A geotechnical engineering and consulting firm plans to move from downtown Vancouver to Camas this summer.
Earth Engineers, Inc., will relocate from 1508 Broadway St., into the former First Independent Bank building, 2411 S.E. Eighth Ave., Camas.
The company’s owners are Troy Hull and Travis Willis, both of Camas.
“I’d like to be closer to home,” Hull said, during a recent walk through the future office site.
Earth Engineers opened an office in Springfield, Ore., in 2010.
The company provides geotechnical earthquake engineering services and geologic assessments for industrial, commercial and residential projects.
It specializes in geologic hazard reports, coastal and landslide hazards, steep slopes and retaining wall design for single home lots and subdivisions.
Hull established Earth Engineers in a spare room in his house in 2006. Later that year, Willis became a business partner.
They are both principal geotechnical engineers. The business moved to east Vancouver in 2007, then to downtown Vancouver in 2013.
A local remodeling firm, Miller Kashas, is the general contractor that is working on the renovation of the former First Independent building.
The conversion of the bank to office space will include enclosing the exterior of the former drive-thru area to create a soils testing lab.
Nine people, including engineers, geologists and administrative staff, will work in Camas.
“The new office will allow us to eventually expand to about 15 (employees),” Hull said.
The sub-contractors for the project include Kitchen Electric, LLC, of Washougal; and Woodburn Plumbing Inc., of Camas.
“Because we live and work in the Camas-Washougal community and know we have some great construction companies here, it was a priority for Travis and myself to utilize some of those local contractors,” Hull said.
He commended the City of Camas building department for making the construction permitting process “predictable and efficient.”
“Companies looking to move to the Camas-Washougal area like to know that these cities will make the process efficient and quick,” Hull said. “The City of Camas was very easy to work with, and they communicated their permitting requirements very well.
“While we didn’t work with the City of Washougal on this project, we have assisted our clients in the past and Washougal is very similar to Camas in that they make it easy to build here.”
The renovation project is expected to be completed in late June.
Hull and Brian Kashas met as board members for Lacamas Little League. Chris Miller is Kashas’ business partner.
Hull has coached Lacamas fastpitch softball teams, as well as soccer teams through the Camas-Washougal Soccer Club. He is a Camas planning commissioner.
First Independent Bank closed its Camas location in October 2008.
“We think it will be a great benefit to the community to have a building that has sat empty for several years finally being utilized once again, and we’re excited to be part of it,” Kashas said.
Miller Kashas provides design, build and remodel services. For more information, call 818-4744 or visit www.millerkashas.com.
For additional information about Earth Engineers, call 567-1806 or visit www.earth-engineers.com.
