A development agreement between the City of Vancouver and HP will be the subject of a Vancouver City Council workshop on Dec. 9 and a public hearing on Dec. 16 during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Public testimony will be accepted at the Dec. 16 meeting but not at the Dec. 9 workshop.
If approved by City Council, the development agreement will allow HP to move forward with the purchase of 68 acres of property and the initial development of two buildings with 330,000 square feet of office space in an area known as Section 30 in east Vancouver. Section 30 is the name of the City’s subarea plan for approximately 553 acres of land located between Northeast 1st Street and Northeast 18th Street, west of 192nd Avenue. The subarea plan, adopted by the City in 2009, designated much of Section 30 for significant employment uses. It was also identified in the Columbia River Economic Development Council’s 2016 Land for Jobs Study as being an important source for employment land and as a high priority area for public infrastructure investments in the City’s Stronger Vancouver initiative.
Phase 1 of the development will consist of two office buildings, with subsequent phases anticipated to bring up to 1.5 million square feet of space in multiple buildings for office, research & development, industrial services, and manufacturing and production over the next 15 years.
“We are fortunate that HP, which has had a significant presence in Vancouver for almost 40 years, wants to stay and grow right here in our community,” said Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle in a press release.
“As companies look to best position themselves for the future, they have many different locations and cities to choose from. The significance of HP’s decision to construct the first major development project in Section 30 cannot be overstated,” said Chad Eiken, director of Community & Economic Development. “We look forward to continuing to support HP in their efforts.”
Significant public and private infrastructure will be required in Section 30 to allow for more development and job creation in the future, including a commitment from the City to invest in the extension of Northeast 184th Avenue north from Southeast 1st Street and construction of a new sewer pump station in addition to other public utilities and infrastructure.
“We are thrilled that HP continues to strengthen its investment in the region and will help accelerate infrastructure developments on a critical parcel of employment land,” said Jennifer Baker, president of the Columbia River Economic Development Council. “This is yet another example of how Clark County is a compelling choice for companies that value access to a talented workforce paired with an unparalleled quality of life.”
City Council Workshop and Meeting information:
City Council workshop Date: Dec. 9
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Firstenburg Community Center, community room, 700 NE 136th Ave., Vancouver.
Broadcast information: Broadcast live on Facebook (www.Facebook/ClarkVancouverTV) on Dec. 9. Available on-demand as of Dec. 10 on www.cvtv.org.
City Council meeting and public hearing
Date: Dec. 16
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 415. W. 6th St.
Broadcast information: Broadcast live on CVTV, Comcast channel 23/323, and www.cvtv.org. Available on-demand as of Dec. 17 on www.cvtv.org.
