VANCOUVER, Wash — We've known for just over a year now that New Seasons Market planned to get a store built on a wide-open lot at 15th and Main Street in Vancouver.
Now we know that construction breaks ground in early May and a grocery store will be built looking like the one in architectural renderings.
Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said the desire for a grocery store has been there for years and now is the right time.
“We needed to get the population in downtown Vancouver so that we could support a grocery store, it's there now. We've been waiting a long time to get a grocery store Downtown and New Seasons is just a perfect fit for this center of the city,” said McEnerny-Ogle.
There are more people living in the urban core now and with more housing being built, downtown Vancouver continues to grow.
The New Seasons Market is expected to open in the third quarter of 2023, with upscale groceries, a deli and outside seating. That will be a draw, according to Vancouver’s Downtown Association's Executive Director Michael Walker.
“It's a positive feedback loop, so once they're established, it develops that quality of life and provides the amenities that people are looking for," said Walker. "You know, urban trends across the country people are moving into urban centers; they want a more walkable, livable community and this provides that for them."
Walker added that New Seasons' location on the north side of Downtown, is perfect for filling what's currently a dead spot between the city center and Vancouver’s Uptown Village district.
“We're really thrilled in the way that this growth will provide that connection just by having a really strong asset that people will be willing to walk to and keep on walking up to the adjacent district.”
Altogether, it's a recipe for something that Vancouver’s mayor said can't come soon enough.
“We can't wait for them to get going on this. I want to be able to walk to the store and get my carrots and go make jambalaya,” said McEnerny-Ogle.