The Columbian
August 21, 2024
Existing surface lots will close in phases; garage boasts 50 percent more spaces
Crews put the finishing touches on the new eight-story parking garage Tuesday morning at The Waterfront Vancouver. The facility, scheduled to open Monday on the corner of Columbia Way and Grant Street, will increase parking capacity in the area by 50 percent, or 350 additional spaces. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) By Becca Robbins, Columbian staff reporter
Beginning Monday, visitors at The Waterfront Vancouver can park in a new eight-story parking center. Existing surface lots at the waterfront will give way to further development.
The garage, located on the corner of Columbia Way and Grant Street, has always been a part of the waterfront project’s master plan, said Barry Cain, president of Gramor Development. The center boasts 829 parking stalls, which is 50 percent more spaces than what currently exists in the four surface parking lots combined, he said.
“We really wanted to make the parking something that was easy for people, something that people could come and, No. 1, get enough parking easily, and, No. 2, be able to pay and leave quickly without a lot of hassle,” Cain said.
Over the next month, Cain said Gramor plans to close the surface lots in phases, with the aim that all visitors will park in the garage or in the roughly 200 street parking spots. The closure of the parking lots will prepare them for sale for future development, which would cap off the expansive waterfront project that’s been years in the making.
“In a matter of a few years, all the construction will be done, and there will be good parking, and I think everyone will enjoy it that much better,” he said.
The new parking center’s design was top of mind, Cain said. The garage has high ceilings, larger stalls, lots of light and high-tech payment systems. At least 10 percent of the stalls will also be equipped with electric vehicle chargers.
The building also includes 10,000 square feet of retail space, with the first retailer, home decor and lifestyle boutique White Birch Design Company, slated to open in spring 2025. Gramor said other stores will be announced soon.
Local firms also had a hand in the building, from TVA Architects, which designed the exterior of the center, and R&O Construction, which built the facility, according to a news release.
“We are very excited to offer more accessible and available parking options due to The Waterfront Vancouver’s overwhelming popularity,” Cain said in the news release. “With more than 3,000 housing and condominium units opened or planned, mixed-use and office space, retail, restaurants and two hotels, we think we are fulfilling everything we promised and more here at The Waterfront Vancouver.”
