Nick Bjork//March 9, 2011//
One of downtown Vancouver, Wash.’s most notable icons will be demolished to make way for a new $16 million mixed-use development.
The retro looking, walkup Burgerville location – the company’s second location ever – that sits along East Mill Plain Boulevard in downtown Vancouver will be demolished as early as October.
The decision to demolish the building came after Elie Kassab, owner of the Vancouver-based , purchased the site from the fast-food chain for $750,000. Using the parcel and a neighboring vacant lot the development firm owns, Kassab plans to construct two buildings – known as Prestige Place – that will have 11,000 square feet of ground floor retail under 92 market-rate apartment units.
Burgerville won’t be abandoning its roots, though.
In a letter to Burgerville guests, president and CEO Jeff Harvey said the company has had its headquarters in Vancouver for nearly 50 years, and that won’t be changing. He also stated that the company would be looking for a new downtown location for one of its restaurants.
“Burgerville has always been dedicated to healthy and thriving communities, and we believe that this new development will help bring a renaissance to downtown Vancouver and ultimately benefit the community’s residents, local businesses and Burgerville as well,” he said.
Burgerville officials will close the location for good in October, at which time the building will be demolished. Construction of the new buildings is expected to begin after the demolition, and a completion is slated for late 2011.