Vancouver’s Lower Grand area is undergoing significant changes thanks to a $10 million investment from JH Kelly, a Longview-headquartered commercial construction company.
The changes are happening at 200 Grand Blvd. – a 4.9 acre site owned by JH Kelly affiliate Grand Boulevard Investments LLC (GBI). Previously home to the Northwest Renewable Energy Institute, the property is a former EPA superfund site notorious for its pollutants and unsafe conditions (substandard roads, flooding problems, etc.).
JH Kelly has been working with the City of Vancouver to transition the property from hazardous to prosperous hub for some time. In the fall of last year, the Vancouver City Council approved a development agreement for the property in an effort to facilitate industrial development there.
The result of that agreement is a 58,064-square-foot light industrial building (currently under construction) for warehousing and fabrication of metal piping materials. The new building will be attached to the existing NW Renewable Energy Institute building, which will undergo some remodeling.
According to the development agreement, in return for JH Kelly building a road, sidewalks and stormwater facilities, and replacing an existing sewer pump, the City agreed to purchase pumps, equipment and materials (not to exceed $120,000), allow for future access points from the site and local streets, and pay 35 percent of building permit fees.
For JH Kelly, the project represents an opportunity to consolidate three Vancouver-area facilities into a single location.
“[The new facility will] be home to many project managers, CAD and BIM engineers, support staff and talented craft people and will help further our innovations in pre-fab assemblies, technology, project communication and coordination, and ultimately, driving down project cost, risk and complexity for JH Kelly customers,” said Mark Fleischauer, manager of GBI.
That lower cost of doing business coupled with projected job growth promises to be a boon to the local economy for years to come.
“Without City assistance, JH Kelly may not have been able to expand in their current location,” said Chad Eiken, director of Community Economic Development for the city of Vancouver. “The City made improvements to the streets and stormwater in the area with the expectation that it would lead to expansion of existing businesses and redevelopment of underutilized properties in the area.”
Officials at JH Kelly said the company made their investment because the new location will allow them to remain competitive and retain jobs in engineering, manufacturing and skilled labor.
The firm anticipates the project will be completed and new operations will begin by the end of this year, freeing up their current facility at 2311 East St. for other uses at the same time.
In addition to the increased efficiency that come with consolidation, Fleischauer said the Lower Grand area appeals to JH Kelly for a number of reasons.
“[There is] easy access to commercial and industrial projects in Southwest Washington and the Portland area, high-quality workers, proximity to JH Kelly’s Longview headquarters, walkable amenities and commitments from the City to enhance stormwater and lighting issues in the area,” he said.
By adding an expanding business to Lower Grand, Fleischauer said members of the Vancouver community can look forward to sustained growth in the area for a number of years.
“GBI helped get it cleaned up by the EPA and converted from a superfund site to [what will be] a state-of-the-art fabrication and office facility for one of the leading mechanical contractors in the nation. It’s a great outcome for the city and the property, and we are grateful to the City of Vancouver for working hard to make this project become a reality.”
