Everett schools approve sale of building to YMCA

EVERETT — The Everett school board has approved a plan to sell its former administration building to the YMCA of Snohomish County.

The board’s action on Tuesday was to allow Everett Public Schools to negotiate a purchase and sale agreement for the property, which includes two buildings on an 8-acre lot at 4730 Colby Ave.

The YMCA was one of six organizations proposing to buy the property, and one of three that Everett Public Schools negotiated with over the price.

The board voted 4-0 to move forward with the sale. Board vice president Ted Wenta, who works as vice president of operations for the YMCA, was not in attendance and had recused himself from previous discussions of the deal.

The YMCA is offering $3.33 million for the property, which will become the future site of the YMCA’s Everett facility.

“The site is large enough to accommodate pretty much everything we’d consider,” said Scott Washburn, CEO of the YMCA of Snohomish County.

The YMCA’s current facility in downtown Everett has 3,600 members, the smallest number of any of the facilities in Snohomish County.

The 100,000-square-foot current facility is also not used efficiently, with the upper stories of the century-old main building inaccessible to people with disabilities and largely used as storage space.

A new YMCA at the Colby property will be smaller, but would better serve the community and would likely drive a two- or three-fold increase in membership just by virtue of being a new and more modern facility, Washburn said.

The current plan would be to sell the downtown Everett property to help defray the cost of the new facility once the new YMCA opens. That’s likely to be several years from now because the YMCA has only just a general concept of what that new facility would be like, rather than a detailed plan, Washburn said.

Mike Gunn, the school district’s executive director of facilities and operations, said there are several steps in the sale process, including the drawing up of the final sale agreement, the legally required 45-day process of declaring the property surplus, a two-month feasibility period in which the YMCA evaluates the property, and then a two-month period to close the sale.

That puts closing nearly six months out. The school board will have to approve the final sale as well.

The school district has also tried to sell the historic Longfellow Building at 3715 Oakes Ave., but so far has not received a viable offer.

There have been a few further inquiries about the century-old building, but most conversations get hung up on the district’s need to maintain access to parking on the site for athletic events, Gunn said.

“What we really do need there is the parking,” Gunn said. “What we don’t need there is the building.”

Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @Chris_At_Herald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Rick Steves launches $1M match challenge for Lynnwood Neighborhood Center

The $64.5 million Lynnwood Neighborhood Center will house several community spaces and partner with local nonprofits.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Cars drive along Cathcart Way next to the site of the proposed Eastview Village development that borders Little Cedars Elementary on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in unincorporated Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Council denies latest Eastview Village appeal

Council members affirmed previous approvals of the development planned off Cathcart Way near Highway 9.

Everett
Everett police: Man sold drugs to woman prior to fatal overdose

The man, who faces a charge under the state’s controlled substance homicide law, remains in Snohomish County Jail on more than $1M bond.

Missing Marysville boy, 10, found safe and sound

Police said the boy was last seen Sunday morning before leaving to go for a run at a nearby middle school.

Red tape hangs in the front of the entrance to a burned down Center for Human Services building along 204th Street on Monday, July 7, 2025 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood fire destroys behavioral health nonprofit building

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The building housed an intensive mental health support program for youth and families.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.