This one is a former Chart House that got knocked down to the cheaper, casual brand several years ago (maybe in the 2008-10 recession?) Joe’s Crab Shack closes permanently: Owner cites impact of ban on dine-in services due to virus
I think this location was already a marginal performer. It's along the path of an I-5 bridge if one ever gets built... in fact, now that Safeway shut on Hayden Island (Oregon side), this might be the likely path of the new bridge.
The Columbian article mentioned in that story talks about the restaurant buildings eventually being demolished for new development, but I have noticed that buildings on the east side of the I-5 bridge are slowly vacating. Not only Safeway, but the old Rite Aid which was briefly a Zupan's is also vacant, and there are other businesses which are not investing much in to their buildings. On the other side, part of an old motel burned down a few years back and was not rebuilt, and new development seems to be moving away from the edge by the freeway. There isn't much room to change the path, no only because of other development, but because the bridge is in the path of runways at PDX as well as Pearson Airport in Vancouver.
Super S wrote: ↑May 13th, 2020, 10:00 am
The Columbian article mentioned in that story talks about the restaurant buildings eventually being demolished for new development, but I have noticed that buildings on the east side of the I-5 bridge are slowly vacating. Not only Safeway, but the old Rite Aid which was briefly a Zupan's is also vacant, and there are other businesses which are not investing much in to their buildings. On the other side, part of an old motel burned down a few years back and was not rebuilt, and new development seems to be moving away from the edge by the freeway. There isn't much room to change the path, no only because of other development, but because the bridge is in the path of runways at PDX as well as Pearson Airport in Vancouver.
The new bridge is designated to go on the west side of the existing bridge. Hayden Island used to be a hot bed for grocery back when Washington charged sales tax on grocery. When that went away, grocery stores on Hayden Island struggled. The population on the island cannot support a grocery store and the traffic is way too overwhelming to get off and get on at that exit for a grocery store. Floor and Decor did submit plans to the city to tear down the Safeway and replace it but who knows if it will happen now or not. The Zupans building has been vacant for at least 10 years. There's just not much demand for retail in that spot.
Joes Crab Shack and Who Song & Larrys was previously asked to end their lease early but they refused. The developer wants to build two new apartment buildings there with restaurants on the ground floor. The new bridge footprint isn't on that side.
