Collins Building destruction delayed by restraining order
Published 8:49 pm Friday, July 10, 2009
EVERETT — People hoping to stop the Port of Everett’s demolition of the historic Collins Building won a temporary restraining order Friday saving it for at least two weeks while they pursue an appeal.
Snohomish County Court Commissioner Susan Gaer granted the delay for Historic Everett, a group called the Collins Building Coalition and individuals Valerie Steel and David Mascarenas.
“I’m elated,” Steel said of the decision.
She said it will allow the groups time to question the port’s decision. She noted that the decision to raze it was made by two commissioners who will be replaced in the fall elections. Commissioner Connie Niva has already resigned because she moved outside of the port district and Commissioner Phil Bannan is not seeking re-election. The port commission has three members.
“The two new commissioners could say, ‘Gee, this is a centerpiece for things to come,” Steel said, referring to redevelopment plans for the area.
The Collins Building is a former casket company facility that was placed on the state and national historic registers as the only remaining example of the type of building that lined the waterfront when Everett was founded.
Under an agreement between the port, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and several historical groups, the port agreed to make attempts to find a use for the building in exchange for approval to build a new marina off 12th Street.
Efforts by a private group to secure financing to support commercial use of the Collins Building failed, and the port said bringing it up to safety and building codes were too expensive and something it legally couldn’t do. It later received approval from the Corps to tear the building down. It’s that approval that the group’s supporters want to appeal.
Port director John Mohr said the court decision was not unexpected. “They want to preserve this building, and it’s their right to appeal in an attempt to do it,” he said.
The court commissioner set a hearing for July 24 to consider further action.
