Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Port of Everett likely to tear down Collins Building

By Mike Benbow
Herald Writer

 EVERETT -- The Port of Everett will likely raze the historic Collins Building on the city's waterfront later this year, saving its beams, windows and other features to become part of a new building elsewhere.

The building can't be moved, said John Mohr, the port's executive director.

"Structural issues make that impossible," Mohr said.

He said port officials have been meeting with their counterparts from the city, who have expressed interest in using at least parts of the historic building to create a new farmers market in their redevelopment of the city's riverfront with San Diego developer OliverMcMillan.

Neighborhood groups and members of historic associations such as Historic Everett have attempted to save the Collins Building because it is the final remnant of scores of buildings along the waterfront that were used to make lumber, cedar shakes, boats and other wood-related products.

The port would like to redevelop the existing area into a Craftsman District to consolidate marina- related businesses. It recently built a new marina for larger boats in the area as part of a $400 million redevelopment project with Maritime Trust Co. in Chicago that would include an estimated 660 condos and new commercial and office buildings.

To win approval for the new 12th Street marina, the port was directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work with historic groups to explore ways to redevelop the Collins Building or move it. It also was to come up with a plan by August of this year to promote the area's history.

Port officials were considering spending $400,000 on interpretive historical displays to be developed by consultants in stages over several years as the port completes the redevelopment.

The port commission set the project aside Tuesday because of what it considered to be the lack of a clear commitment for a multi-year project from the history groups, which wanted the port to delay razing the Collins Building until the interpretive projects were complete.

Valerie Steel, a member of Historic Everett, noted that the groups didn't entirely trust the port to complete the project after the Collins Building was gone. "We want to ensure it will be done," she said.

Steel urged the commissioners to keep working with the history groups to develop a plan.

But Phil Bannan, port commission chairman, said he believed the process has already taken too long.

"If we can't get an agreement, I propose we move forward with Plan B and just get it done," he said, adding he believed the port was being shoved into a "bureaucratic morass" intended to keep the Collins Building alive.

He noted that the port had been studying the building for several years and had determined that it would cost $12 million to $15 million to rehabilitate and redevelop it. "I know there are a lot of strong feelings out there about this building, but there are many people who would like to see it gone," he added.

Commissioner Connie Niva agreed with Bannan that the port should abandon the longer-term history project for now and work on getting something done by August to meet its agreement with the Corps.

"It looks like no good deeds go unpunished," she said of the port's efforts to get approval for the extended history project.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA