Everett business owner unwilling to move for UW

Published 10:51 pm Friday, December 14, 2007

EVERETT — Alan Mizuta’s business would be surrounded on three sides by a University of Washington campus proposed in the Everett Station neighborhood.

That makes his two-story, 101-year-old brick building at 3110 Hill Ave. a very valuable commodity.

He’s determined not to sell it, not after 21/2 years of ownership and $1.5 million invested in restorations and renovations.

To be sure city officials and passersby know, he’s draped a banner proclaiming “Not For Sale” on the side of his building facing Pacific Avenue. It went up Nov. 19.

“We’re simply and clearly stating our intentions at this point are to stay here and not be part” of the proposed university development, said Mizuta, co-owner of Built Corp., an industrial design firm.

Thus far, the city gets the message.

“Obviously, he has strong feelings that he doesn’t want to sell and I don’t think anyone has asked him to,” said Pat McClain, Everett’s governmental affairs director.

Everett is vying to be the home of the new four-year UW campus. A state-hired consultant ranked the site around Everett Station as the best of four Snohomish County locations submitted to the state Legislature for consideration.

It is nearly 27 acres in size with the existing transit center as its western hub. More than half of the acreage is on the east side of the railroad tracks. The property is bisected by Hill Avenue, on which several private businesses, including Mizuta’s and Everett Steel, operate.

The consultant suggests the property is large enough to accommodate a 5,000-student campus with all the requisite academic buildings, dormitories and parking garages.

Should the university ever desire to expand, Mizuta figures he and his Hill Avenue neighbors will be the first ones asked to sell.

McClain said such concern is a bit premature. The state has not even picked a site.

“I don’t know if that day is two years, five years, 10 years or 30 years away,” he said.

Mizuta acted in part out of frustration with the city for never informing him and his neighbors of their intentions, despite the fact they could all be sitting smack in the center of campus.

“It’s an obvious connection. (Hill Avenue) is a link between the two halves of the property,” he said. “I think everyone was equally shocked as us that this could land in our back yard.”

Mizuta said he pressed McClain for a meeting with land owners and one was held in late September.

“It didn’t answer many questions,” Mizuta said. “It felt like the meeting was brought about by essentially nagging.”

McClain said he gave them “as much of an update as we could at the time.”

From the outset, he said, the city never intended to include privately owned land in the proposal and figured on talking to area property owners as the direction of the process became clearer.

The city did end up inviting the area’s property owners to let the city know if they might be interested in selling. Everett Steel was one of those that responded.

Mizuta isn’t sure if he would have had a different attitude if the city involved the community when it first contemplated Everett Station.

“We’re not necessarily for or against it,” he said of the college.

“We’re arguably the most prominent and visible building in the area of the proposed site. It remains to be seen how it would impact us directly,” he said. “We’re just looking after our business interests.”

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.