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With plans for a new Interstate 5 bridge, and potential annexation of West Hayden Island, change is coming to the developed, eastern side of the island.

But some forward-thinking business and property owners are not certain yet whether that change will be for the better.

The Hayden Island Business Alliance, a group representing business interests on the island, was founded by Greer Kern, public relations manager for Mayfield Management Co. She believes the alliance can leverage the projects being planned on Hayden Island to make it much more business friendly.

鈥淭hese changes are coming and they will affect us,鈥� Kern said. 鈥淭he only way to weather change on the island is to be part of the solution.鈥�

Kern initiated formation of the group after she encountered difficulty securing leases for an office building she represents, Hayden Island Plaza 鈥� the only office building on the developed side of the island. Mayfield’s portfolio was performing well, but Kern’s marketing efforts weren’t working on Hayden Island.

Kern decided to contact the local business group that represented the island, but at first she couldn’t find one. She eventually discovered that the island fell within the boundaries of the Columbia Corridor Association, which represents industrial businesses and property owners along the Columbia Slough.

鈥淗ayden Island has always been in our boundaries, but it’s predominantly made up of retail, and that’s just not something we deal with a lot,鈥� said Corky Collier, executive director of the CCA. 鈥淏ut with that said, we are definitely willing to work with the group now that there is interest there.

鈥淲hether it’s carving them out of our boundaries or letting them have their own subgroup and still be part of the (CCA), we are here to support them.鈥�

Kern and Mayfield employee Jessica Oien hit the pavement to speak with business and property owners on the island about the upcoming projects and the existing business climate. The pair learned that businesses weren’t communicating with each other, which was leading to exchange of misinformation and heightened fears about the changes.

鈥淲hat we learned rather quickly was that it wasn’t our building on the island that was the problem; it was a lack of unity and a lack of an identity,鈥� Kern said. 鈥淣ot only was there fear and frustration about the projects, but there were literally neighboring businesses that didn’t know each other existed.

鈥淭hrough all of this, I want to bring everyone together to at least get an intimated dialogue started.鈥�

After identifying the 166 businesses on the island, Kern formed a list of issues that came out of the discussions with business and property owners.

These included, for example, 鈥渏ust getting the signs that say businesses are open, or making sure that people can still access businesses during the construction of the bridge,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he public agencies will help with that stuff, but only if there is someone advocating for it.鈥�

The business alliance is being received warmly by the community. A kickoff event this week drew approximately 40 business representatives as well as officials from Business Oregon, the city of Portland, TriMet, Metro and other organizations.

The effort dovetails nicely with the planned expansion of Jantzen Beach SuperCenter, according to Tara Platt, regional property manager for Edens & Avant, which handles property management for the mall. Site preparation is under way for a new, 138,760-square-foot Target store. After that project wraps up, storefronts will be upgraded and 100,000 square feet of retail space will be added.

鈥淩ight now we’re an island on the island,鈥� Platt said. 鈥�(The business alliance) is going to better connect us with the community and help us create relationships.鈥�

The alliance also received support from Rex Burkholder, the Metro councilor who represents Hayden Island. He said the area’s connectivity to the water, its proximity to both Portland and Vancouver, Wash., and the sight lines to Mount Hood are great business advantages for Hayden Island.

鈥淲hat propels people is a vision,鈥� Burkholder said. 鈥淭he idea of where you want to get is as important as the tools and techniques that get you there. This effort will create that idea.鈥�

Burkholder said the business alliance could choose to pursue new neighborhood commercial zoning to make the area feel more like a community, and take action to ensure that the new bridge creates better connectivity and not separation.

鈥�(Interstate 5) has essentially pushed away development, but that can change with the new bridge,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his area could be neighborhood center and serve the needs of a large surrounding area.鈥�