EVERETT – The Port of Everett has reached a relocation agreement with the last industrial tenant without a plan to move from an area scheduled for a $200 million redevelopment.
On Tuesday, port commissioners approved two negotiated agreements with American Construction Co. One calls for the port to pick up the cost of environmental cleanup on the company’s leased property, and the other gives the company until December 2006 to move out.
“This really is the last of the relocations and negotiations regarding the heavy industrial clients,” said the port’s director, John Mohr.
American Construction and several other companies must relocate because of the north marina redevelopment – a plan to add shops, offices, a public amphitheater and more than 600 condos on the city’s waterfront.
The port also plans a second marina in the area.
American Construction, which in the early ’90s renegotiated an extension on its lease, earlier sued the port. It lost an early round, and the case is now on appeal.
The port attempted to relocate the company to another port property, but none were found suitable.
Efforts to reach the company’s Steve Brannon for comment weren’t successful on Tuesday.
Mohr said a negotiated settlement with the company made sense.
“It’s in the best interest of both parties,” he said.
Part of the agreement calls for the company to move some administrative and other functions before 2006 so the port can start to build the new development’s public amphitheater.
Mohr said it also makes sense for the port to coordinate the cleanup of the properties. “There are some economies of scale there,” he said.
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