EVERETT — The historic Collins building won a reprieve from demolition Tuesday as an architect presented a new plan for saving the waterfront building and members of the Everett Port Commission promised to examine it.
Richard Sullivan of Everett said the building, finished in 1926, would cost about $4 million to refurbish and could be home to a public market, a maritime museum and third-floor offices.
The former casket factory, on the state and national historic registers, is the last example of scores of timber-framed buildings that used to cover the Everett waterfront, Sullivan said.
He noted that studies have suggested the building would cost significantly more to bring up to modern building codes, but he said he’s examined buildings that were upgraded for earthquakes and other issues for significantly less than the $15 million earlier studies have suggested.
Sullivan had an earlier plan for which he was unable to secure financing for, and the port is close to securing final approval for its demolition.
But the port secured two new members of its three-member commission this year, and all three have agreed to re-evaluate the building, its fix-up cost and the public’s interest in saving it.
Port officials will meet for a retreat today and Thursday. Deciding on how to evaluate the Collins Building will be one of the issues discussed beginning at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. The retreat will be located at Vigilant Conference Suites, 6003 23rd Drive W., Suite 200, in Everett.
“At the retreat we’ll lay out a process that allows us to really listen and to make a decision about what the public wants us to do,” Commissioner Mark Wolken said.
“The commission is committed to having a conversation about this,” added Commission chairman Michael Hoffmann.
Sullivan said he’d like the port to spend the $900,000 it has set aside for demolition of the 60,000 square-foot-building on helping to save it. He said the federal government also offers grants to help save buildings on the historic register.
Sullivan said there’s more work to be done on determining how to rehabilitate the building and how to pay for it. But he said the public market could become a gateway for further development of the area.
The Collins Building is located on the waterfront in an area that the port had planned for a $400 million redevelopment with Maritime Trust of Chicago, which is now in bankruptcy court.
Maritime hopes to emerge from bankruptcy and to continue with its development plans if it can find financing. In its contract, the company has until 2011 to make substantial progress.
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