Port opens bid period for rail access project
The Port of Vancouver will solicit public works bids for the first phase of its Competitive Rail Access project through May 2, for consideration by the port commission May 13.
The project aims to improve the port’s existing rail infrastructure to support open access to facilities located south of the Alcoa Lead. Based on the existing design of the port’s rail complex, some existing and potential tenants cannot receive open and competitive access from the BNSF Railway Co. and the Union Pacific Railroad.
The project will provide port tenants south of the Alcoa Lead, which is owned by BNSF, with access – allowing for each railroad company to deliver and switch rail cars into customer facilities, should the need arise.
The first phase will primarily focus on access to United Harvest, Kinder Morgan, NuStar and will ultimately provide service to Subaru. Eventually, the same alignment can be used to extend service to the Alcoa and Evergreen properties and eventually, Columbia Gateway.
The first phase includes the construction and strategic staging of four turn-outs, and is estimated at $350,000. Minus materials, which have already been purchased, the cost estimate is $200,000.
Woodland hotel sells for $2.45M
The 2.5-acre Cedars Inn property, 1500 Atlantic Ave. in Woodland, has changed hands for $2.45 million. YKHW Corp. bought the property from Sandhu NW Hospitality LLC. Hannah Kuether of Windermere Real Estate Paragon Co. represented the buyer and Greg Goforth of Coldwell Banker Commercial Jenkins-Bernhardt Assoc. represented the seller in the transaction.
Vancouver annexes Orchards land
The Vancouver City Council April 7 approved the annexation of 71 acres of mostly commercial land in Orchards, which is set to go into effect May 7.
The land sits between Fourth Plain Road on the north, Gher Road on the east, state Route 500 on the south and Interstate 205 on the west.
The annexation required signatures from at least half of the area’s registered voters and from owners of half of the area’s acreage.
County gains right to former WSU land
The public is invited to help plan for future uses of nearly 80 acres on Northeast 78th Street now that Clark County has regained it from Washington State University. The property was deeded to WSU from the county in 1949 with the provision that if the university stopped using it for agricultural experiments, the county would regain rights to it.
The county has contracted with a public involvement consultant to gather input about the property’s draft concept plan before it goes before the Board of County Commissioners for consideration.
Green building conference set
The Cascadia Region Green Building Council will host Green Broker, a new conference for commercial real estate and financial professionals that provides an introduction to the growing green building industry. The conference is set for May 22 at the Oregon Convention Center.
The CRGBC is one of three original chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council, and covers Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska and includes members from Idaho and Montana. More information is available at www.cascadiagbc.org/green-broker.
