Fred Meyer store to anchor Killian Pacific's new Grand
Central retail center on Grand Avenue and Highway 14

An upscale Fred Meyer store will anchor Killian Pacific's $40 million, 14.5-acre Grand Central commercial development at Grand Boulevard and Highway 14, George Killian announced yesterday.

"We are thrilled that Fred Meyer, the one-stop shopping destination, will serve as the destination retailer for our Grand Central Development," said Killian of the site that was once the Jantzen swimwear factory.

"Fred Meyer is seizing the opportunity to raise the bar for this community by building a groundbreaking facility that will feature unique design and Fred Meyer's best offerings, including a strong selection of natural and organic products," Killian added.

Michael L. Ellis, president of Fred Meyer, a Vancouver native who was named president of Fred Meyer in July, said, “With the Grand Central opportunity, we can stay in the neighborhood, respond to current market and consumer demands, and build an innovative and cutting-edge store completely unique to the site and the community it will serve."

After the new store opens in 2007, the Fred Meyer store on Grand Avenue and Fourth Plain Boulevard will close.

"We are delighted to be part of this important opportunity. We will  respond to those needs with its expansive product offerings, including natural and organic products, home and garden items, apparel and much more. Our existing Fred Meyer store at Grand Avenue and Fourth Plain is 37 years old and showing its age,” Ellis said.

Ellis began his career at that store at the age of 16 when he hired on as a parcel clerk. Ellis stayed with the company. By 1999 he was senior vice president of Fred Meyer’s Food Group. In 2004, Ellis was promoted to group vice president for Grocery, Drug, General Merchandise, Pharmacy and Advertising for Kroger, and spent just over two years at Kroger’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. In July 2006, Ellis was named president of Fred Meyer Stores and returned to the Pacific Northwest.

Fred Meyer is a division of the Kroger Co., one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States. Fred Meyer features unique one-stop-shopping that combines food, apparel, and general merchandise items under one roof. Fred Meyer Stores operates in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard said, “Fred Meyer, as anchor of Grand Central, will help the growing reinvigoration of Vancouver’s urban core, demonstrating the economic potential for Vancouver’s downtown, riverfront, and neighborhoods to the north and east of the site."

The 135,000-square foot Fred Meyer store will employ about 200 people. Many employees of the current Fred Meyer at Grand Avenue and Fourth Plain will move to the new Grand Central store, while some will fill other openings in the company within the area.

In addition to Fred Meyer, other retail and commercial tenants at Grand Central are expected to include a restaurant and bank.

Killian Pacific LLP is a family-owned real estate development company, headquartered in downtown Vancouver and with strong roots in Clark County. Nearby Killian projects include The Chart House, Who Song & Larry’s, the West Coast Bank Building/Frontier Block Condominiums, and Riverwest, a commercial retail development planned for Evergreen Boulevard and C Street that will include apartments, retail and office space, a central plaza, a new home for the Vancouver Community Library, and an underground parking garage.

Killian Pacific is led by founder and CEO Killian and his son, Lance, who is chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Clark County adds 2,300
to the job force in October

Clark County’s total employment rose by 2,300 workers in October to a total of 190,700 employed persons, according to the state Employment Security Department’s non-seasonally adjusted figures.

Although jobs increased over September, the number of employed in Clark County last month was 1,800 fewer than it was in October 2005.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was the lowest since 1999, dropping from 5.3 percent in September to 4.8 percent last month.

Today’s nonprofit mixer canceled

A scheduled Nonprofit Network function scheduled for this evening at 5:45 p.m. in Devine Consign, 904 Main Street, has been canceled and will be rescheduled after the holidays, according to Jeanne Kojis, Nonprofit Network spokesperson.

The program, which included board representatives of several area nonprofit organizations, was designed to encourage broader community representation on those boards.

Calendar

The C-TRAN board of directors meets in regular session at 5:15 p.m. today in the Rose Besserman Community Room in Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, 3510 SE 1645th Avenue. n The first of a series of open houses explaining planned changes in Clark County’s Comprehensive Growth Management Plan is at 5 p.m. this evening in La Center City Hall, 214 E 4th Street. n The current disintegrating condition of Africa’s Darfur is the subject of a free Clark College World Education Series at 6 p.m. this evening in the Penguin Student Union Lounge. Amnesty International’s Elmardi Ishag’s topic is “Darfur Region.” n Clark County commissioners meet in an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, in conference room B in the Public Service Center.

Tuesday headlines

All aboard for Grand Central--Columbian, Julia Anderson

City officials say Fourth Plain Fred Meyer site could open door to redevelopment of corridor east to Andresen--Columbian, Cami Joner

Global festivities featured at Clark College--Columbian, Howard Buck

Columbia Credit Union to vote on three members--Columbian, Jonathan Nelson

C-TRAN rout changes for next year on today's agenda--Oregonian, Bill Stewart

Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert survives election--Seattle Times, AP, Curt Woodward

Dow hits new high--USA TODAY, Marketwatch, Mark Cotton

Iraqi gunmen masquerading as police kidnap scores from Baghdad education ministry office--USA TODAY, AP