Everett Waterfront - Tygart Media

Category: Everett Waterfront

Port of Everett, $1B waterfront redevelopment, marina life, and waterfront news.

  • Everett Riverfront Timeline: Eclipse Mill Park in 2026

    Everett Riverfront Timeline: Eclipse Mill Park in 2026

    Q: What is the honest timeline for Eclipse Mill Park and Everett’s riverfront as a resident?
    A: The park’s waterside construction begins summer 2026, with Shelter Holdings completing the land-side by spring 2028. The grocery store Everett residents were promised won’t arrive until 2030. The cinema was replaced by pickleball. Some retail storefronts remain empty. The neighborhood is real and growing — but the full retail-and-park vision is still several years away. If you’re living there now or planning to, here is exactly what to expect and when.

    If You Live in the Riverfront Neighborhood — or Plan To

    Everett’s Snohomish River waterfront has been one of the city’s most-discussed development projects since ground broke on the former mill site. For residents already living in the buildings Shelter Holdings has completed, the experience has been mixed: a beautiful site on the river, excellent Interurban Trail access, and a growing residential community — alongside empty ground-floor storefronts and delayed amenities that were part of the original sales pitch.

    Here is what the 2026 construction season actually brings, and what you’ll be waiting on for several more years.

    What You’ll Actually See Built in 2026

    Eclipse Mill Park Phase 1 city construction starts this summer. The City of Everett is handling the waterside portion: bank stabilization along the Snohomish River, a floating dock, and waterfront amenities that will make the park usable from the river. The target is to have the city’s portion complete by November 2026.

    Once the city finishes, Shelter Holdings has 18 months to complete the land-side Phase 1 — the playground, trail connection, play lawn, and parking that will make Eclipse Mill Park the usable community green space it was designed to be. That window runs from fall 2026 through spring 2028. If Shelter Holdings hits that timeline, residents get a complete park in spring 2028.

    That’s real progress. For people who have been watching construction equipment on the site for years, a functional waterfront park with a dock and river access represents the moment the neighborhood begins to feel finished. The summer 2026 construction start is the beginning of that ending.

    What You’re Still Waiting On

    Grocery Store: 2030

    The grocery store that was expected to be a retail anchor for the riverfront neighborhood has been pushed to 2030. If you’re living in the buildings now, that means your nearest walkable grocery option — for at least the next four years — is elsewhere. The QFC on Colby Avenue and the Safeway on Broadway are the nearest established options, each roughly a mile from the riverfront site.

    Cinema: Gone, Replaced by Pickleball

    The cinema concept that was part of the entertainment vision for the riverfront has been replaced by a pickleball facility. Whether that’s a downgrade or a sidegrade depends on your perspective — but if you were planning the evening of dinner and a movie at the waterfront, that programming won’t be available from the riverfront site itself. The Historic Everett Theatre downtown remains the city’s cinema option.

    Ground-Floor Retail: Partial and Selective

    Some ground-floor retail spaces in completed residential buildings remain vacant. The honest reason is that Snohomish County’s retail market is extremely selective right now — the county has the tightest retail vacancy rate in Puget Sound, which means good tenants have options and are taking time choosing locations. The riverfront neighborhood is still building the resident density that makes a coffee shop or restaurant economically viable on its own. That density is coming. It just hasn’t fully arrived yet.

    Services and Resources in the Interim

    While the riverfront’s retail and amenity programming catches up to its housing, downtown Everett — a short walk or bike ride — has a full commercial district with restaurants, cafes, the farmers market (opening Mother’s Day 2026), and the Historic Everett Theatre. The Waterfront Place restaurant cluster at the Port is accessible via the waterfront trail network. Everett’s community services network, including resources through Volunteers of America Western Washington, serves the wider city.

    The Honest Assessment: Good Investment, Delayed Amenities

    Living at the Everett riverfront right now means being an early resident in a neighborhood that isn’t finished. The bones are strong — beautiful site, river access, Interurban Trail connection, genuine density. The timeline for the full vision is longer than originally marketed. The park arrives starting in 2026. The grocery store arrives in 2030. The retail environment is being built incrementally as the neighborhood’s resident population grows.

    That’s a real trade-off, and you deserve to know the honest terms of it before you decide whether to live there.

    Frequently Asked Questions for Everett Residents

    When will Eclipse Mill Park be fully open?

    Spring 2028, if both the city (waterside, summer-November 2026) and Shelter Holdings (land-side, fall 2026-spring 2028) hit their timelines. The park’s waterside portion — dock, bank stabilization, river access — will be complete by November 2026.

    Will there ever be a grocery store at the Everett riverfront?

    Yes, but the opening has been pushed to 2030. Shelter Holdings has committed to the grocery anchor as part of the retail program; the delay reflects tenant recruitment timelines and the density thresholds grocery retailers typically require before committing to new locations.

    Is the Everett riverfront a good neighborhood to live in right now?

    For people who value riverfront access, trail connectivity, and urban density near downtown Everett, yes — with the explicit understanding that the retail and amenity programming is still being built out. The housing itself is solid and the site is genuinely attractive. The full neighborhood vision is several years from completion.

    What is the Interurban Trail and does it connect to the riverfront?

    The Interurban Trail is a paved multi-use path running through Snohomish County. It passes through the Everett riverfront site and provides trail access north and south. It is one of the neighborhood’s most consistent amenities and already functional for residents.

    What is the difference between Eclipse Mill Park and Waterfront Place?

    Eclipse Mill Park is the public park being built at the Snohomish River waterfront site on Everett’s east side (Shelter Holdings development). Waterfront Place is the restaurant and retail district at the Port of Everett on the west side of downtown, along Port Gardner Bay. They are different places serving different parts of the city.

  • Snohomish River Waterfront: 2026 Everett Development Guide

    Snohomish River Waterfront: 2026 Everett Development Guide

    Q: Where does the Everett Snohomish River waterfront development stand in 2026?
    A: The City of Everett begins Phase 1 construction on Eclipse Mill Park — the signature 3-acre public green space — in summer 2026, targeting waterside completion by November 2026. Developer Shelter Holdings’ land-side Phase 1 work follows from fall 2026 through spring 2028. The broader Snohomish River waterfront, which envisions up to 1,250 housing units and ground-floor retail, is advancing on housing but faces significant retail delays: a planned grocery store has been pushed to 2030, and a cinema concept was replaced by a pickleball facility. Empty storefronts persist, but the park construction is real and imminent.

    The Park Construction Is Real and It’s Starting This Summer

    Eclipse Mill Park is a 3-acre public green space planned at the heart of Everett’s new Snohomish River waterfront neighborhood — the project Bellevue-based developer Shelter Holdings has been building on a former landfill and lumber mill site on the city’s eastern edge. After years of renderings and timelines, the park has a construction start date: summer 2026.

    The construction has a split structure. The City of Everett handles the waterside portion first: bank stabilization, a floating dock, and waterfront amenities. That city work begins this summer, with a November 2026 completion target. Once the city finishes its portion, Shelter Holdings has an 18-month window to complete the land-side Phase 1 — a playground, trail connection, play lawn, and parking. That clock runs from fall 2026 through spring 2028. Full park opening: spring 2028.

    This is worth emphasizing clearly: Eclipse Mill Park is not a rendering anymore. It is a permitted, funded, construction-season project. For people who have been watching the riverfront site since the first buildings went up, the park has always been the most public-facing milestone. That milestone is arriving.

    What’s Built, What’s Open, What’s Behind Schedule

    Shelter Holdings’ Snohomish River waterfront development is one of the largest private development projects underway in Snohomish County. The housing side has been the most visible: residential buildings have gone up, streets have been built, and a neighborhood has materialized where none existed five years ago. The 1,250-unit vision for the full site is advancing — the housing construction pipeline is real and active.

    The retail side is where the story gets more complicated. An August 2025 Everett Herald investigation captured resident frustration with delays, empty storefronts, and a timeline that has shifted repeatedly. Here’s where specific commitments stand:

    Grocery Store: Delayed to 2030

    A grocery store was among the most anticipated retail anchors for the riverfront neighborhood. That opening has been pushed to 2030. For residents already living in the buildings on-site — and for the thousands expected in subsequent phases — that’s a meaningful gap. Grocery access remains a car trip for the near future.

    Cinema: Replaced by Pickleball

    A cinema concept that was part of the riverfront’s entertainment vision has been replaced by a pickleball facility. This is not a trivial swap in terms of community character: a cinema anchors evening foot traffic from a broad demographic; pickleball serves a narrower (though currently popular) market. The change reflects the broader challenges facing entertainment retail nationally, but it’s still a notable shift from the original vision.

    Empty Storefronts: The Persistent Challenge

    Ground-floor retail in completed residential buildings sits partially vacant. This is partly a function of Snohomish County’s broader retail market — the county has the tightest retail vacancy rate in Puget Sound at 3.4%, which means tenants have options and can be selective. But it also reflects the reality that the riverfront neighborhood hasn’t yet reached the critical mass of residents to attract the most desirable tenants. That equation changes as more housing opens.

    The Site Context: What Everett Is Building Here

    The Snohomish River waterfront site sits on the east side of downtown Everett, bounded by the river, Marine View Drive, and the Interurban Trail. It was previously a landfill and the former site of a sawmill — the “Eclipse Mill” that gives the park its name. Shelter Holdings acquired the development rights and has been executing a phased master plan that encompasses housing (rental apartments), ground-floor retail, a park, and riverfront public access.

    The site is distinct from Everett’s Port waterfront development, which is happening on the west side of downtown around Waterfront Place and the Port of Everett marina. The riverfront is a different neighborhood — quieter, more residential in character, oriented toward the Snohomish River and the Interurban Trail rather than the maritime activity of the Port.

    The Bigger Picture: What the Riverfront Means for Everett

    Everett is simultaneously developing two major waterfronts — the Snohomish River site on the east and the Port marina on the west. Both projects have been slower than initial projections. Both have had to adapt their retail programs to the realities of a selective tenant market and changing entertainment preferences. Both are still real, active construction projects with genuine momentum.

    The riverfront site specifically represents something Everett has not had before: a walkable residential neighborhood built to urban density on a large contiguous parcel close to downtown. When complete, it will house thousands of residents within walking distance of the Snohomish River, the Interurban Trail, and downtown Everett’s amenities. Eclipse Mill Park — the public anchor of that neighborhood — starts construction this summer. That matters.

    For residents and families considering the area, the community services guide for Everett covers the wider network of services and resources available in the city.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When does Eclipse Mill Park construction start?

    City of Everett construction on the waterside portion of Phase 1 begins in summer 2026, targeting November 2026 completion. Shelter Holdings’ land-side Phase 1 work follows from fall 2026 through spring 2028, with full park opening projected for spring 2028.

    Who is the developer of the Snohomish River waterfront in Everett?

    Shelter Holdings, a Bellevue-based developer, holds the development rights and is leading the master plan for the site. The City of Everett is a partner on public infrastructure including the park’s waterside portion.

    How many housing units will the Everett riverfront development include?

    The full master plan envisions up to 1,250 housing units across multiple phases. The residential construction is active and ongoing; the retail component has faced delays.

    Why was the grocery store delayed and when will it open?

    The grocery store anchor has been pushed to 2030. The specific reasons have not been publicly detailed by Shelter Holdings, but grocery retailers have been cautious about committing to new locations in markets that haven’t yet reached resident density thresholds.

    Is the Snohomish River waterfront the same as Waterfront Place at the Port of Everett?

    No. These are two distinct developments. The Snohomish River waterfront (Eclipse Mill, Shelter Holdings) is on the east side of downtown Everett, oriented toward the river and the Interurban Trail. Waterfront Place is at the Port of Everett on the west side, along Port Gardner Bay, and is focused on marina-adjacent dining and retail.

    What happened to the cinema that was planned for the riverfront?

    The cinema concept was replaced by a pickleball facility. This reflects broader trends in entertainment retail nationally, where cinema anchor tenants have become harder to secure, and also reflects adjustments to the retail program based on the current tenant market.

  • Everett Riverfront Development: 2026 Park & Retail Delays

    Everett Riverfront Development: 2026 Park & Retail Delays

    📖 Exploring Everett — In-Depth Coverage of This Story

    Q: Where does Everett’s Snohomish River riverfront development stand in 2026?
    A: The City of Everett scheduled Phase 1 construction on Eclipse Mill Park — the signature 3-acre public park for the Snohomish River waterfront — to mobilize in July 2026, with waterside amenities targeted for completion by November 2026. Developer Shelter Holdings’ land-side Phase 1 park work follows from fall 2026 through spring 2028. The broader riverfront development, which envisions up to 1,250 housing units and ground-floor retail, is advancing — but the retail side has faced significant delays, with a planned grocery store pushed to 2030 and a cinema concept replaced by a pickleball facility.

    The Park Construction Timeline

    If you’ve driven along the Snohomish River lately, you’ve seen it: the buildings going up on what used to be a former landfill and lumber mill site, the streets carved into a neighborhood that didn’t exist five years ago, the quiet accumulation of infrastructure on one of Everett’s most ambitious bets on its own future.

    The riverfront project, led by Bellevue-based developer Shelter Holdings, is one of the largest private development projects underway in Snohomish County. It’s also one of the most publicly scrutinized. An August 2025 Everett Herald story captured the resident frustration that’s built alongside the housing: delays, empty storefronts, and a timeline that keeps moving.

    With the 2026 construction season under way, here’s the most complete picture of where the Everett riverfront actually stands.

    The most concrete near-term milestone is Eclipse Mill Park, the 3-acre public green space planned as the social heart of the new riverfront neighborhood. The project has a split structure. The City of Everett handles the waterside portion: bank stabilization, a floating dock, and waterfront amenities that will make the park usable from the river side. The city’s project timeline puts construction mobilization in July 2026, with the city targeting completion of its portion by November 2026.

    Once the city finishes, Shelter Holdings has 18 months to complete its land-side portion of Phase 1 — the amenities including parking, a playground, a trail connection, and a play lawn. That puts the Phase 1 park completion in spring 2028, with a full park opening projected for that same window.

    What’s worth emphasizing is that this is a real construction event, not a distant promise. The city’s schedule calls for crews to mobilize on the riverbank at the Eclipse Mill Park site in July 2026 and for the waterside portion to be complete by November 2026.

    The Housing Side: What’s Built and What’s Coming

    The housing portion of the Shelter Holdings development is further along than the retail side. Phase 1 launched with 333 apartments as the initial residential component. The broader vision calls for up to 1,250 multi-family housing units across all phases — which would make this one of the largest residential additions in Everett’s history once fully built out.

    The units that are occupied are generating a resident base, which is exactly what the development needs to attract the commercial tenants the neighborhood has been waiting for. More residents means more foot traffic; more foot traffic means a business case for retail operators. The tension is that the sequencing hasn’t worked out that cleanly. The housing came first, but the retail hasn’t followed fast enough for residents who moved in expecting a neighborhood with a coffee shop, a grocery store, and things to do within walking distance.

    The Retail Gap: What Got Delayed, What Got Dropped

    This is the most candid part of the 2026 picture.

    The original Phase 1 vision for the Everett riverfront included a movie theater, a specialty grocer, ground-floor restaurants, and a commercial district that would activate the neighborhood from day one. Almost none of that has materialized on the original schedule.

    The cinema is gone. In 2024, the Everett City Council agreed to let Shelter Holdings replace the planned movie theater with a pay-to-play pickleball facility, citing the post-COVID difficulties facing the movie business. The deadline for that facility was also pushed from Phase 1 to Phase 3 of the development, which is likely several years away.

    The grocery store has been delayed to 2030. When Shelter Holdings asked the city for the extension in June 2025, the explanation was direct: grocery store operators “want to see additional surrounding population density to support a grocery store at the Riverfront.” With Phase 1 apartments occupied but the broader neighborhood still building out, the density threshold for a grocer to make the numbers work hasn’t been reached.

    The Herald’s August 2025 coverage of empty storefronts and resident frustration captured a real tension that anyone who has walked the riverfront neighborhood can see. The ground-floor retail bays that were supposed to activate the street-level experience are sitting empty. The buildings are there. The windows are there. The tenants aren’t.

    Why This Matters for Everett’s Development Story

    The Snohomish River waterfront project is one of three simultaneous waterfront and development efforts reshaping Everett. The Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place on Port Gardner Bay is further along commercially — Tapped Public House, Marina Azul, Menchie’s, Rustic Cork, and Jetty Bar & Grille are all operating. Millwright District Phase 2 targets a mid-2029 entertainment retail opening. The riverfront is the youngest and most interior of the three, running on the longest clock.

    The structural challenge is one that most large mixed-use developments face: the first residents arrive before the amenities that make the development worth living in. Developers manage this by phasing construction so that commercial critical mass arrives shortly after residential density. At the Everett riverfront, that sequence got disrupted — first by COVID’s impact on the cinema sector, then by the grocery sector’s density requirements, then by the general commercial retail slowdown of 2023–2025.

    The 2026 construction season offers a reset moment. Eclipse Mill Park Phase 1 city work, scheduled to mobilize in July, is a visible, tangible marker of progress — exactly the kind of milestone that builds confidence in the neighborhood among both prospective residents and prospective retail tenants. The floating dock, the riverbank improvements, and the infrastructure going in this year will make the Snohomish River accessible to the neighborhood in a way it hasn’t been yet.

    What to Watch in the Second Half of 2026

    The markers worth tracking between now and December 2026:

    City park construction progress. The city targets its riverbank and floating dock work by November 2026. Any slippage to that schedule pushes back Shelter Holdings’ Phase 1 timeline and the spring 2028 park opening.

    Retail tenant announcements. With 2030 now the grocery anchor target, any pre-2030 commercial lease signing in the riverfront district would be meaningful news. Even a smaller-format coffee shop or neighborhood retail commit would signal that the density threshold is being crossed.

    Phase 2 housing permit filings. More housing permits mean more residents on the way, which advances the case for retail faster than anything else the developer can do.

    The Everett riverfront isn’t behind the way a stalled project is behind. It’s behind the way ambitious urban development always is when it tries to build a neighborhood from scratch on challenging land. The bones of a genuinely good waterfront district are visible — the housing, the infrastructure, the park framework. The retail chapter is just taking longer to write.

    The 2026 construction season is set to bring the most visible progress the riverfront has shown in a year. When the city is moving dirt at Eclipse Mill Park, it’ll be the clearest sign yet that Everett’s Snohomish River waterfront is still building toward what it promised to be.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: When will Eclipse Mill Park open?
    Eclipse Mill Park Phase 1 is projected to fully open in spring 2028. The City of Everett will complete its waterside construction by November 2026, after which Shelter Holdings has 18 months to complete the land-side Phase 1 amenities.

    Q: Who is developing the Everett riverfront?
    Shelter Holdings, a Bellevue-based developer, is the primary private developer for the Snohomish River waterfront project. The City of Everett is separately responsible for Eclipse Mill Park’s waterside construction phase.

    Q: How many housing units are planned for the Everett riverfront?
    The full Shelter Holdings development envisions up to 1,250 multi-family housing units across all phases. Phase 1 launched with 333 apartments.

    Q: Why was the riverfront cinema cancelled?
    The Everett City Council approved Shelter Holdings’ request in 2024 to replace the planned movie theater with a pay-to-play pickleball facility, citing challenges facing the cinema industry since COVID-19. The project’s deadline was also moved from Phase 1 to Phase 3.

    Q: When will the riverfront grocery store open?
    The grocery store has been delayed to 2030. Shelter Holdings cited grocery operators’ requirements for greater surrounding population density before they will commit to a store.

    Q: Where is the Everett riverfront development located?
    The Shelter Holdings riverfront development sits along the Snohomish River in Everett, on the site of a former city landfill and lumber mills. It’s distinct from the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place development on Port Gardner Bay to the west.

  • Snohomish County Retail Market: Q1 2026 Vacancy Rates

    Snohomish County Retail Market: Q1 2026 Vacancy Rates

    📖 Exploring Everett — In-Depth Coverage of This Story

    Q: How does Snohomish County’s retail vacancy compare to the rest of the Puget Sound region?
    A: Snohomish County ended Q4 2025 at 3.4% retail vacancy — the tightest rate in the Seattle-Puget Sound metro, according to Kidder Mathews. While the broader Seattle market finished 2025 at 4.0% and held flat at 4.0% in Q1 2026 (Kidder Mathews), Snohomish County’s retail market has stayed tighter because almost no new retail square footage has been built in years. That scarcity protects existing landlords but creates a challenging environment for major new developments like Waterfront Place and Millwright Phase 2 that need to recruit tenants into a market where selectivity is rising.

    Why Snohomish County Retail Stays Tight

    Here’s a number that doesn’t get talked about enough: Snohomish County’s retail vacancy rate ended 2025 at 3.4 percent.

    For context, the broader Seattle metro finished 2025 at 4.0 percent and held flat at 4.0 percent in Q1 2026, per Kidder Mathews. King County’s vacancy was trending higher through the back half of the year. Portland hit 4.8 percent in Q1 2026. By every regional benchmark, Snohomish County’s retail market is the tightest in Puget Sound — and it has been for most of the past three years.

    That’s a complicated backdrop for everything happening on Everett’s waterfront right now.

    The short answer, according to Kidder Mathews’ Q4 2025 retail market data cited by the Everett Herald in February 2026, is construction — or rather, the lack of it. Almost nothing has been built. The last major new shopping center project in Snohomish County was years ago, which means existing retail square footage is scarce. When tenants look for space, their options are limited — which keeps occupancy high and keeps asking rents elevated.

    The Everett Herald framed it plainly: “Few vacant retail spaces in Snohomish County.” At 3.4 percent vacancy, that’s not just a real estate headline — it’s a physical reality that shapes which businesses can afford to open here.

    But Kidder Mathews’ Q1 2026 data introduced something new into the conversation: a split trend line. Direct vacancy dipped to 3.1%, but availability rose from 3.8% to 4.0%, and Kidder describes “a more selective leasing environment” across the region. The moves are measured — this is not a market in distress — but they signal that the floor-tight conditions of the past two years are starting to ease at the margins.

    What This Means for Waterfront Place

    The Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place development has approximately 63,000 square feet of planned retail and restaurant space across the full buildout of Fisherman’s Harbor and Marina Village. A meaningful portion of that is already occupied and generating activity: Tapped Public House opened in March 2026 with the largest waterfront rooftop deck in Snohomish County; Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina arrived in spring 2026; Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt opened at the marina in March; Rustic Cork Wine Bar has been operating for months; Jetty Bar & Grille remains a marina staple; South Fork Baking Co. and Anthony’s HomePort anchor the established tenant base.

    That’s a functioning dining and retail district — and it’s operating in a county where retail space is genuinely scarce. In a sub-3.5 percent vacancy environment, every new restaurant that opens at Waterfront Place is competing not just with other waterfront tenants, but with a county-wide retail market where operators are getting more selective about where they commit.

    The remaining Parcel A7 restaurant site — the Port’s search for a flagship dining tenant at the last undeveloped waterfront pad — is an open question in this context. A tight market should theoretically accelerate recruitment. But Q1 2026’s rising selectivity from prospective tenants complicates that math. Operators have more choices than they used to, and they’re using them.

    The Millwright Phase 2 Question

    The more significant long-term implication of the Q1 2026 retail data is for Millwright District Phase 2, which envisions up to 120,000 square feet of retail, entertainment, and dining — the movie theater, mini golf, arcade, bowling, specialty shops, gyms, and salons announced as the anchor concept, with a projected opening window of mid-2029.

    Between now and 2029, the retail market will complete several more cycles. The current phase — availability edging up, leasing more selective — could resolve in either direction. What the Q1 2026 data confirms is that the foundation is solid. A county that has held below 3.5 percent vacancy for multiple years, with no meaningful new inventory in the pipeline, is a county where well-positioned retail real estate still works. Millwright Phase 2’s 120,000 square feet will be the largest single retail addition Snohomish County has seen in years — arriving into a market that will almost certainly still be undersupplied by mid-decade.

    Downtown Everett and the Bank of America Signal

    One notable data point in downtown Everett’s retail landscape deserves separate attention: the 12,000-square-foot Bank of America building at 1602 Hewitt Avenue, which came to market this spring for the first time in 60 years. Skotdal is marketing the building with a three-lane drive-through and 92 covered parking spaces.

    At 3.1 percent county-wide retail vacancy (Q1 2026), a 12,000-square-foot class-A footprint in downtown Everett should theoretically be in high demand. The fact that it’s available at all is a testament to how thoroughly the banking sector has contracted its physical footprint. The question is whether the retail market’s tightness is enough to attract a non-bank tenant willing to work with that building’s legacy configuration.

    The comparison to the office market is instructive: Snohomish County office vacancy hit 10.7 percent in Q1 2026 — nearly triple the retail rate. Office space is available and under pressure; retail space is not. That divergence matters for how developers think about the use mix at Waterfront Place and Millwright Phase 2. Retail and dining are still the anchor draw. Office demand follows workers, not the other way around.

    The Snohomish County Retail Advantage — For Now

    For anyone tracking Everett’s development story, the retail market data adds an important piece of context. The waterfront, downtown, the riverfront, and Millwright are all recruiting tenants into a county that remains the most retail-constrained in the region. That constraint cuts both ways.

    It means existing retailers perform well. It means new entrants can establish market position before competition multiplies. And it means the large-format entertainment retail vision at Millwright Phase 2 — the first genuine new retail district Snohomish County will have seen in years — will arrive into conditions that still favor well-capitalized landlords.

    The Q1 2026 signal worth watching is whether rising tenant selectivity translates into slower absorption at Waterfront Place. The next few quarters of lease announcements will be a real-time test of whether the Port’s restaurant row momentum can hold as availability edges up. Based on what the data shows right now, there’s no reason to expect it won’t — but the days of almost any tenant being available are giving way to a market that’s starting to pick and choose.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: What is Snohomish County’s retail vacancy rate?
    Snohomish County ended Q4 2025 at 3.4 percent retail vacancy, the lowest in the Puget Sound metro according to Kidder Mathews. In Q1 2026, direct vacancy dipped to 3.1 percent while availability rose from 3.8 to 4.0 percent (Kidder Mathews Q1 2026).

    Q: How does Snohomish County compare to Seattle’s retail market?
    The broader Seattle metro finished 2025 at 4.0 percent retail vacancy, roughly half a point higher than Snohomish County. In Q1 2026 the Seattle-area rate held flat at 4.0 percent while Snohomish County dipped to 3.1 percent (Kidder Mathews Q1 2026), keeping it below regional averages.

    Q: How much retail space is planned at Waterfront Place?
    The Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place development plans for approximately 63,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space across Fisherman’s Harbor and Marina Village, with multiple tenants already operating.

    Q: How much retail is coming to Millwright District Phase 2?
    Millwright District Phase 2 envisions up to 120,000 square feet of entertainment-anchored retail — including a movie theater, mini golf, arcade, bowling, and specialty shops — with a projected opening window of mid-2029.

    Q: Why is Snohomish County retail vacancy so low?
    The primary driver is a near-complete absence of new retail construction in the county for multiple years. With no significant new inventory entering the market, existing space stays occupied and asking rents remain elevated.

    Q: What is happening at the Bank of America building on Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett?
    The 12,000-square-foot former Bank of America building at 1602 Hewitt Avenue became available for the first time in roughly 60 years in spring 2026. Skotdal is marketing the space with a three-lane drive-through and 92 covered parking spaces in downtown Everett.

  • Snohomish County Federal Priorities at EASC DC Fly-In

    Snohomish County Federal Priorities at EASC DC Fly-In

    What is the EASC DC Fly-In and what does it have to do with Everett’s waterfront?
    The Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) is leading a delegation of business, government, and community leaders to Washington, D.C. from May 5 through May 7, 2026, to advocate directly with members of Congress and federal agencies on the region’s federal priorities. The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company, with support from the Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group. It’s the most concentrated federal advocacy push our region runs all year — and it’s happening right now.

    A Snohomish County Trip Most Residents Don’t Hear About

    Most of the conversation about Snohomish County’s federal priorities happens in obscure rooms: legislative committee hearings, agency briefings, advocacy board meetings inside the EASC offices on Rucker Avenue. The work is real, but the public-facing moment is rare.

    The annual EASC DC Fly-In is the closest thing to a public-facing moment this advocacy ever gets. For three days each May, a delegation of Snohomish County leaders — business owners, mayors, port commissioners, tribal leaders, education officials — travels to Washington, D.C. to make the case directly to the people who write federal budgets and run federal agencies.

    This year’s trip is happening as you read this. The delegation arrived on Tuesday, May 5, for a welcome reception. Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, are full days of meetings on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies. The schedule wraps Thursday evening with a farewell reception before the delegation flies home.

    If you live in Everett and pay any attention at all to Sound Transit, the Port of Everett, federal aerospace research dollars, water infrastructure grants, or the Snohomish River flood mitigation work, then someone at this fly-in is probably in a room arguing for something that affects you.

    What the Fly-In Actually Does

    The EASC DC Fly-In is a coordinated federal advocacy program. The delegation does three things over the course of three days.

    First, it sits down with Washington’s congressional delegation. That includes Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and the House members representing the 1st, 2nd, and other relevant districts. These are direct meetings, not a stop-by-the-office handshake. Members and their staff hear specific federal asks tied to specific projects in Snohomish County.

    Second, it meets with federal agencies. EASC has a federal lobbyist who handles the agency calendar — meetings with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Maritime Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other agencies that touch the region’s industries. These meetings turn into formal grant applications, project endorsements, and technical assistance.

    Third, the delegation participates in panel discussions with policy experts and staff from major think tanks and federal offices. This is the listening half of the trip — what’s coming in the next federal funding cycle, where the discretionary money is going to be steered, what the technical requirements look like for upcoming grant rounds.

    The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company, the largest single employer in Snohomish County and the most consistent fly-in sponsor over time. The Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group are additional supporters this year. EASC is described in its own materials as “the largest business advocacy organization in Snohomish County” and serves as the regional business voice in both Olympia and Washington, D.C.

    What’s on the Federal Asks List

    EASC has not published a public document listing the specific 2026 federal asks the delegation is carrying this week. The agenda is built around the agency’s broader Regional Federal Priorities, developed with the Advocacy Board.

    What we can say from the publicly stated framework is that EASC’s federal priorities are organized around four broad categories: multimodal transportation and utilities infrastructure, an educated and skilled workforce, support for key regional industries, and a competitive business environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

    For Everett specifically, the development-side priorities most likely on the table this week — based on EASC’s public advocacy positions over the past year and the projects with active federal funding components — include:

    Sound Transit Everett Link Extension. A $7.7 billion segment of the regional light rail system that depends on a combination of local subarea funding, state contributions, and federal transit grants. The Sound Transit Board meets May 28 to choose between three approaches that determine whether the line reaches downtown Everett Station or stops at the SW Everett Industrial Center. Federal funding posture matters at the agency level.

    Port of Everett infrastructure investments. The port’s $11.25 million federal Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant for the Pier 3 structural rebuild was announced April 27. That single grant is the kind of federal-state-port partnership the fly-in exists to nurture. The port has a $70 million 2026 budget and is in active investment cycles on the working waterfront, the Mukilteo waterfront acquisition, and Marina bulkhead modernization (the final $6.75 million Bergerson Segment E phase wraps in May 2026).

    Snohomish River flood mitigation and stormwater. The $8.7 million Lenora Stormwater Treatment Facility broke ground in April 2026 with state grant funding under WQC-2025-EverPW-00177. Future phases of the citywide combined sewer overflow program — including the recently approved $113 million West Marine View Drive pipeline that feeds the planned Port Gardner Storage Facility — depend on a mix of federal and state matching dollars.

    Aerospace research and workforce. Boeing’s North Line at Paine Field opens this summer building 737 MAX aircraft. The Aviation Technical Services MRO operation, ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric flight testing, and the broader aerospace ecosystem in Snohomish County all benefit from federal research funding and workforce development grants.

    Naval Station Everett. The $282.9 million FF(X) frigate contract awarded to Ingalls in April 2026 reframed the conversation about NAVSTA Everett’s homeport bid. Federal advocacy on military construction, family housing, and base infrastructure is an annual priority.

    Paine Field commercial terminal expansion. Federal Aviation Administration coordination on additional gates and terminal capacity, particularly with the June 10, 2026 launch of Alaska Airlines’ Paine Field-Portland nonstop, is part of the airport’s ongoing growth conversation.

    Why This Trip Matters More in 2026 Than Most Years

    Three things make this year’s fly-in higher-stakes than usual.

    The first is the Sound Transit timeline. The May 28 board meeting is precisely three weeks after the delegation lands in DC. Federal agency posture on transit grants, especially under the New Starts and Capital Investment Grant programs, is one of the variables board members weigh when picking between approaches. A clear signal from the federal side that the full 16-mile spine is grant-eligible can shift the calculus at the local level.

    The second is the broader federal funding environment. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding rounds are still actively being awarded. The CHIPS and Science Act has reshaped advanced manufacturing grant pipelines. Defense industrial base initiatives have created new funding streams that overlap with the Naval Station Everett and Boeing footprints. The window for shaping how those dollars land in Snohomish County is open right now.

    The third is the SR 529 / Edgewater Bridge moment. The new $34 million Edgewater Bridge opened on April 28, 2026, after years of delays. That gives the delegation a concrete success story to present in DC — federal-state-local infrastructure partnerships actually delivering — at exactly the moment when the next round of bridge and roadway funding is being shaped.

    The Boeing Sponsorship Is a Signal, Not a Conflict

    It’s worth saying out loud: the Boeing Company presenting the fly-in is not unusual, and it’s not a conflict to be apologetic about. Boeing is the largest employer in Snohomish County. The 737 North Line opens this summer in Everett. The 777X is on the runway at Paine Field. Tens of thousands of paychecks and the property tax base of multiple cities run through Boeing’s Everett facilities.

    What the Boeing sponsorship tells you about the delegation’s posture is that this is a business-led advocacy effort, not a city-government-led one. The asks are framed in terms of regional economic competitiveness — workforce, supply chain, infrastructure that supports private investment — not in terms of social policy or regulatory positions. That’s the EASC lane.

    The Tulalip Tribes’ support broadens the picture. Tribal economic priorities in Snohomish County — including waterfront, environmental, and infrastructure interests — get a seat at the same table.

    What Comes Back to Everett From This Week

    The deliverable from any fly-in is rarely a single decision. It’s a set of relationships, a refreshed understanding of the federal funding calendar, and a more specific picture of what the next round of grant applications has to look like to be competitive.

    The concrete things to watch over the next 60 days:

    • Whether any of the federal agencies the delegation met with announce new grant rounds or technical assistance programs that align with the asks Snohomish County brought to the table.
    • Whether the May 28 Sound Transit Board vote shifts in any way that suggests the federal posture on transit grants influenced the room.
    • Whether the Port of Everett’s next federal grant submission — particularly under PIDP and Maritime Administration discretionary programs — reflects coordination that came out of this week’s meetings.
    • Whether the Snohomish River flood mitigation and stormwater program picks up additional federal matching commitments in the next federal budget cycle.

    The delegation flies home Thursday night. The follow-up calls start Monday morning.

    If you want to know what Snohomish County is asking for in DC right now, the EASC DC Fly-In is the answer. We’ll keep watching what comes back.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What dates is the EASC DC Fly-In happening in 2026?
    The 2026 EASC DC Fly-In runs Tuesday, May 5 through Thursday, May 7. The welcome reception is May 5 evening, full meeting days are May 6 and May 7, and a farewell reception caps the trip Thursday evening.

    Who is on the EASC delegation in DC this week?
    EASC has not published the full 2026 attendee list. The delegation typically includes business leaders, elected officials from cities and the county, port commissioners, tribal leadership, education representatives, and EASC staff including the federal lobbyist. The fly-in is presented by The Boeing Company with support from the Tulalip Tribes and Desimone Consulting Group.

    Are Everett’s specific federal priorities published?
    EASC develops Regional Federal Priorities through its Advocacy Board but does not always publish them in granular form. The framework focuses on multimodal transportation and utilities infrastructure, workforce development, support for regional industries, and a competitive business environment.

    Does the fly-in directly affect the Sound Transit Everett Link decision?
    Not directly. The Sound Transit Board’s three-approach decision on May 28 is a regional governance decision. But federal posture on transit grants — Capital Investment Grants, New Starts, FTA technical assistance — is one variable board members consider when evaluating which approach is fundable. Federal advocacy this week feeds that posture.

    What was the most recent federal grant announcement for Everett-area infrastructure?
    The Port of Everett’s $11.25 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant for the Pier 3 structural rebuild was announced April 27, 2026. The Lenora Stormwater Treatment Facility uses an $8.7 million state grant (WQC-2025-EverPW-00177) and broke ground in April 2026.

    Where can residents track outcomes from the 2026 EASC DC Fly-In?
    EASC’s news center at economicalliancesc.org/news-center publishes post-trip summaries and key advocacy outcomes. Federal grant announcements typically lag the fly-in by 30 to 90 days as agency calendars and appropriations move forward.

    Is there a way for residents to support EASC’s federal asks?
    Direct advocacy from residents is most effective with the congressional delegation: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and the U.S. Representatives covering Snohomish County districts. EASC’s advocacy page at economicalliancesc.org/advocacy/advocacy lists current legislative priorities and ways to engage.

  • Everett Link Extension: What the May 28 Vote Decides

    Everett Link Extension: What the May 28 Vote Decides

    Why does the Sound Transit board meet on May 28, 2026, and what does it decide for Everett?
    On May 28, 2026, the Sound Transit Board of Directors meets in Tacoma to consider three “approaches” for closing a $34.5 billion long-term funding gap and updating the ST3 System Plan. Two of the three approaches preserve the full 16-mile Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station; the third truncates the line at the SW Everett Industrial Center. The board is expected to recommend one approach by the end of June. The May 28 vote is the technical decision that shapes everything that follows.

    The Vote Everyone Is Watching Without Realizing It

    Most of the Everett Link conversation this spring has rotated around a single date: June 30, 2026. That’s when the Sound Transit Board is expected to formally adopt an updated ST3 System Plan. Headlines have framed it as the “do-or-die” vote on whether trains will reach downtown Everett.

    But there’s a vote a month earlier that matters more in practical terms — and it has flown almost completely under the radar.

    On Thursday, May 28, 2026, the Sound Transit Board of Directors meets from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ruth Fisher Board Room at 401 Jackson St. in Tacoma. That meeting is where the board is expected to choose between three “approaches” the agency has put on the table for closing its $34.5 billion long-term funding gap and updating the ST3 System Plan. The June 30 vote then ratifies whatever the May 28 meeting recommends.

    In other words: by the time the calendar flips to June, the substantive decision will already be made.

    We’ve spent the last six weeks talking about whether the public would be heard. The May 1 public-input survey closed last week. So now the question shifts. With the survey closed and the board’s options narrowed to three, what is actually being decided on May 28? And which approach gets Everett to the finish line?

    What the $34.5 Billion Gap Actually Is

    Sound Transit calls the planning effort the Enterprise Initiative. It’s the agency’s response to a long-term funding shortfall that has grown well past anyone’s original estimates.

    The number to remember is $34.5 billion. That’s the total budget gap projected over the next 20 years across the Sound Transit district. Roughly $30 billion of that gap is concentrated in the North King and South King County subareas, driven by capital cost growth on the West Seattle and Ballard Link extensions.

    That last detail matters for Everett. Each of Sound Transit’s five subareas — Snohomish, North King, South King, East King, and Pierce — has its own dedicated funding pot. According to Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, who chairs the Sound Transit Board, “the Snohomish section is almost fully funded.”

    In other words, the funding crisis is not a Snohomish County crisis. It’s a King County cost-overrun crisis. But because the board has to update the entire system plan as one document, Everett ends up on the table whether the local money is there or not.

    The Three Approaches in Plain English

    Here is what the Sound Transit board is actually choosing between on May 28. We’ve simplified the agency’s published descriptions for a non-transit-nerd reader.

    Approach 1 — Spine first, hold the West Seattle and Issaquah extensions.
    Funds the full Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station. Funds full construction to the Tacoma Dome. Funds West Seattle to Alaska Junction only. Funds South Center only. Defers everything else. This approach finishes the Federal Way-to-Everett spine before spending on east-west extensions.

    Approach 2 — Spine plus a partial Ballard.
    Funds the full Everett Link Extension to downtown Everett Station. Funds construction to Smith Cove (a partial Ballard build). Funds full construction to the Tacoma Dome. Funds the South Kirkland-Issaquah Extension. Defers other deferrals. This approach is similar to Approach 1 but trades the full West Seattle build for a partial Ballard build.

    Approach 3 — Phase everything, stop short of downtown Everett.
    Truncates the Everett Link at the SW Everett Industrial Center, not downtown Everett Station. Truncates the Tacoma extension at Fife instead of the Tacoma Dome. Funds Delridge in West Seattle, South Center, and several infill stations including Graham and Boeing Access. Funds initial phases only on the T Line and South Kirkland-Issaquah extensions. This approach phases every project rather than fully completing fewer of them.

    All three approaches deliver roughly 86 to 87 percent of the original ST3 ridership target, and all three involve major changes to the Ballard Extension as originally promised in 2016.

    What Approach 3 Would Actually Mean for Everett

    Approach 3 is the one Snohomish County is fighting against.

    The most important consequence is geographic: it would end the Everett Link line at the SW Everett Industrial Center — roughly the area near the Boeing factory and Paine Field — rather than continuing the line into downtown Everett Station. That is a meaningful difference on a map and a much bigger difference on the ground.

    Downtown Everett Station is the planned multimodal hub adjacent to the Sounder commuter rail platform, the Everett Transit and Community Transit bus integration, the under-construction stadium and outdoor event center site, and the heart of the city’s downtown housing and retail core. SW Everett Industrial Center is a job site — important, but not where most riders live, eat, or change between buses and trains.

    Approach 3 also pushes the schedule. The Everett Link is currently expected to open between 2037 and 2041 depending on phasing. Under Approach 3, the downtown segment would be deferred indefinitely, with no committed funding to extend service the rest of the way once the SW Everett Industrial Center segment opens.

    That’s why Mayor Cassie Franklin, who sits on the Sound Transit Board, has been making the public case for the full spine. In an April 27 letter to the board summarized by the Lynnwood Times, Franklin laid out the case that Everett is now home to a Boeing factory, an expanding Paine Field commercial terminal, minor league baseball, hockey, an under-construction event center, and a growing industrial base — and that “it is the spine from Everett to Tacoma that is actually going to connect this region.”

    Why the May 28 Meeting Beats the June 30 Meeting in Importance

    The June 30 vote is the formal vote on the updated ST3 System Plan. It’s the procedural moment when the board adopts the new document.

    The May 28 meeting is when the board takes the chair’s recommendation and signals which of the three approaches will form the basis of the final plan. By the time June 30 rolls around, the public deliberation about which approach will be over. The June meeting becomes a yes-or-no on a specific package, not a choice between three options.

    That makes May 28 the real decision date for anyone trying to understand where the Everett Link ends up.

    It also makes May 28 the last realistic moment for public comment to land. The May 1 online survey is closed. Written comments to the board can still be submitted, and the board takes verbal public comment at meetings. The May 28 meeting accepts virtual attendance via Zoom — the link is published on the Board of Directors event calendar at soundtransit.org.

    What Snohomish County Is Saying Right Now

    Two votes on the Sound Transit board come from Snohomish County: County Executive Dave Somers, who chairs the board, and Mayor Franklin.

    Somers has framed the spine completion as the priority. At the April 14 town hall in Everett, he told a standing-room crowd that board support for finishing the spine is the strongest he has seen, and that the funding crisis is concentrated in King County, not Snohomish. He has floated the idea of a King County subarea levy, public-private partnership investment, or other localized revenue tools to close the West Seattle and Ballard cost overruns without sacrificing the spine.

    Franklin’s $7.7 billion letter — the figure roughly matches the projected cost of the Everett Link Extension as currently scoped — went directly to the board on April 27 and was reinforced by an April 30 unanimous Everett City Council letter demanding the full 16-mile extension.

    That posture is local policy now. Whether it carries the May 28 vote is a different question.

    What Riders and Future Riders Should Do This Month

    If you live in Everett and care about the outcome, the practical to-do list for the next three weeks is short:

    1. Email the full Sound Transit Board. Mayor Franklin made the point at the April 14 town hall: she and Somers can vote, but the board has 18 members. The three approaches will be decided by a majority of the room. Email addresses for board members are published at soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/board-of-directors.

    2. Attend the May 28 meeting in person or on Zoom. The meeting runs 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 401 Jackson St., Tacoma. Public comment is accepted at the meeting. Virtual attendance details are on the agency’s Board of Directors event calendar.

    3. Check whether your city council has joined the chorus. Everett City Council voted unanimously on the full extension. Mukilteo, Lake Stevens, Mill Creek, and Snohomish councils have varying public positions; if your council hasn’t weighed in, that’s the kind of action that gets noticed at the board level.

    The April 14 town hall in Everett showed the agency is listening. What the board does on May 28 will tell us how loudly.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When and where does the Sound Transit Board meet on May 28, 2026?
    Thursday, May 28, 2026, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Ruth Fisher Board Room, 401 Jackson St., Tacoma. Virtual attendance via Zoom is available — the join details are published on the Board of Directors calendar at soundtransit.org.

    What happens if the board picks Approach 3 on May 28?
    Approach 3 would truncate the Everett Link Extension at the SW Everett Industrial Center rather than continuing to downtown Everett Station. The downtown segment would be deferred without committed funding, pushing the Everett Station opening past the current 2037-2041 window indefinitely.

    Is the Everett Link Extension fully funded under Approaches 1 and 2?
    According to Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, the Snohomish County subarea is “almost fully funded.” Approaches 1 and 2 both preserve the full 16-mile line from Lynnwood to downtown Everett Station. The funding crisis is concentrated in North King and South King County subareas.

    What is the difference between the May 28 vote and the June 30 vote?
    May 28 is when the Sound Transit Board chooses among the three approaches and signals direction for the updated ST3 System Plan. June 30 is the formal adoption of the new plan. By June 30, the substantive choice is already made.

    How can the public still weigh in if the May 1 survey has closed?
    Email all 18 Sound Transit Board members directly, attend the May 28 meeting in person or on Zoom, and provide written or verbal public comment at the meeting. City council resolutions also influence the regional conversation.

    What is the $34.5 billion gap?
    A 20-year projected shortfall across the Sound Transit district. Roughly $30 billion of the gap is in the North King and South King County subareas, driven by West Seattle and Ballard cost overruns. Snohomish County’s section is almost fully funded according to Somers.

    When would Everett Link service actually open under Approaches 1 or 2?
    Sound Transit currently lists 2037 as the SW Everett Industrial Center opening target, with downtown Everett Station service following by 2041 under current financial constraints. Approach 3 would push the downtown opening indefinitely past those dates.

  • Snohomish County Apartment Sales Hit $640M: Everett Impact

    Snohomish County Apartment Sales Hit $640M: Everett Impact

    How is the Snohomish County apartment investment market performing in 2026?
    Snohomish County apartment sales reached $640 million across 32 deals in 2025 — more than doubling from 2023 transaction volumes — as flat rents and stable vacancy created entry conditions that yield-focused investors found compelling. Average pricing settled around $294,557 per unit, and with 17,089 units still under construction regionally, capital is moving before the next supply cycle closes.

    Most of the housing market coverage you’ve read about Snohomish County this year has been about buyers, sellers, and mortgage rates. That’s not the whole picture.

    While the for-sale residential market has been digesting a 51% inventory surge and buyers have been navigating 6.4% rates, a parallel story has been unfolding in the investment market — the institutional and private capital that buys, holds, and sells apartment buildings. And that story has a very different tone.

    Snohomish County apartment sales hit $640 million in 2025, according to a Kidder Mathews analysis reported by The Registry Pacific Northwest. That’s across 32 deals. The volume more than doubled from 2023 levels — the trough of what had been a significant pullback in multifamily transaction activity driven by rising interest rates and reset expectations.

    The question worth asking now: what do those investors see in Snohomish County, and what does their move back into the market mean for Everett specifically?

    Why the Market Reset the Way It Did

    To understand where we are, it helps to understand where we came from.

    The 2021-2022 apartment investment boom was driven by cheap debt and outsized rent growth. Cap rates compressed dramatically. Then the Federal Reserve raised rates, borrowing costs spiked, and sellers who bought in 2021-2022 at aggressive prices couldn’t hit the numbers that 2023-2024 buyers needed to see. Transaction volume crashed nationally, and Snohomish County wasn’t immune.

    The recovery that’s now playing out isn’t a return to 2021 pricing. It’s something more durable: a market where seller expectations have adjusted, where buyers can underwrite deals to current rent levels and get a yield, and where the operating fundamentals — occupancy, rent trends — are stable enough to justify putting capital to work.

    The Kidder Mathews data point on average price per unit illustrates this. At approximately $294,557 per unit with a 4% year-over-year decline from 2024 levels, pricing is off the peaks but far from distressed. That’s a reachable entry point for buyers who couldn’t compete in 2021-2022 and have been waiting.

    What Makes Snohomish County Attractive Right Now

    Apartment investors look at fundamentals first: vacancy rates, rent trends, and the supply pipeline.

    On vacancy, Kidder Mathews’ Q4 2025 Seattle-Puget Sound regional data shows multifamily vacancy holding at 7.4% year-over-year. That’s not tight — but it’s not distressed either. For a county where the job base is anchored by Boeing, Paine Field aerospace, the Naval Station, and a growing tech cluster along I-5, that vacancy rate reflects a market with durable demand drivers.

    On rent, the story for 2025 was flat. Everett’s rental market saw rents down roughly 2% year-over-year in 2025, to an average around $1,849 according to prior market data. That’s the downside. But for investors, flat rents in a well-employed market with a constrained land supply are different from flat rents in a market with weak fundamentals. Investors who can buy at current prices and hold for a rent recovery cycle are making a different bet than investors who overpaid during the growth phase.

    On supply, the regional construction pipeline is thinning. Roughly 17,089 units remain under construction across the Seattle-Puget Sound metro — a 23% decline from the prior year. That contraction means the supply overhang that compressed rents will start to clear in 2026 and 2027. Capital that moves now is positioning ahead of that clearing.

    What This Means for Everett Specifically

    Everett is not a monolith in this investment market. The specific submarkets attracting attention are worth understanding.

    The premium waterfront product — the Sawyer and Carling at Waterfront Place — has been holding occupancy at roughly 95% even as broader rents softened, with $2,202-$2,800 monthly rents demonstrating that the waterfront premium survives a soft market. For institutional investors, that occupancy and rent spread is a data point about the durability of location-driven demand.

    Lincoln Properties is underway on Phase 2 of Millwright District — 300-plus units in a mixed-use waterfront setting that will be the first large new-to-the-market supply at the Port of Everett waterfront in this cycle. When those units come online, they’ll reset the comp set for waterfront multifamily in Everett.

    Further south, the adaptive reuse pipeline is active. The Sage Investment Group conversion of the former Econo Lodge at 9602 19th St SE into 124 studio apartments (Phase 1 leasing August 2026) represents the workforce housing angle that Kidder Mathews noted in its investment outlook: value-add and workforce housing offer compelling yield opportunities where class-A development doesn’t pencil.

    The downtown core and the corridors adjacent to the new stadium site are also drawing attention from development capital, though in earlier-stage planning. The city’s approval of the $10.6 million stadium design package in late April sets a September 2026 construction start target for the 5,000-seat Outdoor Event Center — and stadium-adjacent development is a real category of investment thesis that capital is starting to evaluate.

    The Investor’s Lens vs. the Resident’s Lens

    It’s worth being honest about the tension here.

    When apartment investment capital flows into a market like Everett, it’s not always aligned with what existing residents need. Yield-focused buyers have incentives to optimize revenue per unit. Workforce housing conversions can displace existing tenants if not managed carefully. Rising investor interest in a market can precede rent pressure once the supply overhang clears.

    The city’s tools to manage this tension — the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, inclusionary zoning in new developments, the Housing Hope ecosystem, the EHA pipeline — matter precisely because the market is now active enough to require them.

    The $640 million in 2025 transaction volume tells us that capital has made a judgment: Snohomish County is on the right side of the Puget Sound affordability gradient, close enough to Seattle employment to benefit from overspill demand, with enough job diversity to hold occupancy through economic cycles. That judgment drives development, drives transactions, and ultimately drives the housing conditions that Everett residents live inside.

    Understanding how this capital thinks is part of understanding where Everett’s housing goes next.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much did apartment sales reach in Snohomish County in 2025?
    Snohomish County apartment sales reached $640 million across 32 deals in 2025, according to a Kidder Mathews analysis, more than doubling transaction volume from 2023 levels.

    What is the average price per apartment unit in Snohomish County?
    Average pricing was approximately $294,557 per unit in the most recent market data, down about 4% year-over-year from 2024 — reflecting pricing adjustments from the 2021-2022 peak.

    What is the apartment vacancy rate in the Snohomish County area?
    Kidder Mathews’ Q4 2025 data showed multifamily vacancy holding at 7.4% year-over-year across the Seattle-Puget Sound region. Everett’s specific figures track roughly with the broader market.

    Why are investors buying apartments in Snohomish County now?
    Flat rents, stable vacancy, and adjusted pricing from the 2021-2022 peak have created entry conditions that yield-focused buyers find workable. The thinning construction pipeline also suggests supply overhang will clear in 2026-2027, giving investors who buy now exposure to the next rent recovery cycle.

    What new apartment projects are coming to Everett?
    Lincoln Properties is underway on 300-plus units at Millwright District (Waterfront Place). Sage Investment Group is converting the former Econo Lodge on 19th St SE into 124 studio apartments with Phase 1 leasing targeting August 2026. Stadium-adjacent development opportunities are also being evaluated as the downtown Outdoor Event Center advances toward a September 2026 construction start.

    How does Everett’s apartment investment market compare to King County?
    Snohomish County typically offers lower per-unit pricing than King County submarkets like Bellevue or Seattle proper, while maintaining access to the same labor market. That affordability gradient is part of what draws yield-focused capital — investors can enter at lower basis points while capturing similar demand dynamics.

  • Downtown Everett Bank of America Building Now For Lease

    Downtown Everett Bank of America Building Now For Lease

    What happened to the Bank of America in downtown Everett?
    Bank of America closed its branch at 1602 Hewitt Avenue in April 2026, ending more than 60 years at the same corner location. The 62,000-square-foot building — owned by Skotdal Real Estate — is now available for lease for the first time since 1965, with availability starting mid-May 2026.

    If you’ve driven down Hewitt Avenue lately, you’ve noticed something different at the corner of Hewitt and Colby. The Bank of America signs are gone. The drive-through lanes sit empty. And for the first time since 1965, the building at 1602–1604 Hewitt Avenue is looking for a new tenant.

    We’ve been watching this space for a while. The closure was quiet — no press release, no farewell event, no real announcement beyond a letter to longtime customers. One week it was open, the next week the signs came down and the LoopNet listing went up. But what happens next in that building matters for downtown Everett in a way that’s hard to overstate.

    What the Building Actually Is

    The property at 1602–1604 Hewitt Ave is a 62,000-square-foot building on one of the most visible corners in downtown Everett — Hewitt and Colby, at the heart of the Hewitt Avenue commercial corridor. Skotdal Real Estate, the Everett-based commercial property firm that has been one of downtown’s most active investors for decades, owns and is now actively marketing the building.

    The space coming available is approximately 12,000 square feet of the ground floor — the former bank branch and lobby. That footprint includes two things that are genuinely rare in downtown Everett: a three-lane drive-through and 92 covered parking spots. For any retail or service business that depends on vehicle access or parking, those features are nearly impossible to find this close to the core of downtown.

    The space features full-corner frontage with dual street exposure on both Hewitt and Colby, large windows, a sweeping interior staircase, a private elevator, and what Skotdal describes as abundant natural light. It’s a landmark-grade build-out that doesn’t require a tenant to start from scratch.

    Availability is listed as mid-May 2026.

    Why Bank of America Left — and Why It Matters

    Bank of America notified customers in writing beginning in November 2025 that the Hewitt location would close. The official company statement: “The financial center at 1602 Hewitt Avenue was one of the oldest and largest financial centers in our local network, and we have several other locations nearby that are more modern and aligned with how our clients bank today.”

    It’s the same story playing out in downtowns across the country. More than 6,000 commercial bank branches nationally have closed over the past five years as mobile banking erodes the foot-traffic case for urban branches. The lobby at Hewitt and Colby had been shrinking for years — from a full teller line to one or two staff, serving mostly customers who needed cashier’s checks, in-person account services, or one of the few downtown locations where you could cash a check without an account.

    But the closure stings a little more here because of what that corner has meant to Everett.

    The building’s history on that block goes back to 1892, when the First National Bank of Everett opened at or near that address. The current structure dates to 1965 — built for what eventually became Seafirst Bank, which was acquired by Bank of America in 1983 and rebranded in 1999. That means Bank of America, or its direct predecessors, occupied this corner for over 60 consecutive years.

    What Could Come Next

    Skotdal Real Estate has been one of the most consequential forces in downtown Everett’s commercial real estate story. Their portfolio includes marquee buildings along the Hewitt and Colby corridors, and they’ve been central to attracting the office and retail tenants that have given downtown its current momentum.

    The pitch for this space is straightforward: you get a flagship corner in a downtown that is actively transforming. The $10.6 million stadium design package approved by City Council in late April puts a 5,000-seat outdoor event center on track for a September 2026 construction start a few blocks away. The Everett Art Walk returns May 21. New restaurants on Hewitt — including R Harn Thai, which just opened — are drawing people back to the corridor.

    The drive-through and parking are the X factor. Most retail or service concepts that need both would not normally be able to place themselves at Hewitt and Colby. A credit union, a pharmacy, a coffee-and-banking hybrid, a medical or dental clinic with patient parking, a high-volume quick-service restaurant — all of these would normally rule out a downtown corner and look for a suburban pad site instead. Here, the existing infrastructure changes that calculus.

    The bigger-picture question is what this vacancy signals. Downtown Everett has been building momentum for several years, but it has also been honest about the challenges. Earlier this year the city documented a vacancy count along the commercial corridors that showed real gaps. The BofA closure adds to that count in one of the most visible spots possible. The answer to what comes next matters not just for Skotdal and the building’s future tenant — it matters for whether Hewitt Avenue’s commercial rebound stays on track.

    What’s Already in the Neighborhood

    The space doesn’t exist in isolation. Within a short walk:

    • The Everett Art Walk’s gallery circuit runs along this stretch of downtown, including multiple galleries that have opened or expanded in recent years
    • Narrative Coffee, STRGZR Coffee & Kitchen, and The Loft Coffee Bar anchor the coffee-and-remote-work scene on adjacent blocks
    • New restaurant openings on Hewitt (R Harn Thai, Luca Italian, The New Mexicans) have added foot traffic
    • The historic Everett Theatre at 2911 Colby is booking major acts through the summer

    For a retailer or service business evaluating downtown Everett, the current moment is both encouraging and uncertain. The direction is clearly positive — but the pace of infill matters, and a vacant flagship corner is not a neutral signal.

    The Practical Picture

    Nearest Bank of America branches for former customers: Evergreen Way (5019 Evergreen Way), Greentree Plaza (305 SE Everett Mall Way, Suite 31), Silver Lake (1803 112th St SE), and Marysville (415 State Ave). Each is roughly 10–16 minutes by car.

    The Skotdal listing for 1602–1604 Hewitt is active on LoopNet and directly at skotdal.com. The available footprint is described as ground-floor retail or office use, with the drive-through lanes and parking as potential differentiators for the right tenant.

    We’ll be watching. When Skotdal secures a tenant for this space, it will be one of the bigger commercial announcements downtown Everett has seen in years.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When did Bank of America close its downtown Everett branch?
    Bank of America officially closed its branch at 1602 Hewitt Avenue in Everett in mid-April 2026. Customers were notified in writing beginning in November 2025.

    Who owns the Bank of America building in downtown Everett?
    Skotdal Real Estate, an Everett-based commercial property company, owns the building at 1602–1604 Hewitt Ave and is managing the lease-up of the vacated space.

    How big is the former Bank of America space available for lease?
    Approximately 12,000 square feet of ground-floor space is available, within a larger 62,000-square-foot building. The space includes a 3-lane drive-through and 92 covered parking spots.

    When is the downtown Everett Bank of America space available?
    Skotdal is listing availability as mid-May 2026. The building is actively being marketed on LoopNet and skotdal.com.

    What was at that corner before Bank of America?
    The current building dates to 1965 and was built for Seafirst Bank. Before that, the First National Bank of Everett — established in 1892 — operated at or near that address. Bank of America acquired Seafirst in 1983 and rebranded in 1999.

    What other Bank of America locations serve downtown Everett customers?
    The nearest locations are on Evergreen Way (~10 min), Greentree Plaza SE (~14 min), Silver Lake (~16 min), and Marysville (~14 min).

  • Snohomish County Housing Market: April 2026 Sales Intensity

    Snohomish County Housing Market: April 2026 Sales Intensity

    What’s the headline number from the Madrona Group’s April 2026 Snohomish County housing report? Sales Activity Intensity came in at 54.9%, down only slightly from 56.0% the month before — meaning more than half of all listings still went pending within the first 30 days. Inventory tightened to 1.6 months. Mortgage rates moved up to 6.45%. Single-family resale prices held near $877,000 with homes selling at 99.8% of list price. The market did not slow down the way the inventory headlines suggested.

    You probably read yesterday’s coverage of Snohomish County’s April housing market — the NWMLS data showing inventory up 51.8% year-over-year, the median sale price at $738,000, the 2.8 months of supply. That is one accurate way to read this market. Here is another, also accurate, with very different implications.

    The Madrona Group dropped its April 2026 Snohomish County report this week, and it does not look like a market that lost its footing. It looks like a market that is moving slower at the top of the funnel — fewer homes coming on, fewer offers per listing, more buyer hesitation — but where the deals that do happen are happening fast and at strong prices.

    The number we want to focus on is Sales Activity Intensity — and we are going to explain it because it is not a number that shows up in every market report and most readers have never seen it framed this way.

    What Sales Activity Intensity actually measures

    Sales Activity Intensity is the share of all active listings that go pending within the first 30 days on the market. Not closed — pending. Pending is the moment a buyer’s offer has been accepted and the deal is moving toward closing. It is the moment when the market said yes.

    A 54.9% Sales Activity Intensity in Snohomish County for April 2026 means that more than one out of every two homes that listed last month had a buyer say yes within 30 days. That is a fast market. It is fast even after a small dip from March, when the same number was 56.0%.

    For comparison, a market that is genuinely cooling — homes sitting, sellers cutting prices, buyers waiting — typically shows Sales Activity Intensity drop into the 30s or below. When intensity drops below 30%, sellers start to see real concessions show up at the closing table. That is not what we have right now.

    What’s behind the number

    Three factors are working at once in the April 2026 Madrona Group data, and none of them point in the same direction:

    Mortgage rates moved up to 6.45%. That is up from earlier in the year and up enough to price some buyers out at the margin. Higher rates almost always slow demand. They have slowed it some — but they have not killed it.

    Inventory tightened to 1.6 months. A balanced market in real estate is usually 4 to 6 months of inventory. At 1.6 months, Snohomish County is still well into seller’s-market territory. Note this is the Madrona Group’s specific measurement — the broader NWMLS data on the same county shows 2.8 months because the two reports use slightly different inventory definitions and time windows. Both are true. The Madrona number is the tighter view.

    Single-family resale prices held near $877,000 with homes selling at 99.8% of list price on average. When buyers are paying within 0.2% of the asking price, they are not negotiating much. They are competing.

    Put the three factors together: rates went up, but the homes that are listed are still moving fast and selling at almost full asking. The buyers who are still in the market have stopped flinching.

    What this looks like on the ground in Everett

    Everett sits inside the Snohomish County data but does not behave exactly like the county average. The city’s median sale price runs lower than the county figure — Redfin had Everett’s most recent typical home value near $620,000, well under the $738,000 county median that NWMLS reported. The reasons are familiar: more starter homes, more condos, more older housing stock, more variation between neighborhoods.

    The Sales Activity Intensity dynamic still applies in Everett. A waterfront condo at Sawyer or Carling priced reasonably is going pending in days, not weeks. A starter home in Delta or Riverside priced at the neighborhood median is doing the same thing. What sits is what is overpriced. What sits is what assumes the market is still set to 2022.

    We have seen this pattern in our own coverage — the April 2026 condo market story we published last week showed Snohomish County condo averages up 4.4% year-over-year and Everett condos selling in a 22-day median at 99% of list. That is the same fast-but-narrow market the Madrona report is describing, just on a different property type.

    What this means for buyers right now

    If you are buying in Snohomish County in May 2026 and you have been waiting for the market to break, the Madrona data is the latest signal that a wholesale break is not coming. Specific properties will be soft. Specific sellers will negotiate. But the broad market is still leaning seller.

    A few practical takes from how this number sits:

    • Stop waiting for the price to come down before you make an offer. At 54.9% Sales Activity Intensity, the home you are watching probably already has another offer. The price you saw on Zillow last Tuesday may not be the price that closes.
    • Get rate-locked before you write an offer. With rates at 6.45% and trending up rather than down, the rate you can get this week is probably better than the rate you can get if you wait three weeks. A 0.25% rate move on a $620,000 Everett home is roughly $90 a month for the life of the loan.
    • The 99.8% of list price number is the real number. If you are writing offers at 95% of list and watching them lose, that is why. The market is not built for 95% offers right now.

    What this means for sellers right now

    If you are selling in Snohomish County, the Madrona data is telling you something sellers sometimes miss: price-to-list discipline matters more than ever.

    • Price it right and it goes pending in 30 days. Price it 5% high and it sits — and the market has been trained to read sitting as a problem. The 30-day window is the window where intensity captures your home as a fast mover. Past 30 days, you are competing with newer listings.
    • The 99.8% of list price number cuts both ways. You probably will not get more than asking. You also will not have to take much less than asking. So price it where you are happy to close.
    • Inventory is tight but moving up. The Madrona number says 1.6 months, the NWMLS number says 2.8 months — both are tighter than 4-6, but both are looser than 12 months ago. If you have been on the fence about listing, the supply side is finally giving you some company on the market. Earlier was easier. Now is still good.

    How this fits with everything else we know about Snohomish County in April 2026

    This week alone we have seen:

    • The NWMLS report showing 51.8% year-over-year inventory growth and 2.8 months of supply
    • The Madrona Group report showing 1.6 months supply and 54.9% Sales Activity Intensity
    • Snohomish County condo data showing 4.4% YoY appreciation and 22-day Everett median time on market
    • Mortgage rates moving up to 6.45%, the highest level since fall 2025
    • The Sage Investment Econo Lodge studio-apartment conversion announcement in South Everett — 124 new units coming online by August 2026

    None of those data points contradict each other. They are all measuring different parts of the same market. The market is more inventory than it had, fewer offers than it had, slower at the top of the funnel — and still selling fast and near asking when the property is priced right. That is a more complicated story than “the market is hot” or “the market is cooling.” It is the market being different things at the same time depending on which lens you bring.

    The Madrona Group report adds a useful lens: the velocity at which deals close, not just the count of homes listed. That velocity number is what tells you whether the market still works. In April 2026, in Snohomish County, it still works.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Sales Activity Intensity in real estate?

    Sales Activity Intensity is the percentage of all active listings that go pending — meaning a buyer’s offer has been accepted — within the first 30 days on the market. It is a velocity measure of how fast the average home is moving. Above 50% indicates a fast seller’s market; below 30% indicates real cooling.

    What was Snohomish County’s Sales Activity Intensity in April 2026?

    54.9%, according to the Madrona Group’s April 2026 Snohomish County housing market report. That is down slightly from 56.0% in March. Both numbers indicate a strong seller’s market.

    What are mortgage rates in Snohomish County right now?

    The 30-year fixed rate referenced in the April 2026 Madrona report is 6.45%. Rates have ticked up from earlier in the year. Individual rate quotes vary by lender, credit score, down payment, and loan size.

    Why does the Madrona Group report say 1.6 months of inventory and the NWMLS report say 2.8 months?

    They use slightly different inventory definitions and time windows. The Madrona Group’s measure tends to capture a tighter view focused on actively moving listings. NWMLS uses a broader inventory definition that includes some listings the Madrona view excludes. Both are accurate; both reflect a Snohomish County market still well below the 4-6 month range that defines balance.

    What is the median home price in Snohomish County in April 2026?

    The April 2026 NWMLS report listed the county median sale price at $738,000. The Madrona Group report references single-family resale prices holding near $877,000, which uses a different scope (single-family resale only, with different geographic weighting). The two numbers describe overlapping but not identical slices of the market.

    Is now a good time to buy a home in Everett?

    “Good” depends on your specific situation — your down payment, your job stability, your timeline, the neighborhood you’re targeting. What the April 2026 data says broadly: prices are not falling, inventory is up but still tight, and rates are higher than they were earlier in the year. Waiting for a wholesale price break is currently not what the data supports. Talk to a local agent and a local lender about your specific math.

    Is now a good time to sell a home in Everett?

    Yes, if it is priced right. The market data says homes priced at the neighborhood median are going pending within 30 days at 99.8% of list. Homes priced 5%+ above the neighborhood median sit. Pricing discipline is the difference between a fast sale and a long sit.

  • EvCC Baker Hall Redesign: Cosmetology & Theater Updates

    EvCC Baker Hall Redesign: Cosmetology & Theater Updates

    Quick answer: If you are an EvCC student in cosmetology or theater, the new Baker Hall is still on track for winter quarter 2028. The building is about 10,000 square feet smaller than the original plan, but the cosmetology working salon and the 250-seat theater both survived the redesign. Until the new building opens, cosmetology and theater programs continue in their current arrangements. The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students in roughly two years, so day-to-day class life is not changing in 2026 because of the redesign — but the move-in date you should plan around is winter 2028.

    If you are at EvCC right now, or thinking about enrolling for fall 2026, or about to apply to the cosmetology or theater programs, the Baker Hall news matters in a specific way for you. The replacement building got smaller. The 2028 opening is still on. Your programs still get the spaces they were promised. But the way the campus looks between now and winter 2028 — and the building you eventually move into — has changed.

    This is the student-and-prospective-student guide to what the redesign means and what to plan around.

    Your Programs Are Safe

    The redesign cut roughly 10,000 square feet from the original 32,000-square-foot Baker Hall plan. What got preserved through the cuts:

    The cosmetology wing. A working salon with the plumbing, ventilation, and station layout cosmetology training requires. Classrooms. Meeting spaces. Department offices. None of that came out of the design.

    The 250-seat theater. A real performance space with dressing rooms, a set-construction shop, costume storage, and the support classrooms a theater program needs. The 250-seat figure stayed.

    What was cut was slack — the circulation space, the future-flex rooms, the breathing room around the core program functions. As a student, you will probably not notice that on day one in 2028. You will notice it five or ten years later if the program grows beyond what the smaller building can hold. That is a future-EvCC problem, not a current-student problem.

    What’s Happening Until Winter 2028

    The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students in roughly two years. That means whatever interim arrangement your program is in right now is the arrangement that continues through 2026 and most of 2027. If you are in cosmetology, you are using the current cosmetology training facilities EvCC arranged when the old Baker Hall was vacated. If you are in theater, the same applies.

    The redesign does not change those interim arrangements. It just delays demolition of the old building so the construction window aligns with the revised drawings. Demolition is now timed against the new construction schedule, not happening on the original 2025 calendar.

    What Winter 2028 Looks Like

    If you are a current EvCC cosmetology or theater student on a two-year track, winter 2028 may be after your graduation. If you are on a longer track or you transfer in for fall 2026 or fall 2027, you may be the first cohort to take classes in the new Baker Hall. That cohort gets:

    • A modern cosmetology salon with proper plumbing, ventilation, and station infrastructure
    • A 250-seat theater with proper backstage, fly space, dressing rooms, and set-construction support
    • Classrooms designed around current teaching models, not 1962 teaching models
    • A building meeting current seismic, accessibility, and mechanical standards

    Those are real upgrades over what either program could ever deliver inside a 64-year-old building.

    What the Redesign Means If You’re Choosing EvCC

    If you are deciding whether to enroll at EvCC for cosmetology or theater specifically because of Baker Hall:

    The 2028 opening is on the table but not guaranteed. Public construction projects can slip. A six-month or one-year slip would not be unusual; a multi-year slip would be unusual but not impossible. Plan around winter 2028 with the understanding that fall 2028 is also possible.

    The program quality does not depend on the building. EvCC’s cosmetology and theater programs have been running through the entire Baker Hall transition. The quality of instruction is not waiting for 2028. If you start in fall 2026, you will get the program — just not in the new building.

    The smaller redesign is still a real upgrade. A 22,000-square-foot purpose-built building with a working salon and a 250-seat theater is meaningfully better than what the 1962 Baker Hall could have offered even after a renovation. The cuts removed slack, not core function.

    What to Watch For

    If you want to track the project’s progress as a student, the milestones to look for:

    • Construction documents revised and re-permitted (2026)
    • Cornerstone Construction trade-package rebids (2026)
    • Demolition of the 1962 Baker Hall
    • Foundation and shell work (2027)
    • Interior fit-out and inspections (late 2027)
    • Move-in and program opening (winter quarter 2028)

    EvCC’s facilities communications and the school’s board minutes are the most reliable sources for milestone updates as they happen.

    The Practical Takeaway

    If you are a cosmetology or theater student, the redesign is, on balance, a good outcome. The alternative — a project killed for budget — would have meant no new Baker Hall at all. The alternative — a supplemental appropriation request — would have meant a 12-18 month delay while Olympia worked through the request, with no certainty of approval. Cutting scope to keep the 2028 opening preserves the deliverable.

    The deliverable is what you actually need: a working salon for cosmetology training, a real theater for theater performance and production training, and modern classrooms for the support coursework. That is what arrives in winter 2028. Just slightly smaller than the original drawings showed.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does the Baker Hall redesign change EvCC’s cosmetology program?

    No. The cosmetology wing, including the working salon, was preserved through the redesign. The program continues as currently arranged through 2027 and moves into the new building in winter quarter 2028.

    Is EvCC’s theater program still getting a 250-seat theater?

    Yes. The 250-seat theater, dressing rooms, set-construction shop, and costume storage all survived the redesign.

    When does the new Baker Hall open for classes?

    Winter quarter 2028 is the current target. Demolition of the 1962 Baker Hall has been aligned with the revised construction window.

    What is happening to my program until winter 2028?

    The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students for roughly two years, so program arrangements that have been in place since the building was vacated continue through the construction window. The redesign does not change those interim arrangements.

    Is the new Baker Hall smaller because EvCC is shrinking the program?

    No. The 10,000-square-foot reduction came from circulation space, flex space, and support functions — not from program-critical spaces. The cosmetology salon, the 250-seat theater, and the supporting classrooms were preserved at full scope.

    Could the 2028 opening still slip?

    Yes. Public construction projects can hit permit, supply, or labor delays. A short slip is not unusual; a multi-year slip would be unusual. Students should plan around winter 2028 with awareness that fall 2028 is possible.

    Will the new building be more accessible than the 1962 Baker Hall?

    Yes. New campus construction in Washington must meet current ADA and accessibility standards. The 1962 building was designed before those standards existed and would have required near-complete reconstruction to comply.

    Related Exploring Everett coverage: