US Transportation Secretary Visits Downtown
The heart of downtown Vancouver, Washington welcomed a special guest today – Secretary Pete Buttigieg! Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Governor Jay Inslee, Governor Tina Kotek, City Manager Eric Holmes, and our partners including WSDOT, Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, OregonDot, C-TRAN, Port of Vancouver USA, and Vancouver's Downtown Association joined hands in extending a warm welcome to Secretary Pete. The highlight of the day? A tour of the iconic I-5 Bridge, offering insights into our transportation infrastructure and future developments. Secretary Pete also explored our vibrant downtown core and the Vancouver waterfront, soaking in the beauty of
New Seasons: Bridging the Gap
Exciting News! New Seasons Market is now officially OPEN! Located at 16th & Main directly across from Clark County Historical Museum. After decades in the making, we're thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new grocery store that bridges the gap between downtown and uptown. This marks a significant step towards improving the quality of life for our community and creating a healthier, more robust residential center. THE COLUMBIAN—Vancouver’s Downtown Association also believes the soon-to-open grocery store will be a boon for the area, improving
Volunteer Corner: New Sculpture + Public Plaza
VDA unveiled Volunteer Corner, an awe-inspiring 7-ft metal sculpture and a charming miniature public plaza, right at the heart of Vancouver - at the intersection of E Evergreen & Broadway. This remarkable project is a tribute to the boundless spirit of volunteerism that pulses through our city. It's a celebration of the profound impact of Vancouver's Downtown Association (VDA) and City of Vancouver volunteer networks. The new public plaza is more than just a beautiful addition to our cityscape; it's a place to pause, reflect, and
Vancouver Arts & Music Festival
August 4-6 | Free and open to all ages, the Vancouver Arts & Music Festival invites you to enjoy three days of world-class music, art, dance, food and fun! Stages, pop-up galleries, family activities and food vendors will be available throughout downtown Vancouver and Esther Short Park. LEARN MORE: https://www.vancouverartsandmusicfestival.com SCHEDULE: https://vdausa.org/wp-content/uploads/363804793_761878042605876_8243029960930742850_n.pdf
Senate Bill 5336 is Law!
We are excited to announce the passage of Senate Bill 5336! This bill secures Vancouver’s place in the Washington Main Street Program, providing the framework and resources needed to support the critical work that we do. SB 5336 was passed unanimously by both the Senate and House, signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee on 4/14/23. “The passage of SB 5336, spearheaded by Sens. Cleveland, Mullet, Wilson, and the City of Vancouver, is a huge win for the economic prosperity of southwest Washington and downtown
SBA Visits Downtown Vancouver
Presidential Cabinet Member, Isabella Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez, and Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, paid a special visit to VDA and downtown businesses last week! During this site visit, officials met one-on-one with our small business owners to identify their needs & challenges, in addition to connecting them with funding, counseling, training, contracting assistance, and more. A huge thank you to the SBA and our elected officials for this opportunity & their support of downtown Vancouver!
RevitalizeWA 2023 Is Coming to Vancouver!
The Vancouver's Downtown Association is thrilled to announce that Downtown Vancouver will be host site for RevitalizeWA 2023! RevitalizeWA is Washington’s annual statewide conference focused on the continued care of place through historic preservation, placemaking, and economic development. Save the date! October 4-6. Sign up for updates about registration, speaker and session proposals, and more: preservewa.org/news-events/revitalizewa Thank you to our conference partners: Washington Main Street, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
VDA Clean & Safe Ambassador
Please give a WARM welcome to Pablo, VDA’s Clean & Safe Ambassador! Pablo provides regular litter pickup and graffiti removal throughout downtown. In the last 2 months alone, Pablo has removed 1,600 pounds of litter, 320 pounds of yard debris, and 500 tags (graffiti, stickers, flyers), in addition to filing code compliance requests for items outside of the public right-of-way. In addition to janitorial services, Pablo acts as an ambassador of downtown—being a friendly regular face along the Main Street corridor to direct visitors to points
Public Art: Great River Arts Festival
Vancouver's Downtown Association is proud to partner with Local Boy Tatau to bring a new annual event to Downtown Vancouver—The Great River Arts Festival (GRAF)! In August 2022, Over 15 new murals were added to the downtown core, from 5th - 15th Street. Watch the video below for a highlight of the event! The goal of GRAF is to strengthen unity through diversity by showcasing northwest and world-renowned artists. Curating and growing a visual multicultural historic arts district experience will build and enrich the future through
Main Street Infrastructure Project
The Columbian—Starting in 2024, the 10 southernmost blocks of Main Street in downtown Vancouver are going to be torn up and rebuilt into a better-looking and better-feeling corridor. Main Street’s face-lift has been in the works since 1993, just four years after Vancouver’s Downtown Association was created in 1989. The project was divided into two phases: one focused on its northern stretch, or Uptown Village, and the other focused on its southern portion. Uptown Village was successfully funded and constructed in 1996, yet the city couldn’t