The 40,000-square-foot building will take shape on what is currently an empty lot at the corner of Main and 6th streets (101 Main Street).
“Constructing a really nice office building there has been a vision of George and Lance Killian’s (Killian Pacific owners) for a long time,” said Noel Johnson, vice president of the company. “What happened with the financial downturn put a pause on that, but they never gave up. Now that the economy is recovering and ramping back up, it gives us the opportunity to resume construction.”
Killian Pacific has submitted building permits to the city of Vancouver and Johnson said he expects construction to begin in January and be finished by the end of 2015. More than a half-dozen businesses including Pacific Continental Bank have already committed to being tenants, he said.
“We have quite a few early commitments from different firms,” added Johnson. “It’s a mix of tenants that are already in the market and tenants that are coming in from outside of the metro area.”
A historic feel with a modern touch
According to Johnson, the new building will utilize a heavy timber structural system – a style that hasn’t been widely used for nearly a century.
Additionally, it will feature a brick exterior with large operable windows that maximize natural daylight.
“You’ll see giant beams and beautiful structural wood as your ceiling. You won’t see drywall or dropped ceiling tiles,” he said. “That, combined with the floor, which will be concrete, gives a sense of authenticity to the space that resonates with people. And since it is a new building, you still get all of the modern capacity (internet, electricity, etc).
“We’re reinventing how to build these old heavy timber structures at a reasonable cost point,” Johnson added. “That way our businesses can be viable with reasonable rental rates.”
A statement location
Positioned close to the I-5 City Center Exit, Johnson said 101 Main Street is “dynamite” in terms of tenant visibility and access.
“It is one of the few front doors to the community,” he said. “If you are coming off the freeway you come right there, so it is a really important spot.”
With that visibility, Johnson said Killian Pacific, along with Turner Construction Company (pre-construction) and Mackenzie (architecture and engineering), are treating the project with the utmost care.
“It’s a statement location,” he added. “People don’t just want to be one of 100 tenants on some random floor. They want to have more of a custom boutique feel, which is what we’re trying to provide. If you walk into this building, whether you’re a client or an employee, you’ll know you’re somewhere special.”
