City Seeks Interest in Major Riverfront Redevelopment

EVERETT, WA-A request for qualifications will soon be issued for companies interested in redeveloping 100 acres of urban Snohomish riverfront here owned by the City of Everett. The property, which includes a 55-acre former landfill and a 45-acre former mill site, was given a clean bill of health last year following a $22-million DOE cleanup process. The city council on Wednesday night officially declared the property surplus, clearing the way for the RFQ, after which the city will select one or more companies to submit formal proposals. Eventually, the city is expected to pick one company or consortium with which to negotiate a disposition and development agreement. The RFQ will be posted to the city’s Web site sometime today (Thursday, Nov. 18).A city spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com that the property is one of the few large developable sites remaining along the Interstate 5 corridor and already has drawn the attention of national developers. “This is the front porch of our community,” she says. “It’s one of the first sites you see as you travel into the city.” As such, she says the city is looking to see high quality development akin to Carillon Point in Kirkland or Riverplace in Portland, OR. The city has identified the former mill site as a master-planned campus-like development. One possible anchor is Bastyr University, which has expressed strong interest in opening a branch campus in the city, says the city’s spokesperson. The landfill site has been identified for a “people-oriented, mixed-use commercial center with significant public access and public areas.” On each site approximately 600,000 sf of buildings could be developed, according to the spokesperson. Geotechnical and engineering studies have been completed on the landfill and mill sites, which include recommendations on construction techniques for buildings and site development. A master plan has been completed for treatment of surface water. Such work will save developers time and money in the research and design phases of development, says the city’s spokesperson.