Columbia Tech Center nabs new tenants

East Vancouver facility ups occupancy, defying tough market odds

BY GINA BACON for the VBJ

Though local real estate experts are hardly calling it a major market surge, word of three companies - two of which are from out-of-state - signing leases last week at the Columbia Tech Center in East Vancouver definitely falls in the "good news" category for Clark County.

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The new tenants are Charter College, American Ultraviolet Co. and Ciber, Inc., a technology services firm. Both Anchorage-based Charter College and American Ultraviolet of Lebanon, Ind. are new to Southwest Washington.

"There's no doubt Clark County has felt the impact of the economic downturn and high unemployment," said Bart Phillips, president of the Columbia River Economic Development Corp. "In spite of the downturn, the CREDC continues to field inquiries from around the globe. These three, diverse companies are indicators of an economy ready for a rebound."

Leasing over 17,000 square feet, Charter offers career-focused education in the growing fields of healthcare, business, criminal justice and information technology. American Ultraviolet, a maker of UV systems to maintain indoor air quality, leased more than 5,100 square feet.

Colorado-based information systems and outsourcing company Ciber, Inc. already has a location on N.E. 99th Street in Vancouver. The firm will occupy 4,150 square feet in the building located between Vancouver Clinic and a Riverview Bank corporate building at 17200 Mill Plain Blvd.

NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson, a commercial real estate firm representing Columbia Tech Center, announced the deal on Sept. 22.

Barbara Bushell, director of leasing for Columbia Tech Center, represented building owner PacTrust on the Charter transaction, as well as the expansion by existing tenant Insitu into 7,470 additional square feet of office space. Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing Co., has designed and manufactured small tactical unmanned aircraft systems since 1994.

 "The quality of the building, the myriad amenities in the growing East Vancouver area, and the competitive rental rates attracted the tenants to the building," said Tamara Fuller, a commercial real estate broker at Norris, Beggs & Simpson.

Columbia Tech Center is a mixed-use development featuring 2.8 million square feet of commercial space on 412 acres in East Vancouver. Major tenants include Nautilus, Logitech, Rose City Printing and Packaging and CRU-Data Port.

Norris, Beggs & Simpson first listed the space for lease last May.

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