Port is approved for a $2.875 million grant

The Port of Camas-Washougal has been notified it will receive $2.875 million from the Economic Development Administration, to construct Building 18 in the Steigerwald Commerce Center.
Port Executive Director David Ripp made the announcement about the federal grant during the port commissioners meeting Tuesday.
In May, the port received preliminary approval for the grant. It will result in the construction of a 50,000 square foot Building 18.
Without the funding, the building would be half that size.
Ripp said Wednesday the port is communicating with a few potential clients who are interested in locating in Building 18, but there are no firm plans regarding future tenants.
The port has been at 100 percent occupancy in the industrial park for more than three years.
“We have not had any space for those companies looking to locate in Camas or Washougal,” Ripp said. “Building 18 will allow the port to have available inventory for those companies looking to expand, relocate or start up.”
The port will need to provide a 50 percent match of the grant amount for the project.
The funding will be spent on engineering and design services and construction. Johansson Architecture, PC, of Battle Ground, is the architect for the project.
Construction is expected to begin during the summer of 2017 and be completed during the first quarter of 2018.