Officials in the Edmonds School District are inching closer to approving a sale of the 3.9-acre land across the street from the Lynnwood Convention Center on 196th Street SW.
Questions regarding what will happen with the empty property, which once housed the district’s Educational Services Center, will soon be answered.
School officials set a deadline of noon Thursday, Sept. 1, after The Enterprise deadline, as the time by which they would select a developer. The school board is then expected to revisit the issue at its regular meeting Sept. 6.
Two developers are vying for the land, and each has appeared on the agenda at recent school board meetings as the expected developer for the property.
At a special session of the school board on Aug. 30, Gemstar Properties expected the school board to approve a sale and purchase agreement for the property.
But in the 11th hour, The Union Group, of Seattle, offered a counter bid that the school board decided should be evaluated before approving a deal with Gemstar.
The Union Group had previously appeared to be the awardee. At the Aug. 9 school board meeting, The Union Group was listed on the agenda as the developer selected to receive the approval of the sale, but the issue was tabled pending continued negotiations with Gemstar.
Superintendent Nick Brossoit said while this is an unusual situation to be in, it is positive for the school district and its students.
“It’s just an awkward situation because you’re all great people,” Brossoit said to the representatives from both developers at the Aug. 30 meeting.
“The intended uses fit really well with what the city is looking for,” he said.
The important part for the school district is that it make best use of its resources, he said, because the payment received for the property will be used to offset costs for future capital projects completed by the district.
Local business and city officials alike have ideas for how the land could be best used.
Eddie Tadlock, the general manager of the Lynnwood Convention Center, hopes developers will build a full-service hotel, including a nice restaurant and bar, on the property.
“We could easily double our business if we had something that was considered a full-service hotel,” Tadlock said.
Many conference organizers base the location of their meetings around neighboring accommodations, and having a full-service hotel would draw additional groups that are accustomed to such facilities, he said.
David Kleitsch, the city of Lynnwood’s economic development director, said the city will work closely with the developer to ensure the city’s needs are met. This land is an important piece of Lynnwood City Center.
“We think it’s a key site in the City Center, and it’s one of the first projects coming forward,” Kleitsch said.
He said the land is zoned for residential and mixed use.
“Once there is a property owner, that’s when discussions typically begin,” he said.
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