Piles of brush and a notably non-manicured field greet drivers’ eyes when taking Exit 1 heading west on Highway 14.
Kia Keyvani has a few better ideas for that space.
“We’re proposing a gas station, some retail, a bank, maybe fast-food,” said Keyvani, project manager and planner with Vancouver’s Delta Management Co. “We want to help the whole neighborhood.”
The firm is in the planning stages of developing the land for retail and commercial businesses — which Keyvani said could also include a 24-hour convenience store, car wash, two-story office building and other retailers.
Bordered by Highway 14 to the south, Exit 1 to the west, Columbia House Boulevard to the north and a substation to the east, Keyvani said the 5-acre location is primed for a new retail development.
“You don’t see any commercial land along the highway,” he said. “We have very good exposure there.”
Delta bought the land from the Washington State Department of Transportation last year for $769,000, according to county records. The city just approved a zoning change from industrial to commercial, Keyvani said.
It’s so early in the process that WSDOT “do not trespass” signs still dot the triangle-shaped field and the zoning change hasn’t been recorded yet.
“We’re in the design stage,” Keyvani said.
A gas station at that exit would be beneficial for the area, he said, since there aren’t any to speak of within a stone’s throw.
“Everyone has been supportive,” he said. “The city was very excited about a gas station.”
The development could also complement the nearby Grand Central retail center, which has reached capacity, Keyvani said.
Road improvements near the site would accompany the development.
There’s no timeline on when construction could start, since Delta just started planning the site — but identifying the best long-term tenants is worth the wait, Keyvani said.
“We need to be patient,” he added.
