A general contracting company founded in Oregon is relocating to Vancouver as it puts the finishing touches on a new mixed-use business park near SR-14.
Summit Construction plans to use a portion of 300 Grand Business Park as its new office and warehouse. The company, which was founded in Portland in 1971, will lease the remaining space to other businesses.
The mixed-use development is coming together at 300 Grand Boulevard near East 5th Street – just north of Grand Central Fred Meyer and the Northwest Renewable Energy Institute. Construction on two of the complex’s four buildings is complete, while the other two are still in progress.
“It’s a good looking park and it will do well,” said Doug Stroud, owner and president of Summit, who credits Vancouver’s economic appeal and close proximity to I-5 as reasons for the relocation. “We moved here because I thought Vancouver has a better climate than Portland.”
Summit has already leased out space to digital mapping company BatchGeo (3,600 square feet), Ames Tools (1,800 square feet), Cache Valley Electric (1,800 square feet) and sports training facility New Athlete (11,000 square feet), relocating from the Hazel Dell neighborhood. Some of these tenants plan to open within two weeks, and two additional tenants will soon be named.
Tenants chose Summit’s complex over others because of the desirable location to major highways, said Adam Roselli, who served as real estate broker with Vancouver-based Eric Fuller & Associates in the project.
The vacancy rate for mixed-used properties in Southwest Washington is extremely low, Roselli added. “And any industrial flex [space] close to the Portland side is successful.”
Summit’s employees recently moved from Portland to a 68-foot-by-24-foot modular trailer on the property, which serves as a temporary office until Summit’s permanent location is complete in a few weeks.
“Our new office is a little fancier than the office space we’ve had in the past,” said Stroud. “The other buildings [in the project] are block buildings with metal awnings and store fronts – just like any normal flex space. Our office space is a two-story building and it’s going to have stone on the front, a deck, vaulted ceilings and a fireplace.”
Summit funded 300 Grand Business Park from the sale of its Portland office and warehouse. The company purchased the project’s 2.25-acre lot in 2013 from local businessman John Rogers.
“There will certainly be more room for other buildings of this type in this area. It’s a great location,” said Stroud.
For example, Vancouver-based construction firm JH Kelly owns nearby vacant land currently used for storage, which could eventually turn into another flex complex, he said.
Some of Summit’s other projects include improving tenant space in Park Tower Business Center and downtown Vancouver buildings owned by the Firstenburg family.
“I think Vancouver is ripe for expansion and new people coming to the area. It’s desirable. No question about it. There’s potential for more office space in certain areas of the city.”
