A proposed waterfront development just east of the Interstate 5 Bridge in Vancouver would be a welcome addition to the transformation of the area.
While debates can be held about the aesthetics of the development or the view of the project from the bridge, its primary benefit will be as the missing link in the Waterfront Renaissance Trail.
The most popular section of the trail runs along the Columbia River, attracting runners, walkers and bikers in rain or shine. It connects local residents and visitors with a waterway that is the very reason people settled in the region to begin with.
Yet something is missing. The trail detours away from the river at the site occupied by Who Song & Larry’s and a now-closed Joe’s Crab Shack. A dangerous and abandoned pier on the property has been closed to foot traffic since 2007.
Now, Vancouver’s Kirkland Development is hoping to demolish the pier, creating room for a 15-foot-wide boardwalk along the river’s edge. When completed, along with a Port of Vancouver project just west of the Interstate 5 Bridge, the trail will stretch from east of Beaches Restaurant and Bar to west of a Maryhill Winery tasting room nearly two miles away.
Kirkland is proposing a four-building development on the site, with retail outlets and restaurants on the ground floor, up to 220 high-end apartments above and an underground parking garage with 309 spaces.
The plan has drawn interest from city council members, judging by a workshop last week. “This is really the gateway not only to the city of Vancouver, but to the state of Washington,” Councilor Bart Hansen said. “When travelers are coming over the I-5 Bridge going northbound, this is the first thing they’re seeing when they enter our state and enter our city, and right now I think we can do a lot better. Right now I think it’s a bit of an eyesore.”
To be clear: Drivers crossing the bridge should keep their eyes on the road. But passengers will, indeed, be attracted to a new development that creates synergy with the river below.
Others have lamented the potential loss of Who Song & Larry’s, a longtime occupant of the site. The California-based company that owns the restaurant says its lease runs through 2040, and representatives have had preliminary negotiations with Kirkland Development about the future of the site. We trust that the parties will work out an agreement that allows the project to move forward and reserves a spot for the restaurant in the new development.
Most important, we hope that Vancouver will continue its remarkable reinvention of the waterfront – the region’s most valuable amenity. Not long ago, a Boise Cascade plant dominated the riverfront to the west of the I-5 Bridge; now that site is the burgeoning Waterfront Vancouver development, which is teeming with visitors and vibrancy. Between that and the bridge is a Terminal 1 project being pursued by the Port of Vancouver. A new development to the east of the bridge would complete the metamorphosis, with a boardwalk providing the missing link.
The benefits of public access to the riverfront are evident from a glance across the river. Much of the Oregon side is fronted by older hotels and a mobile home park – a sharp contrast to the inviting public access offered by developments on the Washington side.
Embracing and celebrating our connection to the Great River of the West with expansive amenities is sure to be envied by other communities along the Columbia River, creating spaces that will be enjoyed for generations.
