EVERETT – The Port of Everett and its development partner will erect poles in the north marina area to show neighbors just how proposed new buildings will affect their views.
That promise was made at the Everett Planning Commission’s Tuesday meeting on a request to allow 65-foot-high buildings on the site.
“We will erect on the site story poles and leave them up for a two-week period,” said John Mohr, the port’s director. “We want the community to be informed.”
Opponents of the project, many of whom live in homes overlooking the water, oppose height limits any higher than the 55 feet originally proposed, and have insisted that the poles be placed at key locations.
In addressing the panel, the port presented several people to talk about the $250 million north marina remodeling project.
Port lawyer Brad Catttle, with the Everett firm of Anderson, Hunter, described the project as “the most significant mixed-use development in the history of the city of Everett.”
He suggested that port commission members weigh the project and its long-term importance to the community before acting on the height request.
Mohr said preparing the site for the project had been expected to cost $18 million to $20 million. It will be more like $55 million, he said Tuesday.
He added that the project would worth the additional cost because the project is a special one.
Tom Gaffney of Moss Adams said building condominiums at 55 feet would mean the developers would lose about 100,000 square feet of condo space to sell – a loss of about $12 million.
Losing that amount of money would discourage investors and could harm the project, Gaffney said.
Residential space is the economic driver of this project,” he said. “It would raise issues in terms of the capital investment to get this project off the ground.”
Opponents of the 65-foot building height were thankful that their demands for sight poles will be met. But they criticized the project, saying it will block views from the homes and public parks along the bluff overlooking the area.
“The public has already given enough,” Everett resident David Mascarenes said. “A deal’s a deal.”
Mascarenes was referring to the port’s agreement to an earlier plan that raised the building heights to 55 feet. Several residents said they want the developers to stick with that agreement.
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