The Salvation Army may expand its east Vancouver campus and consolidate all services in the city into one location.
The nonprofit recently submitted a preliminary application to the city of Vancouver to add three buildings to its 4.39-acre site at 1500 N.E. 112th Ave., including a 15,234-square-foot building and 1,440-square-foot covered play area. The site now holds a church and administration building.
“Our vision would be to expand the campus to include many of the services that we offer off-site now,” said Steve Rusk, local director of community relations and development.
That includes its food pantry, clothing distribution, housing assistance and after school program. About 16,000 people are served annually by the Vancouver branch of the Salvation Army.
The agency is in the early stages of working with an architect, figuring out what the city requires and what the project will cost, Rusk said. It has been at that location since 1983.
“So, it’s been 33 years since we did any building project. This is a pretty big deal,” he said.
The nonprofit also leases a building at 47th Avenue and 78th Street, where it provides family services. If the Salvation Army moves forward with expansion plans, those services would move to 112th Avenue and everything would be on one campus.
This year, the Washougal branch of the Salvation Army — which is separate from the Vancouver branch — submitted plans to demolish its building at I Street and replace it with a larger modular building.
The Salvation Army is a Christ-centered nonprofit with locations nationwide and in 127 countries.
