Commercial General Contractor in Camas and Washougal, WA
Modern Northwest builds commercial projects in East Clark County: downtown Camas tenant improvements, church and event space remodels, and the Washougal Rite Aid we turned into an Ace Hardware. We are licensed in Washington and build on both sides of the river.
Camas and Washougal are two small cities with their own building departments, their own portals and their own way of reviewing a commercial job. Our office is just across the Columbia in Gresham, and we have worked in both cities on jobs from a downtown storefront to a 23,000 square foot store conversion.
One project manager runs your job from walkthrough to final inspection, under our Washington registration. See all of our commercial construction services, or our Vancouver and Clark County page for the rest of the county.
Our work in Camas and Washougal
Every job here has a Camas or Washougal street address in our project records.
- Destination 339, Camas. 339 NE Cedar St. A ground-floor tenant improvement, finished March 2025. See the project.
- Journey Church, Camas. 304 NE 4th Ave. A two-phase tenant improvement of an existing church and event space, July 2024 to February 2025, run alongside Destination 339 for the same owner.
- Ace Hardware, Washougal. 3307 Evergreen Way. A 23,000 square foot former Rite Aid converted into an Ace Hardware, October 2024 to March 2025. See the project.
- Ace Hardware garden center, Washougal. A 5,800 square foot garden center outside the store, run design-build: steel fencing, concrete, asphalt, curbs and canopy footings, finished October 2025.
Commercial permits in Camas
Inside Camas city limits, commercial work is permitted by the City of Camas Community Development Department at 616 NE 4th Avenue, a few blocks from Journey Church. The city takes applications through its online permit portal, launched in June 2024, and wants documents as PDFs only.
The commercial submittal list is longer than a house permit. Along with the site plan, construction drawings and calculations, Camas asks for proof of ownership, a valid contractor licence number, an energy code worksheet and an abbreviated stormwater pollution prevention plan. Plan review fees, impact fees and system development charges are all paid before the permit is issued, so on a change of use or an addition we price them in at the start. The city does not publish a fixed review time for commercial work, because it depends on the project, so we ask at submittal and plan around the answer.
Commercial permits in Washougal
In Washougal the Building Division reviews plans against the Washington State Building Code, and plans can also go to Planning, Engineering and the Fire Department. For a new or relocated business, Planning reviews the site plan first: parking, landscaping and storm drainage. The building permit follows planning approval, and a pre-application conference is recommended and sometimes required. The Fire Marshal runs separate plan reviews and inspections.
One rule to know: a Washougal application that does not turn into an issued permit within 180 days expires, with one extension available. We keep the review moving so a slow correction round does not cost you the application.
Permit facts on this page come from the City of Camas and City of Washougal websites, checked November 2026. Processes change, so we confirm yours with the city.
What we build in East Clark County
Tenant Improvements
Downtown Camas storefronts and upper floors, refitted for the next tenant.
Learn moreCommercial Remodeling
Older buildings changing use, like the Rite Aid that became an Ace Hardware.
Learn moreRetail
Stores and garden centers that have to keep selling during the work.
Learn moreChurches and Event Spaces
Assembly spaces with their own exit and fire rules, like Journey Church.
Learn moreDesign-Build
One contract for design and construction, like the Ace garden center.
Learn moreHealthcare
Clinics and offices for medical, dental and behavioral health practices.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
Who issues commercial building permits in Camas?
The City of Camas Community Development Department, on NE 4th Avenue downtown. Commercial submittals need a site plan, construction drawings, a contractor licence number, an energy code worksheet and an abbreviated stormwater pollution prevention plan, as PDFs. The city takes applications through its online permit portal.
How long does commercial plan review take in Camas?
The city says commercial review time depends on the type of project and does not publish a fixed number. Plan review fees, impact fees and system development charges are paid before the permit is issued, so we include them in the budget early.
What is different about permits in Washougal?
For a new or relocated business, Washougal Planning reviews the site plan first, including parking, landscaping and storm drainage, and the building permit comes after planning approval. The Fire Marshal also reviews separately. A pre-application conference is recommended.
What have you built in Camas and Washougal?
Journey Church and Destination 339 in downtown Camas, and in Washougal a 23,000 square foot Rite Aid converted into an Ace Hardware plus a 5,800 square foot garden center outside it.
Are you licensed in Washington?
Yes. Our Washington contractor registration is MODERNI888R7, and we are bonded and insured in Washington.
Building in Camas or Washougal?
Get a real estimate from a contractor who has built here. Call (360) 326-2747 or request a free consultation.
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