Developer wants luxury condos south of Hall of Justice

Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:19 AM PST

By Amy M.E. Fischer

Longview professionals who live in Portland may find reason to cut their commutes if the city approves a developer's plans to build multilevel, upscale condominiums along the Cowlitz River.

Developer Chuck Bond has applied for shoreline permits to construct a four-story, 39-unit condominium at 1548 River Road, just a few blocks south of the Hall of Justice. Bond, who owns several senior apartment buildings in Longview, said his latest project will fill a much-needed housing gap for affluent professionals who don't want to maintain a home.

"With condos, you'll get the best of both worlds," Bond said last week. "They're building equity, but you don't have those menial tasks that people who own homes have to take care of."

Some Longview industry executives and St. John Medical Center professionals drive an hour-long commute from Portland or Vancouver because they can't find suitable housing locally, he said.

"The real honest fact is, Longview kind of lags behind other areas," Bond said. "They're building (condos) all over the Columbia River in Portland and Vancouver."

Bond estimated his units could sell for $199,000 to $375,000, with a variety of floor plans ranging from 1,200-square-feet to 1,750-square-feet.

Elevators would take residents from the ground-floor parking garage (with remote-control entry) to their units, equipped with granite kitchen countertops, gas fireplaces, electric heat pumps and outdoor decks. Picture windows in a fourth-floor community room and a rooftop terrace would provide a panoramic view of the river.

"As far as housing's concerned, we really don't have anything like this," Bond said. "It's going to be pretty spectacular."

Pending city approval, construction could begin in three to four months, he said. None of the project would be built on the water side of the dike.

Longview's director of community development, John Brickey, agreed Monday with Bond's assessment of voids in the local housing situation. Also, Brickey said, Bond's project fits well into the city's comprehensive plan. Many in the community feel that because paper mills sprawl across much of Longview's riverfront, citizens don't have enough access to the water, Brickey said.

This popular sentiment has prompted the city to require riverfront developers to allow public access to the shoreline, he said. To comply, Bond's preliminary drawings of the property delineate a scenic trail the city may establish in the future.