Mukilteo ready to build $8 million city hall

Published 9:47 pm Sunday, March 2, 2008

MUKILTEO — Choosing a site for Mukilteo’s new city hall took 14 years.

Preparing for construction happened considerably faster.

This week, crews are expected to begin building the new city hall on the northwest corner of Harbour Pointe Boulevard and Cyrus Way. Construction is planned to be finished by early 2009.

“I signed the contract and just said, ‘yeah, finally,’” Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine said.

For years, the city has rented space in an industrial warehouse for its headquarters. When finished, the new city hall building will feature a spacious council chamber, two floors of offices and environmentally friendly features such as a green roof with soil and plants.

The building’s $6.9 million price tag does not include sales tax or furnishings, Marine said. Include those, and the final price tag should be about $8 million — right on target with the projected construction budget when the council decided to build at Harbour Pointe in October 2006.

For years, council members and residents debated over where to build the new city hall. The council considered four other sites, including possible locations at 47th Place W. and next to Rosehill Community Center.

Council members chose the Harbour Pointe Boulevard site as a compromise. The city paid $775,000 for the initial 1.13-acre site, and adjacent land has since been purchased to allow room for expanding the city hall.

“As excited as we get about the location, once we sort it out and get it going, it’s going to be a wonderful spot,” City Council President Randy Lord said. “I think both sides are going to be pleased.”

Marine said he considers construction of the new city hall as one of his greatest accomplishments as an elected official. He credited city staff and council members for their work on the project.

“We’ve asked staff to really work under some poor working conditions for far too long in what was supposed to be a temporary building,” Marine said. “I’ve said it all along, I’ve wanted a city hall that not only the community can be proud of, but that employees can be proud to work in.”

Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.