Collins Building tussle continues
Published 7:27 pm Tuesday, October 6, 2009
EVERETT — A federal panel rejected Historic Everett’s appeal of plans to raze the historic Collins Building, saying the Port of Everett did what it needed to do for demolition approval.
But officials of the historic group hope to change that decision by making public a letter they say indicates that Maritime Trust, the port’s development partner, was secretly looking as far back as 2004 for ways to destroy the 75-year-old former home to a casket factory.
In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation said the port did not violate an agreement with the historic group in which it promised to “explore all alternatives for the viable redevelopment and rehabilitation” of the building.
But it did urge the port not to move quickly to take the building apart.
“The (advisory council) reiterates that the port should consider holding off on its plans to demolish the Collins Building unless it has pressing reasons to do so,” wrote Reid Nelson. “Historic properties are irreplaceable, and it is apparent that the public and the preservation community are very concerned about the preservation of this building.”
Supporters have said the building is the last remaining example of the many mills and wood product factories that once lined Everett’s waterfront. The building is on the state and federal registers of historic places.
Valerie Steel, president of Historic Everett, said Tuesday that Chicago developer Maritime Trust, which had paid for some studies of the building, had a vested interest in scrapping it. That. she added, means its information is tainted and should be ruled invalid.
“Maritime hired companies to do cost analyses and other studies,” she said. “They didn’t include tax credits and other items” that would have reduced the costs of saving the building.
Steel made public a memo from Rockey Hill and Knowlton public relations, which was seeking a contract with Maritime Trust, which stated:
Maritime Trust has three primary objects regarding the Collins Building:
Minimize the time required to do so.
Build positive stakeholder opinion of Maritime Trust’s reputation while minimizing negative reaction.
The letter goes on to suggest the building was in bad shape and would be expensive to restore, that it would provide negative first impressions for visitors to the new development and that the company “has powerful allies” to help in boosting support for its destruction.
Supporters mentioned the letter in Tuesday’s port commission meeting.
Port commission president Phil Bannan allowed some discussion, then ended it by saying: “Let’s let the agency (the Corps of Engineers) and the courts handle it, I’m not going to do it here.”
John Mohr, port director, said the letter was written April 15, 2004 and was a bid for work from Maritime Trust. He said in 2005, the port entered into its agreement with the historic agencies and the corps to try to find private financing to save the building.
Those efforts failed.
Maritime Trust has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Its proposed project, a $400 million redevelopment of the waterfront to include 660 condominiums, has received no financing. The company’s contract with the port gives it until 2011 to get a substantial start on the project.
Steel said the federal advisory panel didn’t not see the letter before making its decision and “might had thought a little different if they had.” She said she plans to plans to send it to the Corps of Engineers, which is the final decision maker.
Historic Everett has won a temporary injunction to keep the port from razing the Collins Building. It’s next court hearing is set in November.
