The Union Ridge Town Center development continues to take shape near Interstate 5 in Ridgefield.
The regional shopping center has already brought Costco to north Clark County. Now, it’s soon going to bring a second Starbucks and a Chipotle, followed by the first In-N-Out Burger in the state of Washington.
Numerous other businesses appear destined for the shopping center as well, as laid out in updated site plans by the developer, HSM Pacific.
The updated site plans hint at what else could be possible in the growing retail environment of Ridgefield.There is In-N-Out in the making, destined for a summer grand opening, and two other fast food pads detailed in the site plans provide the idea of other possible “rare” fast food joints.
Pad N, a drive-thru design, would be just north of the In-N-Out Burger site. In-N-Out Burger is 4,250-square feet with 77 parking stalls and a significantly long drive thru lane that begins with two lanes. Pad N would also have a two-lane drive thru, according to plans, but also packs 66 parking stalls and 5,810 square feet.
Chic-Fil-A built a 6,545-square-foot location in Fircrest, which lands the Union Ridge Town Center’s Pad N in the 5,000 to 6,500-square feet range of the typical Chic-Fil-A restaurant, though no official word exists. The upcoming Chipotle restaurant in the Union Ridge Town Center development has only roughly 25 parking spaces allotted for it. Ridgefield will be Chipotle’s ninth Clark County location.
Another large drive-thru location, Pad D, in the phase three future development zone according to plans, would also be rather large with 61 parking spaces, a normal-size drive-thru lane and a planned size of 4,725 square feet.
Another pad that was updated in the latest site plans hints toward another farm supply business. Pad L, listed at 26,069-square feet, a 5,658-square foot garden center, 140 parking spaces and what could be a drive-thru loading zone for customers. With plans laying out a brand new, updated Wilco Farm Store location in Battle Ground that would be closer to the upcoming Tractor Supply, Wilco Farm Store could be a possibility for Ridgefield with Tractor Supply already existing on the east side of I-5, though no official word exists of a Wilco Farm Store for the development.
Three other buildings are actively being constructed in the shopping center as well. According to the plans by the developer, Verizon Wireless is pending in Pad I with five other spaces available. In Pad J, Heartland Dental, Wanpo Tea Shop, OnPoint Community Credit Union and another available space are proposed. And in Pad K, a drive-thru opportunity exists, along with another space and a Sherwin Williams paint store.
On the west side of the In-N-Out Burger site could be a 7,000-square foot pad with 49 parking spaces, possibly a sit-down restaurant location.
In the phase three future development, two other possible multi-space retail buildings are proposed, and so is a 25,000-square foot clinic building with 166 parking spaces.
In the neighboring Ridgefield Gateway development, Ridgefield City Manager Steve Stuart confirmed that Panda Express has pulled their application for the time being, but McDonald’s and a Shell gas station with a convenience store and car wash are still planned.
With everything taking further shape in the Ridgefield Junction sub-area, Stuart is pleased with the vision coming to life.
“It’s targeted growth to implement a vision that was created by our community and council many years ago,” Stuart said. “And you know, the goal is to do it in a high quality fashion, reflective of the values that our community holds. With any growth, there’s struggle, there is change. With that change comes opportunity, it comes connection. That is something that we continuously strive for, is to make sure that the way we grow is something that our community can be proud of.”
Stuart also added that a lot of times he hears from people in the community about the businesses they want to see. “The city should go get this brand,” he often hears.
“It is not the city’s role to pick winners and losers,” he said. “It is not the city’s role to choose the brands that locate here. Our job is to make sure whoever it is that they are the best version of themselves.”
