Everett takes tentative step to revamp old bank for theater group

Published 11:21 pm Wednesday, February 24, 2010

EVERETT — A decision last June to spend up to $1.9 million to renovate a vacant downtown building for a theater group seemed like a done deal.

Apparently, it’s not.

The issue was dredged up again Wednesday at City Council during a normally routine matter: a call for project bids.

City leaders eventually did agree 4-2 to start collecting bids, but not without a vigorous debate over whether the project ought to be shelved until the economy improves.

Councilman Ron Gipson told his colleagues that the city needs to prioritize when money is tight.

“We shouldn’t go out and spend the money just because we can,” he said.

The Village Theatre plans to lease the former KeyBank building at California Street and Wetmore Avenue and use it for a youth education center and theater space. Village Theatre is investing $1.2 million of its own money on improvements to the city-owned building.

The city has already budgeted up to $1.9 million for the project, but an engineer’s assessment pinpoints the cost at closer to $1.4 million. The city agreed in June to pay for work to the vacant bank building, including seismic retrofitting, asbestos removal, bringing electrical and plumbing up to code and installing fire sprinklers.

Mayor Ray Stephanson opposed the project last year. Wednesday, he told the council the city should honor its commitments and move forward.

“It’s important our reputation as a city is maintained,” he said.

It makes good financial sense to fix up the building and lease it, Councilman Drew Nielsen said. The same work would need to be done for any tenant and the city might get a better deal now with contractors hungry for work, he said. It also might cause legal trouble if the city doesn’t move forward, he said.

“I sue people on occasion when they don’t take that approach,” said Nielsen, an attorney.

Gipson and Councilman Arlan Hatloe voted no. Council members Nielsen, Brenda Stonecipher, Paul Roberts and Jeff Moore voted yes. Councilman Shannon Affholter was absent.

Last year, the council voted 4-3 to move forward with the project, despite the objections of business owners, who urged financial restraint.

Today’s decision allows the city to move forward with collecting bids for the project. However, a wrench still might get thrown into the project down the road. The council still needs to approve a bid before work begins.

Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.