By Leslie Moriarty
Herald Writer
SNOHOMISH — It may be a year off, but the first steps in building the city’s Visitor Information Center have been taken.
The city council has accepted the preliminary site plan for the center drafted by Bush, Reed &Hitchings, a Seattle civil engineering firm.
It details the project that has been on the drawing board in Snohomish for more than four years. Planned for a spot on First Street and Avenue D, it was designed by Sconzo Hallstrom Architects, Bellevue, with an A-frame roof, wood and brick construction and a brick patio entrance.
The center will be a place where visitors and tourists can learn about local history, local businesses and entertainment options. Brochures and maps about Snohomish and places throughout the county will be available.
Snohomish Mayor Doug Thorndike said the project is a statement of the city’s commitment to its history.
"It expresses our commitment to the unique heritage of Snohomish and the bright promise of our future," Thorndike said.
The center is being located in the historic downtown area to enhance tourism downtown, where turn-of-the-century buildings serve as retail shops and offices.
The project is expected to cost about $350,000, with $224,500 coming in a grant from the State Transportation Improvement Board aimed at enhancing transportation and economic development.
Besides grant money, the city will use tax dollars to complete the project. But the bulk of the remaining costs will come from increased business license fees that business owners have asked the city to use for the project.
Tricky land negotiations were part of the process, said John Hager, president of the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce and a business owner in downtown Snohomish.
The city had to get a right-of-way from a private property owner so the building can be located in the historic business district. A committee, including some city council members, completed that process.
With the site plan approved, the city can apply for building permits. Completing design work and permitting is expected to take through March 2002.
Because the project is being funded with grants, city manager Bill McDonald said it will have to be reviewed more stringently during the permitting process.
The project will be advertised for bid, and construction is slated to begin in June 2002 with opening set for September 2002.
You can call Herald Writer Leslie Moriarty at 425-339-3436 or send e-mail to moriarty@heraldnet.com.
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