EVERETT – The Port of Everett commission has agreed to move the agency’s headquarters to a $6.5 million building on the waterfront, despite concerns that some residents may view it as a waste of their tax money.
Among those residents Tuesday was commissioner Phil Bannan, who opposed the move as costly and unnecessary.
“I have trouble with it when we’re taking money from the taxpayers,” said Bannan. “It would put us in a great area with a great architect when austerity is what we ought to be showing.”
Bannan, a former executive director of the port who now operates a waterfront brew pub, has been a consistent opponent of the port levying a property tax on residents of its district. Spending money on a new building when it already owns one sends the wrong message, he said.
He was opposed by commissioners Connie Niva and Don Hopkins, who both expressed support of a new building in the $400 million redevelopment the port is backing with private partner Maritime Trust of Chicago.
Niva noted a new facility would help the port gather “employees spread all over the waterfront” while being “a primary occupant of the biggest project we’ve ever done on the waterfront.”
“I think that its time we do something,” Hopkins added.
Earlier, Port director John Mohr had said the existing headquarters at 2911 Bond St. has a tenant with a growing business who might be interested in buying it. He said that building and a parking lot across the street are valued at about $2.7 million, so the port could sell it to help pay for a new, larger structure that would accommodate the port’s key staff and provide space for other tenants who would provide income.
While the issue hasn’t been decided, Mohr said the structure would likely be a new, four-story building with a large tower that could be used by a group hoping to create a historical display and tribute for the community’s commercial fishing fleet, which has declined almost to extinction.
“It will meet our future needs and generate income for the port,” he said.
Bannan said he was concerned about building space to house the fisherman’s tribute because he didn’t want the port to be obligated to pay for it forever.
“I’m a little worried about the tribute tower,” he said. “We take this now and we’ll be responsible for everything.”
Hopkins, a member of the tribute committee, said the group is collecting donations and plans to pay for the project. “We can get them down there and ask, ‘What do you want and what can you afford?’” Hopkins said.
The commissioners just discussed the move in principal. There aren’t completed building designs. But officials have said it would likely be a four-story building with a tower that could serve as a landmark for the development as well as a display for the fisherman’s tribute.
The port would likely rent out two of the floors.
“The facility should not be fancy,” Niva said. “It should be very utilitarian. We certainly don’t want some river running through it or a big fountain in front.”
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