures should apply," says a "City Center Vision" report that offers a blueprint for downtown's continuing redevelopment.

The report also says the Boise structures could not be surveyed because "access was denied." Boise spokesman Mike Moser said Boise officials told the city it did not want to participate in the study because "we didn't think it would be appropriate . . . since we were selling the property."

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

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/orego...530.xml&coll=7