Everett riverfront project area escaped flooding

Published 10:45 pm Sunday, January 25, 2009

EVERETT — The river did exactly what the geologists said it would.

Despite near-record floods on the Snohomish River this month, most of the Everett Riverfront District stayed dry.

“I don’t want to offend anyone upstream by calling it a nonevent, because people were devastated,” said Dave Davis, director of Everett’s engineering department. “But from our standpoint, it was good news.”

Opponents of a massive shopping and residential project planned for the property between I-5 and Snohomish River have for years warned of catastrophic floods.

The city and a developer hoping to transform the old industrial land into a half-billion-dollar mixed-use project have studied the river extensively and concluded it could accommodate a new neighborhood without major flooding problems.

While it does have the potential to one day flood, especially if flood control levees upstream fail, it fared well in this winter storm.

A former city dump and two former mill sites, areas where buildings are planned, are above the federal 100-year flood plain. Future roads on the project will similarly be raised above the flood line.

Most of the areas inundated during this winter storm are where trails and open space are planned.

A strip of land on the northern tip of the project, planned for homes or apartments, did go underwater, but that area is scheduled to be raised with fill before the project opens.

The city recently shared aerial photos with the California development company working on the project.

“Our due diligence shows just what the picture showed, that it’s a viable site and it certainly was dry,” said Charlie Hickcox, development director with OliverMcMillan of San Diego.

After years of negotiations, the company bought 139 acres of riverfront land from the city for $8 million last spring. Nearly the same amount of environmentally sensitive land adjoining the site will be preserved as wetlands.

OliverMcMillan specializes in mixed-use projects. It competed for the job in Everett and was ultimately selected by the City Council to buy the land and develop the area based on a general concept approved by the city.

Earlier this month, the company announced that its opening date would be pushed off until spring 2012, a year behind schedule.

Hickcox cited the complexity of the project and the economic recession, which has forced many retailers to freeze expansion plans, as the main reasons for the delay.

Still, he said, OliverMcMillan continues to talk with hotel chains and retailers interested in becoming tenants.

Ultimately, the company plans to build as many as 1,400 houses and condos, more than 1 million square feet of retail and hotel space, and a movie theater complex.

Everett City Councilwoman Brenda Stonecipher, who serves on the council’s riverfront committee, said it’s important to be mindful when allowing such a large project to occur near the Snohomish River.

“You can’t be completely cavalier about that kind of development,” Stonecipher said. “On the other hand, there’s a lot of good solid science that says it’s going to be OK.”

Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.