News Category: In The Press

Source: The Glimpse

Vancouver, WA, is rapidly emerging as a highly livable city in the US. As bigger cities become expensive and overcrowded, Americans are slowly turning their attention towards smaller, more manageable cities. These smaller cities offer lower rents, a stronger community, and affordable sources of entertainment, while maintaining the services that people are accustomed to.

In 2021, SmartAsset analyzed 500 large cities and three cities in Washington state have emerged as leaders, one of which is none other than Vancouver. In the past year, its population has increased by 5% and alongside the hike in population, the GDP has grown by more than 6%. As individuals, families, and businesses gradually make their way toward Vancouver, there is also an increased need for housing and commercial infrastructure. 

Catering to this need is a long-time Vancouver resident, Ryan Hurley. Hurley is the founder and CEO of Hurley Development, a development and infrastructure firm. Hurley started his company with a focus on playing an active role in the development of his community. He grew up in Vancouver and attributes much of his success to the golden city of the northwest. Through Hurley’s unwavering commitment and passion, his company has become one of the premier commercial real estate companies in the region. More importantly, the company continues to play an active role in the development of the city. 

According to Hurley, what makes Vancouver so unique is its location. “It’s very close to Portland, about 10 miles from it, and being close to a very progressive but metropolitan area, we get the benefits without the drawbacks,” said Hurley. As compared to Oregon, Washington has no personal or corporate net income tax, which has continued to drive growth in recent years. Being close to Portland’s urban areas also means that Vancouver is trendy enough to attract crowds of all types. It is a bustling place known for good food and coffee, and a thriving art and culture scene. 

For Hurley, the best feature of life in Vancouver is the mix of different worlds springing up uniquely in the city. “We have what I would consider to be a little bit rural lifestyle blended with urban opportunities,” shared Hurley. In addition to a vibrant urban core, Vancouver also benefits from a incredible natural environment that offers plenty of outdoor activities, including golf, hiking, and camping. The massive Fort Vancouver national historic area, the Columbia river and gorge provide some breathtaking views. A beach and ski runs are only an hour and a half either direction. Doesn’t matter what you like…Vancouver offers something for everyone. 

As someone who has always emphasized and worked towards a cohesive community, Hurley appreciates Vancouver’s kind and receptive community. While there may be a threat of the US fracturing along political lines, this city has largely remained immune from division. As Portland is quite progressive, when it comes to politics Vancouver benefits from taking the middle-ground. Elections are always a close call. “I think that’s a positive thing, because that middle ground just provides for understanding a variety of people, their views and issues,” said Hurley.

This middle ground that Hurley is a fan of also includes the climate in Vancouver. It enjoys all four seasons, which gives its residents the chance to enjoy a whole breadth of activities. This has created what Hurley calls a “really sweet pocket of the in-between”. 

Good amenities, a welcoming community, a beautiful environment, and access to urban living without the troubles of a big city have attracted thousands of new families to Vancouver. It is the city that you live in if you are working in Portland and are raising a family. The city also attracts scores of people from states other than Oregon, including California. “Half our population came from California,” jokes Hurley. 

There has been a huge influx of families from Portland and Hurley’s company has been working double time to accommodate all the new citizens the city has been receiving. Hurley is overseeing a massive project next to the waterfront on the east side of Vancouver called HQ Vancouver, and another beautiful apartment building in downtown called Adera. He is keenly aware of the benefits the population influx brings to the economy, which is why his focuses on affordability without compromising on quality. 

“Affordability is such a major facet of HQ and a standard of our developments. We’re offering smart, sophisticated, luxurious living where people of all ages, abilities, incomes, and backgrounds can thrive. We want this environment to bring people together and provide opportunities where everyone has access to housing, lightning-speed fiber internet, recreation, art, and culture,” shared Ryan. 

HQ also incorporates a smart city approach, which Hurley thinks will put Vancouver on the national map, adding to its growing rapport. The smart features include public wifi, smart parking, electric-powered driverless cars, and multiple smart security features. The design has been guided by climate consciousness, inclusivity, equity, and affordability, all of which are reflective of Vancouver’s values.

Vancouver is not a place to pass through on the way to Seattle or a vacation town, it has transformed into a place where you build a life. You might take it for granted if you have been living in the area for a while, but those who visit for the first time are blown away. “When you’re new, you’re like, ‘Man, Vancouver’s awesome! It’s brand new and shiny.’ And that perception is even growing for a lot of Portlanders too,” Ryan exclaimed. 

Hurley’s company, in addition to developing residential properties, has also developed multiple commercial real estate projects. This has added a boom to the local business, with new restaurants opening up and taking advantage of the modern infrastructure. Hurley opened SAAP Fusion Kitchen, multiple coffee shops, and several sprawling retail centers. 

What makes Hurley unique is that his work drives a purpose. Talking about his latest project, he said, “We’re building this for our city and as a model community for the nation that together – even in the multifamily, retail, and entertainment real estate environments – we can actually achieve things like carbon neutrality, inclusivity, and affordability.”

By Polly

Ryan Hurley is the Founder and CEO of Hurley Development, a regional developer known for its ability to handle a wide array of commercial real estate projects, from acquisition through to completion. These projects include construction of large single family home communities, retail centers, luxury and garden style apartment communities, and office buildings, along with acquisitions and redevelopment of existing office buildings. 

Ryan’s company is known for its creativity and agility in the commercial real estate market, acquiring and completing many projects in accelerated timelines with profitable returns for investors. 

What is Hurley Development all about?

Hurley Development is a Pacific Northwest regional developer with a heart for local communities. We are passionate about the quality and craftsmanship of every project, and at the same time we position our projects to bring life to the communities we build in. We desire to bring smart technology and sustainability to every project we can, so we are leaving communities better than they were before our projects launch. We love what we do and we pay attention to the details in everything from scope to timeline to budget each and every day, and that care drives our success. Our investment in our local community, design aesthetic, dedication to enhancing and growing historic locations, and commitment to building projects that will last a lifetime are also central to our company.

We work with some of the best partners in the industry, from our General Contractor Talents Construction, LLC t our valued subcontractors, to our architects and consultants, and we hold both ourselves and our partners to the highest standards. That’s one reason why we continue to be entrusted by investors and financial partners to build large commercial real estate projects. Hurley Development is also a big part of the community. We’re known for our collaborations with like-minded businesses big and small, our diverse clientele, and our long-lasting partnerships.

Hurley Development also frequently collaborates with causes and nonprofits that we resonate with, and we put our money where our mouth is when we invest in issues that matter to us by donating to a wide range of charitable organizations, including our partnership with F.I.S.H., a food pantry organization that provides fresh produce, staples, dairy, meat and other healthy foods to tens of thousands of families in Clark County.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?

I took an unusual path into the real estate industry. Long before starting Hurley Development, I partnered with local small businesses who needed help getting off the ground, especially when it came to their physical space and the functionality of their business plan. I didn’t know much, but I had a knack for making things successful. One thing led to another and I found myself working for a local commercial real estate developer. They put me in a position where I learned how to manage sales at a large housing development, and from there I grew into acquisitions, entitlement, all the way through to closing hundreds of home sales. Along the way I had a chance to shadow the owner of the company and learn all about real estate from the ground up, an opportunity that I treasure and I am still good friends with the owner of the company today. 

After the Great Recession hit, real estate was one of the hardest hit sectors in the economy and the company I was with had to cut employees. One by one I saw people losing their jobs and I realized I was going to eventually be faced with a choice: start my own business that I had thought about starting but hadn’t done yet, or get some kind of a job to keep my family afloat. Eventually I was the last employee on staff other than the owner. I decided to take the plunge and try to make my mark on the real estate map, or die trying. I had a project that I thought could work and I was able to pull together the pieces I needed to launch the company and build our first building, for a local sporting goods store. From there, things started to take off, and we have never looked back. That experience formed the foundation for the company. My heart for downtown Vancouver seemed crazy to many because it was an underperforming area, but it really resonated with what was going on in real estate around the country, a return to local, walkable cities, and it just kind of took off in this way I never expected.

The idea behind Hurley Development has always been to find projects that might be difficult for some developers, but we approach them in a very thoughtful way that allows us to succeed where others might not be as successful. We put a real emphasis on quality, doing things the right way, delivering profit for our investors. As a staff we draw inspiration from our Hurley mission: we are Humble, Hungry, and Honest. These values have always been an important part of what the company is all about.

What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?

• Urgency. This was a skill I learned from sports. I played many different sports as a kid, all the way through high school. In sports, if you wanna win you can’t just stand around and have a bunch of great ideas. You and the whole team have to take action and be willing to roll up your sleeves and get stuff done. You have to figure out how to adapt to challenges you might not have imagined. You have to find ways to keep things moving and work your way to the end zone.
• Faith. As a person of faith, I want to lead our company to keep our promises, with a sense of duty to the community, partners and investors, while honoring our client and tenant relationships. What I mean by this is a commitment, almost a stubbornness, to our values and to what we stand for, which are in many ways our greatest assets.
• The ability to bring together a great team. Although I’m the founder of Hurley Development, it’s our team we work with day in and day out that really deserve the credit for making the company so successful. We have a brilliant, experienced, diverse team at Hurley Development.

What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?

With our most recent capstone project HQ Vancouver, we acquired a 107 acre historic quarry that began operations in 1881 and reclaimed and repurposed it as a micro smart city. The connected community includes 2000 residential units, retail and restaurants, entertainment, offices and light industrial buildings on 30 lots, along with miles of trails, beautiful plantings, and amazing views of the Columbia Gorge. The company is in a rapid-growth phase, so I think the key is not figuring out how to grow, we are figuring out how to stay true to who we are as we scale. Our values are our guiding light: the three “H’s” Humble, Hungry, and Honest are the key values we strive to exhibit in our work. As a team, we practice these qualities and look for them in our colleagues, partners, and clients.

How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your business?

We are in commercial real estate. So when the pandemic hit, it was scary. We immediately froze and took a hard look at all of our assets and projects. We needed to determine our liabilities and our opportunities. Like everyone, we had no idea how it would impact our business, or for how long. We knew, relatively quickly, that our downtown flagship hotel project was a bad idea. And even though we had invested in the project and had approved architectural plans, we had to shut it down and pivot to a new concept: a luxury apartment building. We had many other projects in mid-stream and our future was uncertain. Not only that, we were in the middle of construction on our own Hurley Tower building on the Vancouver waterfront. It wasn’t easy. But it also provided a great opportunity for us to focus on our projects and build even stronger relationships with our office tenants. We took a number of steps with two goals in mind: to be able to take care of our team as well as we possibly could, and to ensure the company not only survived, but thrived.

Working remotely wasn’t always easy for me. We have experienced so much success from the synergy that comes from our team working in the same space. I remember when we opened our office tower there were many days where I was one of the only employees in the office. There were other pandemic-related challenges too: it was very difficult for our GC and their subs to keep their teams intact. People were jumping ship left and right in the industry, and it was tough to get pieces of the project completed on time. Of course, the pandemic put the supply chain on pause, and procuring products for our projects was a nightmare, which costs everyone involved. It was frustrating and scary at times, but it was inspiring to see how everyone pulled together. It required a lot of scrappiness, but the result was our best 2 years in our history as a company.

How do you separate yourself from your competitors?

I’ve always been a competitive person. But more than that, I believe relationships are more important than winning. One of our greatest strengths is that we collaborate with a wide variety of organizations, municipalities, and people. At the end of the day we know when others win, we win. Not “winning” by beating others. We define winning as overcoming challenges and finding success in our endeavors. 

If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?

I’d use it for relationship building…dinners, coffee, drinks, sports tickets. It is so key to have quality relationships with the right people. People who can help and want to be part of a winning team. People who know the things that we don’t. People who are admired and respected. That’s essentially what I have done throughout my journey at Hurley Development. I am always thinking about who I should meet and encourage. People from the real estate industry, from finance, from investor circles. I’ve spent a lot of time meeting people who have blazed the trail before me. People who are more experienced in the world of real estate than I am. I love meeting veterans of their industry, and without them, I don’t think Hurley Development would have gotten off the ground or been as successful as we’ve been.

How can readers get in touch with you?

People can learn more about who I am and get in touch with me through my website. I always love hearing from people!

Hurley Development is a regional real estate and investment holding firm, based in Vancouver, WA. They are currently in the process of building HQ Vancouver, a mixed-use community that was designed in accordance with the Riverview Gateway Subarea Plan. Hurley Development is also collaborating with experienced and accomplished partners and vendors to integrate a smart city approach in the construction of the community.

The community is located in what was known as Fisher Quarry. Also known as “Fishers Quarry” and “Fishers Landing Quarry,” the quarry began operating in 1881 and was still in operation until 2022. Part of the historical 186-acre mining site with gorgeous views of the Columbia River, HQ Vancouver is an attractive 107-acre location for urban development, restoration, and rejuvenation of the area. HQ Vancouver will include multiple open spaces, connected by a sprawling network of trails, parks, and pedestrian walkways.

HQ Vancouver was envisioned as a complete live, work, play community that is both pedestrian-friendly and high-quality. The design focuses on environmental friendliness, by employing the use of green open spaces and incorporating sustainable, green design throughout the buildings.

The design of the HQ community extensively focuses on community, design, and sustainability. These elements are interlinked and reinforce each other.

Here is more information about each of those pieces of the HQ Vancouver vision:

Community

HQ Vancouver is a mixed-use space that provides its residents with every amenity they need, within walking distance. Ryan Hurley of Hurley Development’s purpose for creating a walkable, mixed-use environment in the city of Vancouver, Washington is to enhance the feeling of community among the residents, and everyone who works at or visits the micro smart city. Located in a beautiful urban setting, HQ Vancouver includes entertainment, a natural grocery, desirable retail, over 2000 multi-family residential units, community open spaces and pedestrian corridors, and office spaces. The urban center has been designed to bring together the residents for a memorable shopping experience, bringing exciting retail partners to the area. It also includes dining opportunities and public spaces. The urban retail center includes a beautiful Civic Plaza for gathering and events, Retail and Restaurant Spaces, and Walkable Pedestrian Corridors that all bring life to the micro smart city.

The multi-family residential areas will house the residents of HQ Vancouver. They are sustainable through the use of advanced smart technology, while at the same time well-connected to green spaces, pedestrian corridors, and trails. The apartment homes benefit from high-quality views of the Columbia River, while the trees in the buffer area not only bring beauty and life to the connected community, but also act as a sound barrier. The neighborhood park, dog park, and urban center can be easily accessed from the residential area, whether by walking or jumping on the free HQ electric transportation that circulates through the micro city. The employment buildings are designed in a way to minimize its impact on the public areas of HQ, providing them a comfortable place to work while still only a short walk away from restaurants, shopping, and entertainment, so they never feel far from the fun and exciting activities of HQ.

To cultivate a sense of community, Hurley Development has focused on providing communal spaces and pedestrian corridors. HQ Vancouver has a massive 6-acre park that is connected to other green spaces through walkways and trails, and the park is next to an amphitheater that hosts concerts and events throughout the spring and summer.

Design

The unique approach to urban design by SRG Partners and Place Design Studio ensures that the landscape architecture and urban design of HQ will make the world a better place for residents and visitors. Materials were chosen thoughtfully, governed by functionality, beauty, inspirational qualities including the circle of living, resting, working and recreating, and the site’s history and surroundings. The design is also conducive to pedestrian-friendly activities, to maximize the space and activate as much of the space as possible.

HQ Vancouver’s unique design finds inspiration in the location’s history as a mining area. Ryan Hurley and Hurley Development were inspired by materials like raw heavy timber, natural rock and concrete, black metal windows and doors, and plenty of amazing glazing or glass,  throughout its design to reinforce the connectivity to nature. These materials appear throughout the center, inspiring a connection between the people, buildings and open spaces.

Varying textures have been incorporated in the design that is reminiscent of mining operations. They also are reflective of the materials that are found naturally in the area. The final product is a design that blends in with the rocky landscape of the surrounding area. Hurley Development also makes use of tactile landscapes, such as tall grass and trees, which adds to the sensory experience of the HQ. HQ is also separated from the neighboring areas by a buffer area. This further creates a sense of complete and connected community. The separation is natural, coming from topography like cliffs and trees.

Connectedness to nature remains a key theme in the design. This is why there is an emphasis on green spaces. For instance, the north/south pedestrian trail that connects the residential area and the commercial area is lined with a double row of trees.

Sustainability

The buildings at HQ are LEED certified, but Ryan Hurley and Hurley Development did not want to stop at LEED certification when it comes to sustainability at HQ. It is only the beginning. Hurley Development is closely working with smart technology architects to incorporate a smart city approach to creating a sustainable community. The community takes inspiration from other successful applications of smart cities, including the projects in Sterling Ranch, Colorado, and Lake Nona, Florida. The smart micro-city approach involves the use of technologies that are energy-efficient, sustainable, safe, and provide return on investment (ROI) for both tenants and owners. Once complete, HQ will be one of the first cities on the West Coast to incorporate a smart city approach. This will be beneficial for the city of Vancouver, as this will help the City of Vancouver gain recognition for innovation and help to reach their climate action plan goals.

Sustainability doesn’t happen by accident. Sustainability has been an overarching goal of Hurley Development and Ryan Hurley and it has influenced all decisions, big or small at HQ Vancouver. To ensure that the entire project is built in a manner that is sustainable, energy-efficient, long-lasting, and resource-efficient, HQ Vancouver complies with a sustainable design standard that has been approved by the City. This includes meeting Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design (LEED) standards, Green Globe Certifications, Earth Advantage Sustainability Certifications, and other goals set by Hurley Development and the City.

Along with the design of the buildings, smart technology is a key tool that will help Hurley Development and their partners meet sustainability goals in the connected community. Sustainable elements will be incorporated in every building and across the micro smart city to enhance the community’s and the area’s standard of living. This will be achieved through deploying the use of modern technologies that can connect the residents physically and digitally as they please, and help them meet sustainability goals with options like saving energy and money through using technology to manage their energy use in HVAC and lighting. Hurley Development’s HQ Vancouver center will employ solar technology to help lower the electrical demand of the connected community. Along with solar technology, trees and plants used for landscaping will only be native and drought tolerant. Green spaces will be watered by irrigation systems with built-in rain sensors and moisture sensors, to prevent unnecessary watering. And the water will be recycled and repurposed as much as possible through the use of sustainable onsite water reuse solutions.

Climate Change and the Commercial Real Estate Industry

The built environment is responsible for nearly half of CO2 emissions. Out of the total annual CO2 emissions, building materials generate 27%, while materials and construction account for 20%, called “embodied carbon.” The vast majority — more than 50 percent! — of all carbon dioxide generated by human activity ends up in our atmosphere as heat around us every day through natural processes including extreme weather events, heat waves, and drought.

Hurley Development is an example of a CRE developer positioned to tackle climate change head-on. Located in Vancouver, Washington, a city that is known for an assertive climate action plan, Ryan Hurley, President of Hurley Development, decided that as a development company they needed to lead the way in attacking climate change. According to Ryan, “It’s more important than ever that businesses and business leaders take proactive steps towards sustainability.”

As climate crisis becomes an increasingly pressing global issue, it is more important than ever for commercial real estate developers like Hurley Development who contribute to the built environment to consider how they can help respond to the problem of climate change. There are a number of ways in which developers can make a positive contribution, from incorporating green building practices into their projects to supporting renewable energy initiatives. By strategically approaching the challenge of climate change, developers will protect the environment and also position themselves as leaders in the industry.

5 Ways Leading Developers Are Responding to Climate Change

Green Design

One of the most important things that developers can do to help address climate change is to incorporate green building practices into their projects. “Green buildings” are designed and built with the intention of reducing their impact on the environment, and they can be constructed using a variety of sustainable materials and technologies. By choosing to build green, sustainable, buildings that utilize smart building technology, developers like Hurley Development in Vancouver, Washington can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of their projects and help to reduce the resource needs and climate impact of new development. 

Reducing Carbon Emissions

Carbon emissions from new real estate development can be reduced in several ways. One is to choose building materials that have lower embodied carbon emissions. Another is to incorporate energy-efficient features into buildings that will reduce emissions over the life of the property. Another is to incorporate energy-efficient features into the design of buildings, including solar panels or green roofs. And, finally, developers can install on-site renewable energy systems that generate power without emitting carbon dioxide. With careful planning and preparation, including incorporating smart technology to help manage energy usage, developers like Hurley Development are reducing the carbon footprint of their projects.

Renewable Energy

Another way that developers can help respond to climate change is by supporting renewable energy initiatives. Renewable energy sources or “renewables” like solar and wind power are becoming increasingly popular as developers look for ways to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. As the cost of building and deploying renewable energy technology continues to drop, it is becoming more feasible for developers to incorporate renewables into their projects.

Incorporating renewable energy into new development can have a number of benefits. Ryan Hurley, President of Hurley Development, says, “We love that something as simple as solar or wind power directly reduces our impact by shrinking the carbon footprint of our projects.” Additionally, it provides a marketing advantage to developers like Hurley, as sustainable initiatives are popular, and a selling point for new developments. And finally, it can help to position developers as leaders in the industry by showing their commitment to reduce the impact of climate change.

Not only that, investors are also increasingly interested in committing capital to companies whose projects have an environmentally sound strategy. These investors believe these forward-thinking business practices will keep them safe from financial risk for years to come and prepare the company better for uncertain times including economic slowdowns or natural disasters. And in today’s market it’s not only about making money – doing good is also highly valued by many thoughtful investors. 

Water Conservation

One of the most important things that developers can do to help address climate change is to incorporate water-conserving components into their projects. With excessive heat and droughts becoming more common in many parts of the world, water conservation is becoming an increasingly important issue. Ryan Hurley noted, “Look at Lake Mead, a key source of water for over 25 million people, and you realize how quickly people and our water usage can overwhelm our water sources.” Developers who incorporate onsite water reuse into their projects are not only helping to address climate change today, they are preparing their buildings and developments for a future in which water scarcity will become more common.

Pumping, treating, and heating water takes a lot of energy, so recycling and using less water helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Recycled water, whether grey water or blackwater, has many benefits. Not only is it great for plants but can be used in place of potable sources such as irrigation and toilet flushing, saving many thousands of gallons per year, along with the greenhouse gasses that would have been created from handling and processing both the clean and used water.

Reducing Resource Needs and Climate Impact

New developments have a significant impact on the environment, both in terms of the resources they consume and the pollution they generate. However, developers who plan ahead can take steps to reduce the resource needs and climate impact of their projects that make an impact, while remaining affordable within the budgets set by developers. 

One way to do this is to choose building materials that have lower embodied carbon emissions. Another is to incorporate energy-efficient features into the design of the project. For example, developers can install solar panels or green roofs. And, finally, developers can install on-site renewable energy systems that generate power without emitting carbon dioxide. 

Looking to the future and weighing their potential impact on the environment, commercial real estate developers like Hurley Development have a significant opportunity to help address climate change. By taking action to reduce their carbon footprint, supporting renewable energy initiatives, and conserving water, developers like Hurley Development are positioning themselves as leaders in the industry and making a real impact regarding climate change.

The owner of this year’s “Best Green Project” winner, 915 Broadway Street, found themselves faced with a challenge: the 4-story multi-tenant commercial office building, constructed in 1979, featured 6,000 square feet of single-pane windows which offered little insulation from exterior temperatures. Those temperatures, in Vancouver, Washington, could reach 90 degrees in some rooms during hot days. They needed a solution that would be cost-effective and prioritize occupant comfort; enter Alpen High Performance Products.

Alpen performed a modified retrofit on the building using secondary windows, its WinSert Plus product, dramatically improving the project’s thermal performance and occupant comfort. Winsert incorporates super-insulating, high-performance and lightweight fiberglass frames and uses “thin” glass laminated with high-performance films to improve existing single-glazed or lower-performing double-pane windows by up to five times the existing performance levels, says Craig Maierhofer, vice president of business development for Alpen. 

The benefits were measurable. After the retrofit, the building experienced a 13.4 percent reduction in building energy use, improving occupant comfort throughout the building. “On a record-breaking 115-degree day, the entire fourth floor measured within one degree of setpoint at 72 degrees, where it would typically reach as high as 90 degrees on a 95- to 100-degree day,” says David Berg, vice president of property management.

“Alpen’s WinSert is an innovative solution to update existing building performance,” says Glass Magazine Judge Kayla Natividad, architectural technical services engineer, NSG Pilkington. “The addition of a secondary insert allows for reuse of existing materials, limits waste, results in less embodied carbon than full replacements, and improves operational performance.”

A rare type of building development from Hurley Development is nearing completion in Vancouver’s Uptown Village, in a location that will soon be next to the area’s only grocery store.

The new building, called Navalia, is at 1600 Washington St. It is a 73-unit apartment building built on top of a historic one-story building from 1946 that was once occupied by Bennett Paper & Supply. It should be finished in October, which would make it a 365-day construction.

The building will contain studios, loft studios, one and two bedroom units, and the ground floor will house a large national restaurant in a 7,600 square foot space that Ryan Hurley, president of Hurley Development, said which he could not divulge. until later. The building will contain 33 parking spaces.

About 2 and a half years ago, Hurley stumbled upon the property and thought it would be a great addition to the Uptown Village scene, where new apartment buildings, restaurants and bars are opening.

“I saw a gap downtown for single professionals,” Hurley said.

Navalia’s theme is “safe harbour”, which is the translation from Latin. It can be seen in the design of the building, especially its roof, to resemble a ship. It’s a tribute to Kaiser Shipyards workers who came to Vancouver during World War II to build battleships, Hurley said.

By Christine J. Bradford