LYNNWOOD — The view from Lynnwood’s new convention center needs some attention.
“This is ugly,” said Todd Brunner, of Brunner Construction, as he looked out of the huge windows from the main concourse of the new convention center where people will congregate in between meetings and events starting as early as April.
Brunner noticed the problem as he was standing on top of what used to be the Video Only store, right before his company demolished it and other buildings prior to the start of the center’s construction.
Brunner, along with being a business owner, is a member of the Rotary Club of Lynnwood and the South County Chamber of Commerce. He said he thought it would be great if all the property owners neighboring the convention center did their part to spruce up their areas a little bit before for the April opening.
Brunner enlisted the help of the Edmonds Community College Horticulture Department, which was already working on some landscape design for the convention center, to discuss options for the mound of dirt and bushes on the corner of 196th Street SW and 36th Avenue W.
Lynnwood and the Edmonds School District have vacant properties in the sight line as well.
“We are aware of how it looks over there and plan to clean it up before opening,” said Lynnwood economic development director David Kleitsch of the small vacant parcel on the corner of 196th Street SW and the southbound I-5 on ramp on 36th Avenue W, where a Taco Time once stood. Kleitsch said the city will clean up the mounds of dirt and construction debris on its site before the April opening.
Also, Kleitsch said, “The city and school district are working together to develop that whole corner there, that’s our goal.”
Bret Carlstad, property management director for the Edmonds School District, said the district cleaned up its property not long ago, allowing only some working vehicles to be parked there.
The large vacant site had been the former education administrative center building. That property, and others owned by the district, may be sold or leased. The school board is scheduled to debate the issue Dec. 7, he said.
“We don’t spend resources on maintaining that site because it’s a surplus site offered for sale or lease, but we do work to keep the site in a condition that wouldn’t be viewed by the community as ugly or unkept,” Carlstad said. He added that the school district would be open to ideas from the public facilities district, which operates the convention center. And he hoped the for lease/sale sign on the property could be seen from the view.
The way the properties look around the center reflects the community’s personality, said convention center general manager Eddie Tadlock.
“Spend all this money— it’s like putting a dress on a pig,” Tadlock said.
Tadlock said conventioneers like to walk.
“And this area isn’t inviting at all,” Tadlock said. “Something as simple as dressing up the walkways and making it easier to cross 196th Street would add a lot.”
He added, some simple signage, letting people know where the mall or restaurants are would help.
Brunner said the convention center and that corner of 196th Street SW and 36th Avenue W. is going to be known as the gateway or front door of the city and should get some attention before the opening, followed by a design plan for the surrounding properties as they are developed.
Keeping the college involved benefits the community and the student’s learning experiences, said Tim Hohn, chair and instructor of the horticulture department.
“We would be excited to be able to stay involved in some way,” Hohn said.
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