Published: Monday, April 9, 2007
Lake Stevens dreams of campus for city offices
The city would like to move from its prime real estate on the lake into a roomier site.
Lake Stevens is hoping to get $800,000 from the state to jump start development of its new city campus.
The city plans to build a new city hall and public safety buildings on part of 44 acres in the northeast part of the city. The property could also contain a new library if a bond measure is approved, along with shops and residences.
Moving city offices and the library from their current cramped quarters in downtown Lake Stevens, near the northeastern lake shore, to the land on Grade Road would free up valuable property for redevelopment, city officials have said.
The city hasn't yet nailed down how much the land and its new city campus will cost. Whether the city gets money from the state or not, it still must find financing for the remainder, Mayor Vern Little said.
Other options include selling property, leasing to buy, issuing a bond or doing a purchase exchange with other property owners, officials said.
State Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, proposed that the money be included in the Senate's budget, he said. It's too early to tell whether it will make it into the final version, he said. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn later this month.
The money is not currently included in the House of Representatives' proposed budget. Reps. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, and Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, who also represent Lake Stevens, said they received the request late in the process.
Lovick said there's still a chance it could be included.
"We're working on it," he said.
City officials don't have a target date for getting the project done but would like it to happen as soon as possible.
"We're anxious to keep moving," city administrator Jan Berg said. For an actual move-in date, "my best guess would be '09," she said.
City Hall was converted from a post office in the 1960s. Last fall, the city bought a $79,000 modular office building to make space for new employees.
The Lake Stevens city staff has been growing as the city annexes new areas. The number of city employees is expected to be about 60 by the end of 2007. At the beginning of 2006, there were about 30 people on the city's payroll.
The city has hired a consultant to determine how everything will fit on the proposed site and to start on the design, Little said. The consultant's study includes whether there's room for Fire District 8 administration in the city campus, Berg said.
Private development could include retail shops, residential housing and restoration of Catherine Creek. A consultant wrote the plan with input from neighbors, property owners and government officials. The area is mostly vacant with a few single-family residences.
Michael Mastro, a Seattle-based real-estate investor, owns much of the land where the city wants to put its campus. Blair Anderson, a spokesman for Barclays North, has been representing Mastro in dealings with the city.
He said preliminary talks with the city have gone smoothly. "Nothing is concrete yet because we're waiting to see what happens with this (state) funding," he said.
The Sno-Isle Library District, which operates the Lake Stevens Library, is waiting to see what happens with the Lake Stevens property, spokeswoman Mary Kelly said. The district could put a bond measure on the ballot as early as November, she said.
"Right now that is still a very real possibility," she said.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
The city plans to build a new city hall and public safety buildings on part of 44 acres in the northeast part of the city. The property could also contain a new library if a bond measure is approved, along with shops and residences.
Moving city offices and the library from their current cramped quarters in downtown Lake Stevens, near the northeastern lake shore, to the land on Grade Road would free up valuable property for redevelopment, city officials have said.
The city hasn't yet nailed down how much the land and its new city campus will cost. Whether the city gets money from the state or not, it still must find financing for the remainder, Mayor Vern Little said.
Other options include selling property, leasing to buy, issuing a bond or doing a purchase exchange with other property owners, officials said.
State Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, proposed that the money be included in the Senate's budget, he said. It's too early to tell whether it will make it into the final version, he said. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn later this month.
The money is not currently included in the House of Representatives' proposed budget. Reps. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, and Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, who also represent Lake Stevens, said they received the request late in the process.
Lovick said there's still a chance it could be included.
"We're working on it," he said.
City officials don't have a target date for getting the project done but would like it to happen as soon as possible.
"We're anxious to keep moving," city administrator Jan Berg said. For an actual move-in date, "my best guess would be '09," she said.
City Hall was converted from a post office in the 1960s. Last fall, the city bought a $79,000 modular office building to make space for new employees.
The Lake Stevens city staff has been growing as the city annexes new areas. The number of city employees is expected to be about 60 by the end of 2007. At the beginning of 2006, there were about 30 people on the city's payroll.
The city has hired a consultant to determine how everything will fit on the proposed site and to start on the design, Little said. The consultant's study includes whether there's room for Fire District 8 administration in the city campus, Berg said.
Private development could include retail shops, residential housing and restoration of Catherine Creek. A consultant wrote the plan with input from neighbors, property owners and government officials. The area is mostly vacant with a few single-family residences.
Michael Mastro, a Seattle-based real-estate investor, owns much of the land where the city wants to put its campus. Blair Anderson, a spokesman for Barclays North, has been representing Mastro in dealings with the city.
He said preliminary talks with the city have gone smoothly. "Nothing is concrete yet because we're waiting to see what happens with this (state) funding," he said.
The Sno-Isle Library District, which operates the Lake Stevens Library, is waiting to see what happens with the Lake Stevens property, spokeswoman Mary Kelly said. The district could put a bond measure on the ballot as early as November, she said.
"Right now that is still a very real possibility," she said.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
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