Eleven years after Hewlett-Packard sold its campus in East Vancouver, the site is slated for redevelopment as the Vancouver Innovation Center (VIC), a new mixed-use development that will become Vancouver’s newest destination for live, work and play.
New York-based New Blueprint Partners, LLC (NBP) is in the process of completing the acquisition of the VIC and developing a comprehensive Master Plan for the 175-acre site. The plan will include employment, residential, retail, commercial and public spaces.
“This property was originally designed to be a closed, industrial campus. We aim to open it up to its neighbors and the larger Vancouver community,” said NBP Principal Marc Esrig. “By making it accessible and building a mix of uses, we can attract a range of employers and support live-work opportunities that create a vibrant destination for Vancouver and eastern Clark County.”
NBP expects the site to generate 5,000 jobs at full build-out — more than the number supported by Hewlett-Packard’s operations.
The VIC Master Plan will include what has become a national blueprint for creating viable, attractive and critical centers of community. By integrating elements such as complete streets, walking trails and efficient land use, and tenets that make the site healthy and livable, inclusive and active, and sustainable and resilient, NBP will create a premier destination that also aligns with the City of Vancouver’s land-use priorities and vision.
“The plan for the Vancouver Innovation Center is yet another example that Clark County is an attractive place for business investment, even during this challenging time,” said Columbia River Economic Development Council President Jennifer Baker. “We are excited to see more opportunities to drive traded sector growth and bolster our ability to attract community-minded companies to the region.”
Long-term project goals include providing a vital link to a “20-minute neighborhood,” with convenient, safe and pedestrian-oriented access to the places and services people need every day — work, transit, shopping, quality food, school, parks and social activities — within 20 minutes of their home.
NBP proposes to develop the property in a phased approach, starting with significant investments in upgrading existing buildings to retain current businesses, attract additional employers and grow jobs at the site. Later phases include residential, including affordable and senior housing; retail, including shopping and restaurants; and additional office and light-industrial space.
NBP, with MacKay Sposito and Horenstein Law Group PLLC, is coordinating with the City of Vancouver to rezone the site and permit the development. Work on the first phase of development is expected to begin in winter 2020/2021.
About the Vancouver Innovation Center
The Vancouver Innovation Center (VIC) is a 175-acre corporate campus in the heart of East Vancouver. The multi-faceted office/flex production property consists of six buildings totaling nearly 690,000 square feet. Originally designed as an office and light manufacturing facility for Hewlett-Packard, the site has been adapted for office, research, manufacturing and distribution facilities, and includes more than 2,200 existing parking stalls. Today, the VIC is home to several creative, high-tech, and research and development companies that benefit from the site’s highly functional work environment and unique blend of amenities.
