A 40,000-square-foot public market has been designed for a portion of Terminal 1 in Vancouver, Washington. The total investment being made at the 10-acre site is $600 million. (courtesy of Port of Vancouver USA)
Several years ago, redevelopment of property along the Columbia River began to transform a key stretch of Vancouver, Washington. Next up is a prominent spot directly west of the Interstate Bridge‘s southbound span.
The Port of Vancouver USA’s Terminal 1 has already gained Vancouver Landing, which features a boardwalk timeline of historic events, new sections of the Renaissance Trail, interpretive panels, and an embedded map of the Columbia River. Directly behind is a new AC Hotel by Marriott.
But there is more to come to the 10-acre site – where the port’s original warehouse once sat. A public market, offices, shops, restaurants, and housing are in the works. In total, $600 million is being invested to refresh Terminal 1.
“The Terminal 1 redevelopment effort is a multiyear, multiphase project,” Port of Vancouver director of communications Casey Bowman stated in an email.
The Port of Vancouver established its first facilities at Terminal 1, in partnership with the city, in 1925, according to the project’s website. The site has since been home to a prune warehouse, wartime shipbuilding facilities, and the first Red Lion Hotel in Washington.
GreenWorks designed the three completed phases of Terminal 1 redevelopment. Advanced American Construction was the general contractor for the Vancouver Landing structural renovation, J.W. Fowler was the general contractor for the Vancouver Landing site and infrastructure project, and McDonald Excavating of Washougal, Washington, was the contractor for the Renaissance Trail project.
Vancouver Landing and the Renaissance Trail feature industrial elements, including custom stainless-steel guardrail gates with the Terminal 1 logo, weathered-steel landscape planters, custom rail-mounted seating areas, walkway sections with embedded aluminum rails, and more.
Vancouver Landing and a new hotel, at right, are among the new developments at Terminal 1 in Vancouver, Washington. (courtesy of Port of Vancouver USA)
Interpretive elements – funded by a $500,000 Rotary Club of Vancouver grant – include an etched concrete map of the Columbia River watershed, a wooden walkway with 57 epoxy resin inlayed historical events, a faceted cedar pole with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 13 languages, and interpretive signs depicting historical events.
Other elements include precast panel sections overlaid with concrete, more than 4,000 plants and 40 new trees, illuminated perimeter guardrails, and more.
The public gathering space, which officially opened in June 2022, celebrates the site’s commercial and industrial history while reimagining an existing derelict amphitheater. The project restored the shoreline and focused on making connections to the adjacent waterfront, new development and amenities, the existing Renaissance Trail to the east and to downtown Vancouver.
In addition to the rotary grant, the Vancouver Landing project received $4.7 million in state capital project funds, and $3.1 million from the Port of Vancouver.
The Renaissance Trail project received a $485,000 grant from the Regional Transportation Commission, $500,000 in state capital project funds, and $1.2 million from the Port of Vancouver.
During that same time, the AC Hotel by Marriott opened at Terminal 1 with riverfront lodging, dining and event space. The hotel was developed by Vesta Hospitality and Marriott, designed by DLR Group, and built by Robertson & Olson Construction.
“We plan to begin demolition of the 100-year-old dock later this year, and then … initiate construction of a new dock in 2024,” Bowman stated.
Once that work wraps up, the project team will be able to begin building the new marketplace. A 40,000-square-foot warehouse-like structure is designed to house a variety of retailers such as farm-to-table produce vendors, restaurants, bars, and entertainment and specialty shops, according to the project’s website. Construction is estimated to begin in 2026.
Also, Lincoln Property Company is developing blocks A and C in Terminal 1 to hold residential and commercial space. Plans call for the western block to gain a multifamily building and the eastern block to gain an office building; both would have ground-floor retail space that opens to Columbia Way. The largest tenant will be Vancouver-based ZoomInfo, which plans to move its headquarters there in 2025. The two buildings would share a two-level parking garage.
A new dock will be constructed at Terminal 1 after the existing one is demolished. (courtesy of Port of Vancouver USA)