Port of Vancouver Dumps Biotech Hub Plans

The Port of Vancouver halted plans to convert the former Red Lion Hotel into a biotech hub. The reason for the change in plans was that AbSci, which was to have moved into the building, indicated the space no longer fit its needs.

The Red Lion, at 100 Columbia St. in Vancouver, WA, shut down in October 2015, due to slumping sales. A month later, start-up AbSci announced it had outgrown its space at the OTRDI Bioscience Incubator in Portland. The bioscience company indicated it would move into the Red Lion, and Port of Vancouver hoped AbSci would be the anchor tenant for a biotech hub. The port spent approximately $46,000 to convert the guest rooms into lab space. AbSci will repay the costs.

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