EVERETT – The Everett City Council voted Wednesday to contribute $100,000 as a down payment to build affordable living and working spaces for artists.
“I think the council realizes we’re in a different era now and that if we want to attract business and creative people into our community, they want this type of thing available. They want arts,” said council President Marian Krell Wednesday afternoon.
The money will go to Artspace Projects, a Minnesota nonprofit developer that recently chose Everett as the venue for one of its sought-after projects.
To begin work on the project, Artspace requires a $150,000 down payment and another $300,000 by the end of the year.
The $100,000 contribution from the city adds to $50,000 already pledged by the Arts Council of Snohomish County.
The council’s decision was unanimous, something Krell said “we don’t get too often.”
“I think if the city can help get it off to a good start, then that’s money well spent,” Krell said. “And it’s a lot more fun than sewers.”
The council’s unanimous support thrilled local planners, who say work on creating artist living and working space can now officially begin.
“I’m just so happy to see that the council thinks this is as important as we do,” said Karen Shaw, Everett’s director of economic development and human needs.
Judy Tuohy, executive director of the Arts Council of Snohomish County, said she planned to send the down payment and a development agreement to Artspace today.
The arts council and local artists are abuzz that Artspace chose Everett and that the City Council has shown such support.
“The artists are so excited, I’ve had them calling and coming in all day,” Tuohy said.
She said Artspace could begin its work in Everett as soon as March 1.
The firm typically rehabilitates old industrial buildings, turning them into artists’ lofts.
In the weeks and months to come, Artspace will be looking for a building or building site.
What will it look like? That depends on what Snohomish County residents have to say.
Artspace will begin by studying Everett’s housing market and surveying artists to assess their needs.
Once the company determines the specific artistic needs of the community, the scope of the project will become clearer, Tuohy said.
How many artists will participate in the project and how much money Artspace will kick in are yet to be determined.
The $16.5 million, 50-unit Tashiro Kaplan lofts in Seattle’s Pioneer Square is the largest venture by Artspace Projects. About 75 people, including the artists and their families, occupy the lofts.
Everett’s Artspace building could include a gallery and community art production space, Shaw said.
Planners believe the project will be a boon not only for Snohomish County’s cultural identity, but for its economic development.
“It’s a very close link between arts and entertainment and attracting living-wage jobs to the community,” said Diana Dollar, one of the project’s founders and a Snohomish County Economic Development Council vice president.
“It goes to revitalizing and redeveloping downtown Everett, which is on the cusp,” Dollar said. “And really, all of Snohomish County.”
Reporter Jennifer Warnick: 425-339-3429 or jwarnick@heraldnet.com.
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