A sizable mixed-use development, called , is due to arrive next to a historic structure in downtown Vancouver, Washington.

Wilsonville-based developer Marathon Acquisition & Development is preparing for construction of two buildings featuring a total of 134 residential units and more than 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and office space. The 2.21-acre site is along East C Street, between East 12th Street and Evergreen Boulevard, and adjacent to the property.

Providence Academy, following its construction in 1873, was the largest brick building north of San Francisco, according to the Historic Trust of Vancouver. More than a century later, in 1978, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The 7-acre Providence Academy site was owned entirely by the Historic Trust of Vancouver. Then it sold 2.21 acres to Marathon Acquisition & Development so that it could pursue its Aegis project. Proceeds from the sale will go toward renovation of the historic building and other property improvements.

The two Aegis buildings will be constructed on land currently being used as parking. Marathon will serve as its own general contractor.

Salem-based Studio 3 Architecture is designing the project. Renderings show one structure with six stories and the other with five stories. The shorter building will have a rooftop terrace larger than 4,000 square feet and a 2,000-square-foot community lounge. A 1,500-square-foot fitness center, secure indoor bicycle storage and a self-serve bicycle repair shop also will be available to tenants. In all, the two buildings will have 162,800 square feet of floor space.

Plans call for 28 studio units averaging 549 square feet of space, 71 one-bedroom units averaging 670 square feet and 41 two-bedroom units averaging 965 square feet. There will be 151 surface parking spaces to serve the two buildings.

Plans for the development have changed significantly from earlier iterations. For instance, early drawings showed structures that would be built out to each end of the block. But a change was made to pull the south building back from the corner and insert a 5,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza. This removed at least 24 residential units, some of which were restored by adding a sixth story to the north building.

As for aesthetics, much of Aegis’ cladding will be red brick to complement the historic Providence Academy building.

Developers are now waiting on the city of Vancouver to approve so that the permitting process can proceed and construction can begin.

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