These are heady times for Vancouver, a period of endless possibility and visions of grandeur. Why, a quick scan of The Columbian in recent days shows the following:
• Plans have been unveiled to develop the 59-acre site of the former Evergreen Airport at Mill Plain Boulevard and 136th Avenue. A 99-room hotel is scheduled to become the anchor designed to draw additional mixed-use development.
• Reports have surfaced about efforts to resuscitate the Columbia River Crossing project. Supporters have sent a letter to the governors of Washington and Oregon detailing a plan to salvage at least part of the project with a scaled-down $2.75 billion project that would replace the Interstate 5 Bridge.
• Concerns have been aired about how a proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver might impact development of the nearby former Boise Cascade industrial site. The proposed $1.3 billion waterfront project is expected to eventually result in housing high-rises, parklands, shops, and offices along Vancouver’s waterfront, but developers now are concerned about the port’s proposed terminal.
• Numbers released Wednesday indicate a 50 percent surge in residential construction in Clark County during July. A total of 96 permits were issued during the month to build single-family houses in unincorporated parts of the county, up from 64 permits the previous July and in line with the 98 permits issued in June.
Clark County, by all indications, is booming. Or at least has plans to boom.
All of this, so far, is speculative and risky. Development of the Evergreen Airport has long been discussed, and there certainly are questions about whether a hotel far from freeway access can succeed in Vancouver; a revival of the CRC will be unwelcome for many, many people; the waterfront development is still years away and still fraught with peril; and housing permits are a far cry from actual houses. Some or all of these projects might never see the light of day.
But as the nation and the county inch toward a long-awaited economic recovery, the fact that our region is well-positioned to take advantage of it is welcome news. Clark County is open for business, and people with vision and resources are willing to consider investing with projects that will define the area for generations.
Philosophically, the possible conflict between the waterfront development and the oil terminal at the port might be the most symbolic. Barry Cain, president of Tualatin, Ore.-based Gramor Development, is concerned that a nearby oil terminal might scare off investors from his project. As Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt told Columbian reporter Cami Joner, “We have to work together to balance those different aspects of our community.”
That, as far as the impact to residents, is the most important aspect of all this projected development. Vancouver and Clark County appear to have arrived at a fork in the road, embarking on a journey that will determine whether the area remains a bedroom community of Portland or becomes a thriving urban community in its own right.
Valid arguments can be made on either side, and development must always be undertaken with the utmost caution and utmost concern for environmental and lifestyle issues. The question always should be whether a project enhances the life of residents, not whether it can generate wealth for developers.
These proposed projects have the potential to help create a better Clark County for all, providing jobs, attracting residents, and enticing visitors. Clark County has visions of grandeur, and there’s nothing delusional about it.
