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Category: Exploring Everett

Everett, Washington is in the middle of something big. A $1 billion waterfront transformation. A Boeing workforce that built the world’s largest commercial jets. A port city with a downtown that’s finally catching up to its potential. A Navy presence at Naval Station Everett. A comedy and arts scene punching above its weight. And neighborhoods — Riverside, Silver Lake, Downtown, Bayside — each with their own identity and story.

Exploring Everett is Tygart Media’s hyperlocal coverage vertical for Snohomish County’s largest city. We cover the waterfront redevelopment, Boeing and Paine Field, city hall, the food and arts scene, real estate, neighborhoods, and everything in between — written for people who live here, work here, or are paying attention to what’s coming.

Coverage categories include: Everett News, Waterfront Development, Boeing & Aerospace, Business, Arts & Culture, Food & Drink, Real Estate, Neighborhoods, Government, Schools, Public Safety, Events, and Outdoors.

Exploring Everett content is also published at exploringeverett.com.

  • Boeing’s North Line: Everett Prepares to Build Its First 737 MAX This Summer

    Q: Is Boeing building 737 MAX jets in Everett?
    A: Yes — for the first time. Boeing’s North Line, a new fourth 737 MAX assembly line at the Everett factory, is scheduled to begin production in summer 2026. The line will initially produce 737-8, 737-9, and 737-10 variants, with the workforce combining newly hired Everett employees and experienced teammates transferred from Renton and Moses Lake.

    Boeing’s North Line: What It Means for Everett Workers and the Local Economy

    For decades, if you wanted to see a 737 MAX come to life, you went to Renton. That’s about to change.

    Boeing is preparing to open a fourth 737 MAX assembly line — called the North Line — at its massive Everett factory this summer, marking the first time in the company’s history that a narrowbody commercial aircraft will be assembled in Everett. For a city whose economy has long been anchored to Boeing’s widebody programs, it’s a meaningful shift — and one that’s already putting people to work.

    A New Line, a New Chapter

    The Everett factory — already the largest building by volume in the world — has been home to Boeing’s 747, 767, 777, and 777X programs. The addition of 737 MAX production to that mix isn’t just a production decision. It’s a signal that Boeing sees Everett as central to its recovery and growth strategy.

    The North Line will be capable of building all 737 MAX variants, though it will initially focus on the 737-8, 737-9, and 737-10. Boeing program manager Katie Ringgold said the line will add capacity for production rates above 47 aircraft per month once it’s fully integrated — with a longer-term goal of reaching 63 planes per month, a target Ringgold acknowledged will “take a number of years.”

    Production in Everett will replicate the build process used at the Renton factory, with one notable addition: a 737 Wing Transport Tool will ferry partially completed wings between facilities for final assembly in Everett.

    Hiring and Training Are Already Underway

    Construction and tooling on the North Line are complete. The focus now is on people.

    Boeing is staffing the North Line with a mix of newly hired employees and experienced teammates drawn from Renton, Everett, and Moses Lake. The hiring process has been methodical by design. New employees complete 12 weeks of foundational training followed by structured on-the-job training (SOJT) at the Renton facility, pairing newcomers with experienced mentors before they transition to Everett.

    Jaden Myers and Alondra Ponce were among the first employees hired specifically for the North Line, completing their training in late 2025. Myers, who works as a Flow Day 1 dorsal fin installer, described the experience straightforwardly: “Opening a new production line is something special — we have to do it right.” Ponce, an electrician, said the training environment set a positive tone: “Training was so positive and refreshing. It was different than any other training I’ve done. My managers and the workplace coaches were always there.”

    Veteran Boeing mechanic John V. — a nearly 40-year Boeing employee who has worked across the 747, 767, and 777 programs — has joined the North Line in an FAA coordinator role, bringing institutional knowledge that newer employees will lean on as the line ramps up.

    The Slow-and-Steady Approach: What LRIP Means

    Boeing isn’t flipping the switch and immediately cranking out jets. The North Line will begin with a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase — an intentionally slow ramp-up that allows the team to conduct additional checks, fine-tune the production system, and demonstrate FAA compliance before full integration.

    The first set of airplanes off the North Line will serve as conformity aircraft — essentially proving to the FAA that production at this new location meets the requirements of Boeing’s production certificate, PC700, the same certificate that covers 737 MAX production in Renton.

    Jennifer Boland-Masterson, the North Line’s production leader, put it in plain terms: “You don’t start with a marathon. You start with shorter distances and build up from there.”

    It’s a philosophy that reflects lessons Boeing has been working to absorb since the turbulence of recent years — the 737 MAX 9 door plug incident in January 2024, the subsequent FAA production rate cap, and the IAM 751 strike in fall 2024 that idled the Everett factory for seven weeks. Boeing’s Washington workforce declined from roughly 67,000 employees in early 2025 to about 65,000 by mid-year, before hiring picked back up in the second half of 2025.

    What It Means for Everett

    Boeing’s Everett campus already employs more than 30,000 people. The addition of 737 production — with its associated hiring, supply chain activity, and long-term production goals — represents a meaningful expansion of Boeing’s footprint in the city.

    That matters beyond the factory floor. Boeing workers are a significant driver of housing demand in Snohomish County. They fill seats at Everett restaurants and coffee shops. Their paychecks circulate through the local economy in ways that affect schools, retail corridors, and city tax revenues. A production line that eventually sustains hundreds of additional jobs in Everett isn’t an abstraction — it shows up in lease signings, school enrollment, and downtown foot traffic.

    The North Line also reflects Boeing’s broader effort to rebalance its manufacturing footprint. For years, Renton has been the sole producer of 737s — a single-point-of-failure arrangement that’s been a source of vulnerability. Distributing 737 production to Everett adds resilience to a program that generates more revenue than any other in Boeing’s commercial lineup.

    The Road Ahead

    The summer 2026 opening will mark the beginning of a multi-year ramp. The LRIP phase gives Boeing time to work out the kinks before volume increases. Katie Ringgold’s target of 63 aircraft per month across the combined Renton and North Line production is ambitious — but the cadence being set now, with careful hiring, thorough training, and FAA-compliant conformity builds, is the foundation it needs.

    For Everett, the story is straightforward: the city that built the 747 — the plane that changed commercial aviation — is now becoming a home for the aircraft that defines Boeing’s near-term commercial future. The 737 MAX has had a complicated history. The North Line is part of how Boeing writes what comes next.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Boeing’s North Line?

    The North Line is a new fourth 737 MAX assembly line at Boeing’s Everett, Washington factory. It is the first time Boeing will produce narrowbody commercial aircraft in Everett, which has historically built widebody jets including the 747, 767, 777, and 777X.

    When will the North Line open?

    Boeing has announced a summer 2026 opening for the North Line. Production will begin with a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase before ramping to full integration with 737 MAX output.

    How many jobs will the North Line create in Everett?

    Boeing has not disclosed specific job numbers for the North Line. The workforce will combine newly hired Everett employees with experienced teammates transferred from Boeing’s Renton and Moses Lake facilities.

    What 737 MAX models will be built at Everett?

    The North Line will initially produce 737-8, 737-9, and 737-10 variants. The line is capable of building all 737 MAX models.

    What is LRIP and why does it matter?

    Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) is an intentionally slow startup phase that allows Boeing to conduct additional quality checks and demonstrate FAA compliance before the North Line is integrated into full 737 MAX production flow. The conformity aircraft produced during LRIP must satisfy the FAA under Boeing’s production certificate PC700.

    How does this affect Boeing’s overall 737 production rate?

    Once fully integrated, the North Line will add capacity beyond 47 aircraft per month across the combined Renton and Everett production. Boeing’s long-term target is 63 aircraft per month, though program manager Katie Ringgold has noted that reaching that rate will take several years.

    Go Deeper: We’ve published detailed knowledge nodes expanding on this story for specific Everett audiences:

  • Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina Is Coming to Everett’s Waterfront — Here’s What We Know

    What is Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina? Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina is a family-owned elevated Mexican restaurant opening at Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place Restaurant Row in 2026. The concept comes from the team behind Cava Azul in Woodinville and Agave Cocina & Cantina in Redmond and Kent, and will feature fresh tacos, specialty margaritas, a 100+ tequila selection, and waterfront patio seating at the Fisherman’s Harbor district.

    The Everett Waterfront Is About to Get Even Better

    By now you’ve probably heard about Restaurant Row at Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place. If you haven’t been down there yet, let us catch you up: the Port built two new restaurant buildings in the Fisherman’s Harbor district, and they’ve been filling them fast. Tapped Public House opened its fourth location there in March 2026 with the largest rooftop deck in Snohomish County. The Net Shed Fish Market & Kitchen has been running a tight seafood operation since December 2025. Rustic Cork Wine Bar opened the same month with a curated list that’s earned its regulars.

    The fourth tenant in that lineup is Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina, and it’s the one we’ve been most curious about.

    Who Is Behind Marina Azul?

    The family behind Marina Azul isn’t new to this. Owner Julian Ramos has been in the restaurant industry since 2002, and the Eastside locations — Cava Azul Cocina & Cantina in Woodinville, and Agave Cocina & Cantina in Redmond and Kent Station — have established a reputation for fresh, elevated Mexican cuisine with an exceptional tequila program. We’re talking 100+ tequilas. That’s a tequila library, not a tequila shelf.

    Julian’s nephew Alejandro and son Esteban will manage the Everett location day-to-day. That’s a family operation running a family restaurant, which tends to matter when it comes to consistency and care.

    What to Expect on the Menu

    Marina Azul will bring over the menu DNA from the Eastside locations: fresh tacos, specialty margaritas, curated cocktails, and the full tequila program. The emphasis is on elevated Mexican — not Tex-Mex, not chain-restaurant Mexican, but the kind of food that respects its ingredients and takes technique seriously. The Eastside locations have built their reputation on quality sourcing and dishes that don’t rely on generic pre-made sauces.

    The restaurant will also offer plenty of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options — which is the right call for a waterfront location that needs to accommodate the full range of diners who show up to a spot like this.

    The space itself is generous: nearly 2,500 square feet of interior with a covered outdoor patio along the Marina esplanade designed for year-round seating. In Everett terms, that means you can sit outside even when it’s raining, which is important if you want to use that patio more than three months out of the year.

    The Full Restaurant Row Picture

    With Marina Azul joining the lineup, Restaurant Row at Waterfront Place will have a genuinely compelling mix. Here’s where things stand as of spring 2026:

    Tapped Public House — 1420 Seiner Dr, second floor. Elevated pub fare, craft beer, panoramic rooftop views of the Olympics and the marina. Opened March 2, 2026. Family-friendly, year-round indoor/outdoor dining.

    The Net Shed Fish Market & Kitchen — Opened December 2025. Fresh seafood, fish and chips, local catches. The waterfront anchor that the district needed.

    Rustic Cork Wine Bar — Opened December 2025. Curated wine selection, the quieter and more intimate end of the Restaurant Row spectrum.

    Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina — Coming 2026. Elevated Mexican, 100+ tequilas, waterfront patio. This is the one that fills the gap the other three can’t.

    The Port is also looking for a breakfast and brunch café to take the final available space. When that lands, Waterfront Place will have a legitimate reason to anchor an entire day — coffee and eggs in the morning, lunch at the marina, dinner and drinks as the sun goes down over Possession Sound.

    Why We’re Looking Forward to This One

    Everett’s waterfront has been a long time coming. The port has been developing Waterfront Place for years, and Restaurant Row represents the dining infrastructure the district has needed. But it’s not just about filling the buildings — it’s about whether the tenants are actually good.

    The track record of the Ramos family operation on the Eastside is good. Cava Azul and Agave have maintained strong reputations in competitive markets (Woodinville wine country, Redmond tech corridor). Bringing that concept to Everett’s waterfront — with a view that neither of those locations has — is a genuine upgrade.

    We’ll have a full review up once they open. Until then, watch the Port of Everett’s social channels for an opening announcement, and go enjoy what’s already open down there. The waterfront is worth the drive.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina Everett

    When does Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina open in Everett?

    Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina is slated to open in 2026 at the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place. An exact date has not been announced. Check the Port of Everett’s website or Marina Azul’s social channels for the official opening announcement.

    Where is Marina Azul located at the Port of Everett?

    Marina Azul will occupy Suite 102 in the Restaurant Row building at Fisherman’s Harbor, Port of Everett Waterfront Place. The building is next door to The Net Shed Fish Market & Kitchen.

    What kind of food does Marina Azul serve?

    Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina serves elevated Mexican cuisine, including fresh tacos, specialty margaritas, and curated cocktails, with a selection of 100+ tequilas. The menu includes gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options.

    Who owns Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina?

    Marina Azul is owned by Julian Ramos, who has been in the restaurant industry since 2002. Julian also operates Cava Azul Cocina & Cantina in Woodinville and Agave Cocina & Cantina in Redmond and Kent. The Everett location will be managed by his nephew Alejandro and son Esteban.

    What other restaurants are open at Port of Everett’s Restaurant Row?

    As of spring 2026, Restaurant Row at Waterfront Place includes Tapped Public House (opened March 2026), The Net Shed Fish Market & Kitchen (opened December 2025), and Rustic Cork Wine Bar (opened December 2025). Marina Azul will be the fourth tenant.

  • Scuttlebutt Brewing’s Big Dumper Beer: Everett’s Cal Raleigh Collab Is Worth the Hype

    What is Scuttlebutt Big Dumper Beer? Big Dumper Beer is a crisp, crushable lager brewed by Scuttlebutt Brewing Company in Everett, WA, in collaboration with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. The beer is named after Cal’s nickname and features mild malty character with light lime notes. It is available at Scuttlebutt’s Everett taproom at 3310 Cedar Street and at select stadiums and markets.

    Scuttlebutt Brewing and Cal Raleigh Made a Beer, and It’s Actually Good

    Let’s be honest: when a professional athlete puts their name on a beer, the default expectation is a marketing exercise dressed up in a pint glass. A watery, inoffensive lager designed to not offend anyone and sell units at the stadium. We’ve all been let down before.

    Big Dumper Beer is not that.

    Scuttlebutt Brewing Company — Everett’s own independent, family-founded craft brewery — partnered with Seattle Mariners catcher Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh to release a beer that’s actually worth drinking. And the fact that Cal came up through the system with the Everett AquaSox, the Mariners’ High-A affiliate, makes the whole thing feel genuinely local rather than a slapped-together licensing deal.

    The Beer: What Big Dumper Actually Tastes Like

    Big Dumper is a lager — a style that’s harder to execute well than most people realize, because there’s nowhere to hide. No big hop character to mask off-flavors, no massive malt backbone to create complexity through sheer volume. A good lager has to be clean, balanced, and sessionable by design. Scuttlebutt’s version delivers on all three.

    The beer pours with a light golden color, moderate carbonation, and a clean white head. On the nose, it’s subtle — a mild malt sweetness and the faint floral/citrus suggestion from the hops. On the palate, the malt character comes through first: slightly bready, soft, not heavy. Then the hops arrive with what Scuttlebutt describes as “light lime notes” — it’s not a citrus bomb, it’s more of a gentle brightness that keeps the finish from going flat. The result is a beer that’s genuinely easy to drink but doesn’t feel like it was engineered for people who don’t like beer.

    This is a gameday lager. It’s the beer you want in your hand when the Mariners are up in the seventh and the sun is out. Cal knows his audience.

    The Story Behind the Collaboration

    Cal Raleigh’s connection to Scuttlebutt isn’t manufactured. When he was coming up through the Mariners’ minor league system and playing for the Everett AquaSox, he was here. In Everett. Going to local spots the way ballplayers on minor league per diems do — looking for good food and good beer without burning through their meal money. Scuttlebutt was one of those spots.

    Fast forward to Cal’s Mariners tenure, where he’s established himself as one of the best catchers in the American League, and the partnership makes complete sense. As Cal put it when the collaboration was announced: “They represent everything I love about the PNW—creative, local, and all about quality.” That reads like a marketing line, but the beer backs it up.

    The name itself is a clever piece of wordplay. “Big Dumper” is Cal’s nickname (earned by his prodigious home run power — he’s known for massive, opposite-field shots). In beer terminology, a “dumpable” beer is one that’s so bad you pour it out. Calling the beer Big Dumper Beer, then making it actually good, is the joke. We appreciate the self-awareness.

    Where to Get Big Dumper Beer in Everett

    The primary place to drink Big Dumper Beer the right way is at Scuttlebutt’s taproom in Everett. There are actually two Scuttlebutt locations in the city:

    Scuttlebutt Taproom & Brewery — 3310 Cedar St, Everett, WA 98201. Hours: Monday–Saturday 2–9 PM, Sunday 1–8:30 PM. Phone: (425) 252-2829. This is the production facility with a taproom attached — you’re drinking in the same building where the beer is made, which is always the right call.

    Scuttlebutt Brewing Company — 1205 Craftsman Way, Everett, WA. The original pub-style location with a fuller food menu and the same excellent tap list.

    Beyond the taproom, Big Dumper Beer launched in summer 2025 and has since expanded to select stadiums and markets. Total Wine carries it. If you want a six-pack to bring to the park or the game, that’s your best bet for retail.

    Why This Matters for Everett

    Scuttlebutt has been part of Everett’s identity for decades. They’re family-founded, independently owned, and genuinely embedded in this community. A collaboration with a Mariners star — one who has genuine ties to Everett through the AquaSox — is the kind of thing that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because a brewery built real relationships over a long time, and because a player actually remembers where he came from.

    Big Dumper Beer is a good excuse to go sit at the taproom on Cedar Street, order a pint, and feel good about drinking local. The Mariners season is underway, Cal is behind the plate, and Everett’s hometown brewery is in the middle of it. Go drink the beer.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Big Dumper Beer

    What kind of beer is Big Dumper Beer?

    Big Dumper Beer is a lager brewed by Scuttlebutt Brewing in Everett, WA. It features mild malty character with light lime notes from the hops. It is crisp, clean, and designed for easy drinking.

    Who is Big Dumper Beer named after?

    Big Dumper Beer is named after Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh, catcher for the Seattle Mariners. Cal played for the Everett AquaSox as a minor leaguer and developed a connection to Scuttlebutt Brewing during his time in Everett.

    Where can I buy Big Dumper Beer in Everett?

    Big Dumper Beer is available at Scuttlebutt’s taprooms in Everett (3310 Cedar St and 1205 Craftsman Way), at select stadiums, and at retail locations including Total Wine. It launched in August 2025.

    What are Scuttlebutt Brewing’s hours in Everett?

    The Scuttlebutt taproom at 3310 Cedar Street is open Monday through Saturday 2–9 PM and Sunday 1–8:30 PM. The Craftsman Way location has additional food service — check their website for current hours.

    Is Scuttlebutt Brewing dog-friendly?

    Yes, the Scuttlebutt taproom on Cedar Street is dog and kid friendly. It’s a casual environment suited to all ages.

  • Tasty Indian Bistro: The Best Indian Food on Everett’s Casino Road

    What is Tasty Indian Bistro? Tasty Indian Bistro is a family-owned North Indian restaurant at 510 W Casino Rd, Everett, WA, serving authentic street-style curries, tandoor dishes, and a daily lunch buffet. It is one of Snohomish County’s most consistent Indian dining destinations, drawing Boeing workers, local families, and anyone who knows that Casino Road is where Everett’s real international food scene lives.

    The Best Indian Food in Everett Is on Casino Road

    If you’ve been sleeping on Casino Road, that’s on you. The strip of W Casino Rd that runs through south Everett is one of the most quietly extraordinary food corridors in Snohomish County — gyros, pho, birria tacos, Filipino-Hawaiian fusion, and at the center of it all, a little Indian restaurant that’s been quietly putting out some of the best subcontinent cooking north of Seattle.

    We’ve been going to Tasty Indian Bistro at 510 W Casino Rd for a while now, and we keep coming back for the same reason: the food is generous, the flavors are exactly what you want, and the lunch buffet is one of the best deals in Everett. $12 after tax. All you can eat. Rotating spread of curries, rice, naan, and sides. It’s the kind of lunch that makes you forget you were ever planning to be productive in the afternoon.

    What to Order at Tasty Indian Bistro

    The lunch buffet runs daily from 11 AM to 3 PM and is the move if you’re going on a weekday. The spread typically includes chicken tikka masala, lamb keema, goat curry, garlic naan, basmati rice, and a rotating cast of vegetable dishes. The naan comes out fresh and soft — the kind that tears apart in long, steamy ribbons — and the tikka masala has the right balance of cream and spice without drowning in sweetness.

    For dinner or à la carte, the butter chicken ($19.99) is the safe-but-right choice for anyone easing into Indian cuisine, but the regulars know to go deeper. The lamb dishes are where the kitchen shows off. The keema — spiced minced lamb — is intensely savory and pairs best with the plain naan rather than garlic. If you’re bringing a crowd with varying spice tolerances, order a mix: one mild (butter chicken or dal makhani), one medium (chicken tikka masala), and one that’ll test the group (ask your server what’s hitting hardest that day).

    The restaurant also has solid vegetarian options — the palak paneer and chana masala are both well-executed — and the kitchen is experienced with gluten-free accommodations. Worth asking when you order.

    The Boeing Lunch Crowd Knows Something You Don’t

    Here’s a tell: if a restaurant is perpetually packed at 11:30 AM with Boeing badge holders, it’s because word travels fast inside those buildings and people stop wasting their 30-minute break on mediocre food. Tasty Indian Bistro has been a Boeing-adjacent lunch institution for years. That $12 buffet is the exact right price point for a lunch that feels like a genuine meal rather than a sad desk sandwich.

    The dining room is clean, well-lit, and family-friendly. Service is fast and genuinely warm — this is a family operation, and it shows in the way people are treated. You’re not getting the perfunctory “hi welcome what can I get you” energy; you’re getting the “here, try this, do you want more naan” energy. We love it.

    Casino Road Is Everett’s Most Underrated Food Street

    We’ll say it plainly: Casino Road deserves more credit than it gets. While the waterfront gets all the press for its new Restaurant Row development, and downtown Everett gets written up for its Hewitt Avenue bar scene, Casino Road has quietly been serving the city’s most diverse and most affordable food for years.

    The corridor between Evergreen Way and about 30th Street is a genuine global food court. Tasty Indian Bistro sits within a few blocks of Vietnamese pho spots, Mexican birria joints, Filipino bakeries, and more. It’s the kind of street that rewards exploration — park once, walk a few blocks, and you’ll find five different countries’ worth of lunch options.

    Tasty Indian Bistro is the anchor of that scene for us. It’s the restaurant we bring people to when they ask where to eat in Everett and we want to show them something they can’t get at a chain. It’s the place that proves Everett’s food scene is more interesting than the city’s marketing suggests.

    The Details

    Address: 510 W Casino Rd, Suite A, Everett, WA 98204
    Phone: (425) 267-2444
    Hours: Monday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM | Tuesday–Thursday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM | Friday–Sunday 11 AM–10 PM
    Lunch Buffet: Daily 11 AM–3 PM, $12 after tax
    Price Range: $ (buffet), $$ (dinner)
    Parking: Strip mall lot, easy and free
    Best for: Lunch buffet, family dinners, groups with mixed dietary needs

    Frequently Asked Questions About Tasty Indian Bistro Everett

    What time does the lunch buffet run at Tasty Indian Bistro?

    The lunch buffet runs daily from 11 AM to 3 PM and costs $12 after tax. It includes rotating curries, rice, garlic naan, and vegetable dishes.

    Is Tasty Indian Bistro good for vegetarians?

    Yes. The restaurant serves multiple vegetarian options including palak paneer, chana masala, and dal makhani. The buffet typically includes at least two vegetarian dishes. Ask your server about specific options when you arrive.

    What is the best dish to order at Tasty Indian Bistro?

    For first-timers, the butter chicken ($19.99 à la carte) is reliable and approachable. Regular visitors tend to favor the lamb keema and chicken tikka masala. The lunch buffet is the best value and lets you try several dishes at once.

    Where is Tasty Indian Bistro located in Everett?

    Tasty Indian Bistro is at 510 W Casino Rd, Suite A, Everett, WA 98204. Parking is free in the strip mall lot.

    Does Tasty Indian Bistro deliver?

    Yes. Tasty Indian Bistro is available on DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Seamless for delivery. You can also order online through their website at tastybistroeverett.com.

    Is Tasty Indian Bistro family-friendly?

    Yes. The restaurant has a clean, well-lit dining room suitable for families with kids. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the menu offers mild options for those who prefer less spice.

  • Everett Housing Market April 2026: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Right Now

    What’s happening in Everett’s housing market right now? Everett’s market is uneven in spring 2026. Homes under $750K are moving fast — sometimes within days. The higher end is slower and more price-sensitive. The median sale price has softened from recent highs, with Redfin reporting a February 2026 median of $547,000. Here’s what buyers, sellers, and renters should know heading into spring.

    Every month we try to give you a real read on what’s happening in Everett’s housing market — not the national headlines, not the Puget Sound generalities, but what’s actually moving (or not moving) on the ground in our city. This month’s picture is more nuanced than the headline numbers suggest, so let’s dig in.

    The Headline Numbers: What Everett Homes Are Actually Selling For

    As of the most recent data available for early 2026, the median sale price of a home in Everett was $547,000 — according to Redfin data through February 2026. That’s down about 11.6% compared to the same period a year ago, and the median sale price per square foot sits at $394, which is actually up 0.9% year-over-year.

    Zillow’s methodology shows a slightly different picture: the average home value in Everett at approximately $619,916, down about 5.9% over the past year. The difference between Redfin’s and Zillow’s numbers reflects different calculation methods — Redfin uses actual sale prices, Zillow uses estimated market value — but both point in the same direction: a market that has cooled from its 2022–2023 peak but remains active.

    The Split Market: It Depends Entirely on Your Price Point

    Here’s what local market data is showing us, and it’s important: Everett’s housing market is not performing uniformly. It’s splitting cleanly by price point.

    Under $750,000: Active and Moving

    If you’re buying or selling under $750,000, you’re in the strongest part of the market right now. Homes in this range are attracting active buyers, moving quickly, and holding their value well. This is where first-time buyers and move-up buyers are competing, and competition is real enough that sellers in this range are seeing offers near — or at — list price.

    $750,000–$949,000: Active But Selective

    The upper-middle tier is moving, but only for homes that are priced right and show exceptionally well. Overpriced homes in this range are sitting. Buyers at this price point have options and they know it — they’ll wait for the right product at the right price. Sellers need to be realistic.

    $950,000+: Slow

    The luxury tier in Everett has slowed noticeably. Days on market are longer and price reductions are more common. This reflects both the interest rate environment and the reality that Everett’s luxury buyer pool is thinner than comparable markets in Bellevue or Kirkland.

    The Fastest Moving Property Type Right Now: Townhomes

    If there’s one standout in Everett’s spring 2026 market, it’s townhomes. The average time to go under contract for a townhome in Everett is running at approximately 6 days — among the fastest of any property type in the city. Of 21 townhomes that sold in the most recent tracked month, that 6-day average tells you exactly how much demand exists for this product.

    Why? Townhomes hit the under-$750K sweet spot for most Everett buyers, they offer more square footage than a condo at a lower price point than a detached single-family home, and their maintenance profile appeals to working households who don’t want to deal with a yard. In a market where detached homes can feel out of reach, townhomes have become the go-to entry point.

    New Construction: Inventory Without Buyers

    New construction is telling an interesting story right now. There’s a solid inventory of new builds in the Everett area — but actual sales activity has been light. In a recent tracked month, only one new construction home sold, and it went over list price. That single data point tells you two things simultaneously: buyers are discerning about new construction (often due to price or location), but when the right product shows up, competition emerges fast.

    Watch this space as the Millwright District’s 300+ new waterfront apartments come online in 2026 — they’ll be rental product, not for-sale, but they’ll add significant new inventory to the overall residential supply picture along the waterfront.

    What’s Driving the Year-Over-Year Softening?

    The 11.6% year-over-year decline in Everett’s median sale price isn’t a crash — it’s a correction from the extraordinary run-up the market saw in 2021–2023. Several factors are at play:

    • Interest rates — Mortgage rates remain elevated compared to the pandemic-era lows that fueled the frenzy. Monthly payments on a median-priced Everett home are significantly higher than they were in 2021 even at a lower purchase price.
    • More inventory — More sellers entered the market in 2025 and 2026 as people who had been waiting for rates to drop decided to move anyway. More supply = less upward price pressure.
    • National uncertainty — Broader economic uncertainty has made some buyers cautious, especially in the upper price tiers.

    If You’re Buying in Everett Right Now

    Spring 2026 is a legitimate window for buyers who’ve been waiting. The market has softened from its peak. The under-$750K range is competitive but not frantic — offers are coming in at or near list, not 20% over with waived inspections. You have more time to think, but not unlimited time: well-priced homes in good locations are still moving in days, not weeks.

    If you’re targeting a townhome, move fast. That segment is the hottest in the city right now. If you’re looking at detached single-family above $750K, you have negotiating room — use it.

    If You’re Selling in Everett Right Now

    Pricing matters more than it has in years. The “just price it high and see what happens” strategy that worked in 2021–2022 doesn’t work in spring 2026. Homes that are priced to the current market are selling well and quickly. Overpriced homes are sitting and requiring reductions — which signals weakness to buyers and costs you time and money.

    The good news: if you bought before 2020 and you’re selling now, you’re almost certainly still well ahead on appreciation. The correction has pulled prices back from peak, not back to pre-pandemic levels.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the median home price in Everett WA in 2026?

    As of early 2026, Redfin data shows a median sale price of approximately $547,000 in Everett, WA, with a median price per square foot of $394. Zillow’s estimate for average home value in Everett is approximately $619,916. Both metrics reflect a modest year-over-year decline from 2025 peaks.

    Is the Everett housing market a buyer’s or seller’s market in 2026?

    It’s a split market. Under $750,000 — where most Everett transactions occur — it’s still fairly competitive for sellers, with homes moving quickly and near list price. Above $750,000, buyers have more leverage, more options, and more time to negotiate.

    How long does it take to sell a home in Everett WA?

    It depends heavily on property type and price point. Townhomes in Everett are averaging approximately 6 days to go under contract in spring 2026 — among the fastest of any property type. Detached single-family homes in the $750K–$950K range are taking longer, sometimes weeks, if not priced correctly.

    Are Everett home prices going up or down in 2026?

    Prices are modestly down year-over-year compared to early 2025, with Redfin showing approximately an 11.6% decline in median sale price and Zillow showing approximately a 5.9% decline in average home value. Both reflect a correction from 2022–2023 peaks rather than a significant crash.

    What types of homes are selling fastest in Everett in 2026?

    Townhomes are the fastest-moving property type in Everett’s spring 2026 market, averaging approximately 6 days to go under contract. They hit the high-demand under-$750K price range and offer more space than condos at a lower price than detached homes.

    Is new construction available in Everett WA?

    Yes, there is new construction inventory available in the Everett market in 2026, but sales activity has been relatively slow — only one new construction home sold in a recent tracked month, though it went over list price. The Millwright District at Waterfront Place is adding 300+ new rental units to the market in 2026.

  • Everett’s $120M Stadium Has a $38M Funding Gap: Here’s the Full Breakdown

    Where does Everett’s stadium stand right now? As of spring 2026, Everett’s proposed downtown Outdoor Event Center has grown from an $82 million project to a $120 million project — leaving a $38 million funding gap that must be closed before the city council can give final approval. Here’s a plain-language breakdown of where the money comes from, where it doesn’t, and what happens next.

    We’ve been tracking Everett’s proposed downtown stadium since the first conceptual drawings surfaced, and lately the news has gotten more complicated. The price tag climbed from $82 million to $120 million. A $38 million funding gap opened up. City council approval is still pending. And yet Mayor Cassie Franklin is calling it a “once in a generation opportunity” and promising the gap will close.

    So what’s actually going on? Let’s walk through it — all the numbers, all the players, and the honest question of whether this stadium gets built by 2027.

    The Project, Explained

    The Everett Outdoor Event Center — commonly called the downtown stadium — is planned for a downtown block bounded by Hewitt and Pacific Avenues, east of Broadway. The project is designed to be a multi-use venue: it would host Everett AquaSox minor league baseball games, two United Soccer League teams (still in lease negotiations as of spring 2026), and year-round events including concerts and community gatherings.

    The design-build team is DLR Group and Bayley Construction — both well-established in Pacific Northwest stadium and arena work. Design reached 60 percent completion earlier in 2026, and city officials say a full plan and budget will be ready “very soon.”

    The city’s target: get the AquaSox playing there for the April 2027 baseball season. That’s less than 12 months away.

    Where Did the $120 Million Figure Come From?

    The project originally carried an $82 million price tag. That number grew to $120 million for two reasons, according to city special projects manager Scott Pattison:

    • More property acquisitions needed. The city needs to acquire more parcels on the proposed site than originally anticipated. At least 17 businesses currently occupy the proposed footprint, and property acquisition costs have risen.
    • Construction cost inflation. Like virtually every major construction project in the Pacific Northwest since 2022, the stadium’s hard construction costs have increased significantly.

    The $120 million is the current estimate. City officials acknowledge the design isn’t fully complete, which means the final number could still move before council votes.

    Where Is the Money Coming From?

    Here’s the funding stack as it currently stands, based on the city’s own presentation documents:

    • City of Everett bonds: ~$40 million — This is the city’s primary funding vehicle. The bonds would be repaid through stadium revenue: ticket sales, event fees, naming rights, and other stadium income. The city had already planned this piece before the cost increase.
    • State of Washington: ~8% of total (~$9.6M) — The state has committed to contributing, though the exact mechanism and timeline haven’t been finalized.
    • Snohomish County: ~4% (~$4.8M) — The county is in for a contribution as well.
    • Everett AquaSox ownership: ~9% (~$10.8M) — The team’s ownership group is contributing as a condition of occupying the stadium.
    • United Soccer League: ~9% (~$10.8M) — The USL is expected to contribute similarly, pending final lease agreements.

    Add that up: roughly $76 million committed or expected. Against a $120 million budget, that leaves the $38 million gap.

    How Does Everett Plan to Close the Gap?

    This is the central question. City officials and the mayor are pointing to two strategies:

    1. Private Investment

    The city is actively seeking private investors — local and regional business leaders and investors who would put capital into the project. Mayor Franklin’s State of the City address in March 2026 emphasized that Everett needs “new pathways to long-term, sustainable revenue” and positioned the stadium as a catalyst for that investment. City council members have pointed to similar projects on the West Coast where private dollars closed comparable gaps.

    2. Additional Municipal Bonds

    If private investment doesn’t cover the full gap, the city may issue supplemental bonds. This is the less popular option — it puts more city debt on the table — but officials say they’re confident the stadium’s revenue stream can support additional bond service.

    The Everett Chamber of Commerce has publicly supported the project, and the Herald’s editorial board has urged the city to keep pushing on funding. But there’s also real community skepticism: the Snohomish County Tribune has published critical op-eds questioning whether taxpayers should shoulder more of the cost.

    What Has to Happen Before Council Votes?

    Before city council can give final approval to build the stadium, three things need to happen:

    • The $38 million gap must be closed — or at least have a credible, council-approved funding plan.
    • Property purchases must be finalized — Two parcels are under contract as of spring 2026, but none have closed. The city can’t finalize designs without knowing what land it controls.
    • Lease agreements must be signed — The AquaSox and USL lease negotiations are ongoing. The city expects these to wrap within weeks, but “weeks” has been said before.

    Council then needs to vote to approve the project. That vote is the formal green light for construction to begin — and construction needs to start almost immediately if the April 2027 deadline is going to hold.

    What Happens if the Timeline Slips?

    The AquaSox are currently playing at Funko Field. If the new stadium isn’t ready for April 2027, they stay at Funko Field. The USL timeline also slides. The economic activity the city is projecting — “tens of millions of dollars” annually, per Mayor Franklin — gets pushed out by at least a year, probably more.

    For context: the original cost estimate was $82 million. It’s now $120 million. The original target was to open before 2027. We’ll see if that timeline holds.

    Our Take

    We want this stadium built. A multi-use venue in downtown Everett — baseball, soccer, concerts, community events year-round — is exactly the kind of infrastructure that accelerates the momentum we’re seeing at the waterfront and in the downtown core. The location makes sense. The design makes sense. The teams make sense.

    But the funding math needs to close, and close publicly, before this becomes a real project instead of a very expensive set of architectural renderings. The city owes residents a clear, accountable answer to: who is putting in the $38 million, and what happens if they don’t? We’ll be watching every council session until we get it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much does the Everett downtown stadium cost?

    As of spring 2026, the estimated cost for the Everett Outdoor Event Center is $120 million, up from an original estimate of approximately $82 million. The increase reflects additional property acquisition needs and construction cost inflation.

    Where is the Everett stadium going to be built?

    The stadium is planned for a downtown Everett block between Hewitt and Pacific Avenues, east of Broadway. At least 17 businesses currently occupy the proposed site and will need to relocate.

    Who is funding the Everett downtown stadium?

    Funding comes from a mix of sources: approximately $40 million in city bonds (repaid by stadium revenue), contributions from the state of Washington, Snohomish County, the Everett AquaSox ownership, and the United Soccer League. A $38 million gap remains to be filled by private investors or additional bonds.

    When will the Everett stadium open?

    The city is targeting an opening for the April 2027 Everett AquaSox baseball season. City council has not yet given final approval to build. Construction would need to begin in 2026 to hit a 2027 opening.

    Who will play in the Everett downtown stadium?

    The stadium is designed for the Everett AquaSox (minor league baseball), two United Soccer League teams, and year-round events including concerts and community events. USL lease negotiations were still ongoing as of spring 2026.

    Who is designing the Everett stadium?

    DLR Group is the architect and Bayley Construction is the design-build contractor for the Everett Outdoor Event Center. Design was approximately 60 percent complete as of early 2026.

    Has Everett city council approved the stadium?

    No. As of spring 2026, city council has not given final approval to build the stadium. Final approval requires closing the funding gap, completing property acquisitions, and finalizing lease agreements with the sports teams.

  • Millwright District Phase 2 Is Breaking Ground in 2026: Here’s What 300+ New Waterfront Homes Mean for Everett

    What is the Millwright District? The Millwright District is the 10-acre second and largest phase of the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place mixed-use development. Phase 2 adds 300+ residential units, 60,000+ square feet of retail and restaurant space, and 200,000+ square feet of commercial and office space to Everett’s working waterfront near the downtown core.

    We’ve been watching the Millwright District take shape for years — the cranes, the construction fencing, the slow march of change along the waterfront. And right now, in spring 2026, the second and largest phase of Waterfront Place is officially underway. Private development partner Lincoln Properties is breaking ground on 300+ new residential units at the Millwright District, and when it’s done, the Port of Everett’s 65-acre waterfront transformation will look nothing like what stood here a decade ago.

    Here’s what we know, what’s coming, and why this matters for everyone who lives in or near Everett.

    What Is the Millwright District, Exactly?

    The Millwright District sits within the broader Waterfront Place development — the Port of Everett’s $1 billion-plus effort to transform 65 acres of working waterfront into a mixed-use neighborhood. Phase 1 of Waterfront Place has already delivered: Restaurant Row is now home to Tapped Public House (which opened March 2, 2026, with Snohomish County’s largest open-air rooftop deck), Rustic Cork Wine Bar, The Net Shed Fresh Fish Market & Kitchen, and more tenants arriving this spring.

    Phase 2 — the Millwright District — is a different scale entirely. We’re talking about a full 10-acre neighborhood being built from scratch, right on the waterfront near Everett’s downtown core. The project will deliver:

    • 300+ residential units — waterfront apartment homes on Everett’s marina edge
    • 60,000+ square feet of retail and restaurant space — a full neighborhood commercial district
    • 200,000+ square feet of commercial and office space — bringing employers to the waterfront

    Lincoln Properties, a national developer with a significant Pacific Northwest portfolio, is the Port’s private development partner on this phase. The groundbreaking for the first residential building was targeted for late 2025 into early 2026, with units expected to deliver as the project completes its build-out over the next several years.

    Why Apartments on the Waterfront Are a Big Deal for Everett

    Everett has been trying to bring residents to its downtown and waterfront for years. The Millwright District’s 300+ units represent one of the largest infusions of new residential supply the city has seen in a generation — and the location matters enormously.

    These aren’t apartments tucked behind a strip mall off I-5. They sit within walking distance of the marina, Restaurant Row, the future Waterfront Place hotel properties, and — if things go according to plan — the Sound Transit Everett Link Extension station that will eventually connect the waterfront to Seattle’s light rail network.

    Before Phase 2 breaks ground, the site already has 266 waterfront apartment homes from the first residential component of Waterfront Place. Add 300+ more units from the Millwright District, and you’re looking at nearly 600 waterfront homes where a working industrial port once sat. That’s a genuine neighborhood — with built-in foot traffic to support the retail and restaurant tenants the Port is recruiting.

    The Port Is Still Hunting for a Flagship Dining Tenant

    Alongside the residential groundbreaking, the Port of Everett is actively searching for one more piece of its restaurant puzzle: a high-end steakhouse or experiential dining concept willing to enter a long-term ground lease and build out a custom restaurant building on the final available parcel in the district.

    This is significant because it signals the Port isn’t done curating Waterfront Place’s tenant mix — they want a flagship anchor that can draw diners from across Snohomish County and beyond. The right operator would build their own building on Port land, which is the kind of investment that only happens when a developer believes in a location’s long-term trajectory.

    What the Full Waterfront Place Build-Out Looks Like

    To understand the Millwright District in context, here’s what the complete 65-acre Waterfront Place development delivers when fully built out:

    • 1.5 million square feet of total mixed-use development
    • Two hotels — already in the plan and on site
    • 566+ residential units (266 existing + 300+ Millwright Phase 2)
    • Restaurant Row — multiple dining tenants open or arriving spring 2026
    • Marine services — S3 Maritime opened early 2026 for recreational vessel maintenance
    • Expanded public parking — with a free waterfront shuttle updated for 2026

    The scale is hard to fully appreciate until you drive past it. This is not a small development. This is a new neighborhood being built on top of what used to be working waterfront infrastructure, and the pace has visibly accelerated since 2024.

    What This Means for Everett’s Housing Supply

    Everett’s housing market has been under pressure from demand and constrained supply for years. The latest data shows the median sale price in Everett near $547,000 in early 2026 — even amid some year-over-year softening. Adding 300+ new units to the waterfront won’t solve Everett’s affordability challenge on its own, but it adds meaningful supply in a location where none existed before.

    These will be market-rate waterfront apartments — which means they’ll serve a specific segment of the market. But their arrival matters for the broader supply picture. Everett needs units. The Millwright District is delivering them.

    Our Take

    The Millwright District Phase 2 groundbreaking is the moment Waterfront Place stops being a promise and becomes a neighborhood. Restaurant Row proved the concept works — Tapped Public House is already packing in customers, and more tenants are coming. Now the residential component is arriving at scale, which means the foot traffic, the energy, and the sense of a real waterfront district are all about to intensify.

    We’ll be at the waterfront watching the cranes go up. Follow along with us.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When will the Millwright District apartments be ready?

    Lincoln Properties began the groundbreaking phase for Millwright District residential units in late 2025 into early 2026. The full build-out of the 300+ units will unfold over several years.

    Who is developing the Millwright District?

    Lincoln Properties is the Port of Everett’s private development partner for the Millwright District. The Port retains ownership of the waterfront land.

    How many apartments are in the Millwright District?

    The Millwright District Phase 2 will deliver 300+ residential units. Combined with 266 existing waterfront homes in Phase 1, the full Waterfront Place development will have approximately 566+ waterfront residential units.

    Is Millwright District the same as Waterfront Place?

    The Millwright District is the second and largest phase of the Port of Everett’s broader Waterfront Place development. Waterfront Place is the 65-acre, 1.5-million-square-foot mixed-use project; the Millwright District is its 10-acre Phase 2 component.

    What businesses are already open at Waterfront Place?

    Restaurant Row at Waterfront Place includes Tapped Public House (opened March 2, 2026), Rustic Cork Wine Bar, and The Net Shed Fresh Fish Market & Kitchen. Menchie’s at the Marina and Marina Azul Cocina & Cantina are expected to open spring 2026. S3 Maritime also opened early 2026 for marine services.

    Is there parking at Waterfront Place?

    Yes. The Port of Everett offers two-hour free parking zones and a free waterfront shuttle with expanded service coming spring 2026. The Port published a 2026 Visitor Parking “Insider’s Guide” with full details at portofeverett.com.

    What kind of flagship restaurant is the Port looking for?

    The Port of Everett is seeking a high-end steakhouse or experiential dining concept interested in a long-term ground lease on the final available parcel in the Waterfront Place district. The chosen operator would build their own restaurant building on Port-owned land.


    Go Deeper: We’ve published detailed knowledge nodes expanding on this story for specific Everett audiences:

  • Sound Transit Everett Link Extension: Where the Project Stands in 2026

    If you live in Snohomish County and have ever wondered when light rail will actually reach Everett, 2026 is the year to pay attention. Sound Transit’s Everett Link Extension — the 16-mile, six-station project that would connect Snohomish County to the regional rail network — is entering one of its most consequential planning phases. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected in 2026, preferred station alternatives are being confirmed, and the timeline for a Paine Field-area opening sits at 2037. Here’s what you need to know about where the project stands and what the next few years look like.

    What Is the Everett Link Extension?

    The Everett Link Extension is a planned addition to Sound Transit’s Link light rail network that would extend service from the Lynnwood City Center Station — opened in 2024 — northward through Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Ash Way, Mariner, Paine Field, and ultimately to Everett Station downtown. The project would add 16 miles of track and six new stations, completing what Sound Transit calls “the spine” of the regional rail system.

    The project is being planned in two phases. The first phase would reach the southwest Everett industrial area near Paine Field — home to Boeing’s manufacturing operations — with a target opening date of 2037. The second phase would extend all the way to Everett Station, with a projected opening of 2041.

    For Snohomish County commuters, the Everett Link Extension represents the difference between driving to park-and-ride lots and being able to step onto light rail from neighborhoods closer to home — and from there, reach Seattle, the airport, and the broader regional network without a car.

    Where Things Stand in 2026: The Draft EIS

    Sound Transit is currently in the environmental review phase for the Everett Link Extension. That means preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) — a detailed analysis of how each potential alignment and station configuration would affect the surrounding community, neighborhoods, businesses, and environment.

    The Draft EIS is expected to be published in 2026 and will be available for public review and comment for a minimum of 45 days. Once published, it’s a major milestone: the document represents Sound Transit’s formal analysis of the project’s impacts and lays out the trade-offs between different alignment and station options.

    The EIS is being prepared under both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), with the Federal Transit Administration as the lead federal agency, and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), with Sound Transit as the state lead agency.

    Following the Draft EIS comment period, Sound Transit expects to identify, confirm, or modify its Preferred Alternative in summer 2026. A Final EIS and Record of Decision are then projected for summer 2027.

    What Are the Station Alternatives?

    The Everett Link Extension has multiple station locations where Sound Transit has been evaluating different alignment and placement options. Some have already received preliminary preferred designations based on community input and technical analysis during the scoping process (SEPA scoping completed 2023; NEPA scoping completed August 2025).

    At the West Alderwood station, alternatives are labeled B, D, and F — with Alternative D as the current preferred alternative. At the Southwest Everett Industrial Center station, alternatives A, B, and C are on the table, with Alternative A preferred. For the I-5/Broadway alignment segment, the two options are BI-1 and BI-2, with BI-1 as the current preferred alignment.

    These preferences are not final — they’re starting points for the Draft EIS analysis, and public comment can still shift the outcome. If you have a view on where stations should go or how alignments should route through neighborhoods you know, the Draft EIS public comment period in 2026 is your formal opportunity to put that feedback on record.

    The Boeing and Paine Field Factor

    One reason the Everett Link Extension has outsized importance for Snohomish County is its planned connection to the Paine Field area, where Boeing’s commercial airplane manufacturing facilities employ tens of thousands of workers across multiple shifts. A light rail connection to that employment center would represent one of the most significant transit investments in the region’s industrial corridor.

    For workers commuting from south Snohomish County, south King County, and Seattle, a Paine Field station could eventually eliminate the need to drive Highway 99 or I-5 to reach one of the region’s largest single employment sites. That potential has made the Paine Field alignment a consistent priority in regional planning conversations.

    The 2037 Paine Field-area opening date — assuming the project stays on schedule — would arrive roughly a decade after Lynnwood Link opened in 2024. A lot can change in that window, including costs, federal funding priorities, and regional growth patterns. Everett residents watching this project would be wise to stay engaged through Sound Transit’s public process rather than assuming the timeline is settled.

    Cost Pressures and the “Savings” Conversation

    The Everett Link Extension doesn’t exist in a budget vacuum. In September 2025, HeraldNet reported that Sound Transit was actively weighing possible savings options on the project as costs climbed. This is consistent with a broader pattern across Sound Transit’s expansion portfolio — projects authorized under the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure in 2016 have faced cost escalations, construction inflation, and schedule pressures that have forced the agency to make difficult trade-off decisions.

    What “savings options” means in practice can range from value engineering on station designs and materials to reconsidering alignment options that are less expensive to build but potentially less convenient for riders. The Draft EIS process will likely surface these trade-offs explicitly, making 2026 a critical period for community voices to weigh in before decisions get locked in.

    Snohomish County has its own Light Rail Communities program, housed at snohomishcountywa.gov, which provides residents with updates on how the county is engaging with Sound Transit’s planning process at the local level.

    How to Stay Involved

    For Everett and Snohomish County residents who want to track — or actively participate in — the Everett Link Extension planning process, here are the key resources and action points for 2026.

    • Watch for the Draft EIS release: Sound Transit will announce the public comment period at soundtransit.org/system-expansion/everett-link-extension. Sign up for project news updates on that page to get notified when the Draft EIS drops.
    • Attend public meetings: Sound Transit holds public hearings during comment periods. Check the project’s news and updates page for meeting schedules in your area.
    • Explore station design concepts: The project’s public engagement site at everettlink.participate.online has conceptual station design options for review and comment.
    • Track Snohomish County’s engagement: The county’s Light Rail Communities program at snohomishcountywa.gov/4068/Light-Rail-Communities provides local context and updates.
    • Key timeline dates to watch: Draft EIS publication (2026) → public comment period (minimum 45 days) → Preferred Alternative confirmation (summer 2026) → Final EIS (summer 2027) → Record of Decision (summer 2027).

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When will light rail reach Everett?

    Sound Transit currently projects the first phase of the Everett Link Extension — reaching the Paine Field area — to open by 2037. The full extension to Everett Station downtown is projected to open by 2041. These dates are based on current planning assumptions and may change.

    What is the Everett Link Extension Draft EIS?

    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a detailed document analyzing the potential effects of different alignment and station options for the Everett Link Extension. It is expected to be published in 2026 and will be open for public comment for a minimum of 45 days. It is a required step under both federal (NEPA) and state (SEPA) environmental law.

    How many stations will the Everett Link Extension have?

    The Everett Link Extension is planned to include six new stations covering 16 miles of new light rail track, connecting from the Lynnwood City Center Station northward to Everett Station.

    Will light rail go to Boeing Paine Field?

    Yes. The planned alignment includes a station in the southwest Everett industrial area near Paine Field, which is home to Boeing’s commercial manufacturing facilities. The Paine Field-area station is part of Phase 1 of the extension, projected to open by 2037.

    How can I comment on the Everett Link Extension?

    When the Draft EIS is published in 2026, Sound Transit will open a formal public comment period. You can submit comments online, attend public hearings, and participate via the project’s engagement site at everettlink.participate.online. Signing up for project updates at soundtransit.org will notify you when the comment period opens.

    How much does the Everett Link Extension cost?

    Sound Transit has not published a final cost estimate for the Everett Link Extension as of April 2026, as the project is still in environmental review. Cost estimates will be refined as the preferred alignment and station design options are confirmed. The agency has been exploring cost reduction options as part of the planning process.

    Sources: Sound Transit Everett Link Extension project page (soundtransit.org); Sound Transit Everett Link Extension Project Factsheet (December 2024); Federal Register Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (July 29, 2025); HeraldNet “Sound Transit weighs possible savings on Everett Link extension” (September 25, 2025); Snohomish County Light Rail Communities program (snohomishcountywa.gov); everettlink.participate.online.

  • Everett’s New Police Chief Has a Plan — Here’s What’s Changing at EPD

    When Robert Goetz was sworn in as Everett’s new police chief on January 7, 2026, he brought with him something that not every new top cop carries through the door: 35 years of institutional memory about the community he now leads. He rose through nearly every operational and administrative rank inside the Everett Police Department before Mayor Cassie Franklin appointed him to succeed retiring Chief John DeRousse. And from day one, Goetz has been clear about what he wants the department to look like — more embedded in the community, smarter about technology, and leaner on vacancies.

    The early indicators suggest the strategy is working. Crime rates across Everett continued a multi-year downward trend through 2025, with violent crime dropping by more than 30 percent and vehicle thefts falling 70 percent compared to the prior year, according to data cited by Mayor Franklin at the 2026 State of the City address. Meanwhile, the department’s drone program — launched in October 2025 — is already clearing calls without dispatching a single officer. Here’s a closer look at what’s changing at EPD and what it means for residents.

    A New Chief With Deep Everett Roots

    Robert Goetz isn’t new to Everett. He spent more than three decades with the department before Mayor Franklin tapped him for the top job in late 2025. He has worked in virtually every corner of the organization — patrol, specialty units, and administrative leadership — which means he arrived as chief without needing a long orientation period.

    In a Q&A with the Everett Post shortly after his swearing-in, Goetz described his approach: a community-oriented department that meets people where they are, not just when someone calls 911. That means officers showing up at community events, parks during summer months, and neighborhood gatherings — building relationships before a crime ever happens.

    It’s a meaningful shift in emphasis for a department that, like many mid-sized city police forces, has faced pressure to do more with constrained staffing. The Lynnwood Times, covering Goetz’s appointment in January 2026, described his philosophy as centered on a department that is “embedded in its community” and “meets youth where they are.”

    Staffing: Getting Vacancies Into Single Digits

    One of Goetz’s most concrete short-term goals is staffing. When he took over, the department carried about 13 to 14 open positions. His stated target for 2026: get that number into single digits.

    It’s not just a headcount goal. Fewer vacancies means more officers available for community engagement assignments, specialty units, and the kind of proactive policing that Goetz has prioritized. The department also recently promoted eight people to Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and Deputy Chief — a round of promotions that signals both organizational investment and career pathway development for officers already in the ranks.

    For residents, this matters practically: more officers means more coverage across Everett’s neighborhoods and a department better positioned to sustain programs like the Violent Crime Reduction Unit, which Mayor Franklin credited with driving down violent crime numbers since its 2023 launch.

    The Drone Program: Flying to Calls Before Cars Can Get There

    Perhaps the most visible operational change under EPD’s new direction is the Drone as First Responder program, which launched in October 2025 after the Everett City Council approved a $507,000 contract with Flock Safety in April 2025.

    The concept is straightforward: when a 911 call comes in, a drone can launch immediately from one of four precinct locations — two at the north precinct, two at the south precinct — and fly over traffic at roughly 50 miles per hour, reaching scenes in about 90 seconds. A patrol car navigating Everett streets in traffic might take four minutes for the same distance. The drone arrives first, gives officers a live visual of the scene, and in some cases resolves the situation entirely without a patrol unit ever leaving the lot.

    Since the program launched in October, the results have been measurable. According to EPD’s public drone flight dashboard, 87 calls were cleared without dispatching a patrol resource at all. In total, the drones have helped locate nearly 200 people across various incident types. The department is now expanding the program to add drones at a central Everett location — on top of a local business — which will improve coverage across the city’s core neighborhoods.

    The Flock Safety contract also includes Flock 911, which streams live 911 call transcripts to patrol officers and drone pilots simultaneously, improving situational awareness before anyone arrives on scene.

    What the Crime Numbers Actually Say

    Crime statistics require careful reading, and Goetz has been measured in how he talks about them. The headline figures are genuinely positive: overall crime in Everett trended down across 2025, with violent crime on pace to hit its lowest rate in seven years, according to EPD’s report to the City’s Community Health and Safety Committee in July 2025. Vehicle thefts dropped 70 percent — a dramatic reversal of a trend that had frustrated residents and businesses for years.

    Mayor Franklin highlighted these numbers in her March 5, 2026 State of the City address, noting that crime overall decreased more than 20 percent from 2024 to 2025.

    Department leadership credits several overlapping efforts: the Violent Crime Reduction Unit, a graffiti paint-over initiative launched in 2025, community-oriented patrol assignments, and increasingly effective use of technology including the Flock camera network (the City Council extended the Flock camera contract alongside the drone program approval in April 2025).

    One important note for context: Everett’s crime rate remains above national averages on some measures. The downward trend is meaningful, but it reflects progress on a baseline that still has room to improve. Goetz has acknowledged this framing — the goal isn’t just to celebrate declining numbers, but to sustain and accelerate the trend through the community-first model he’s building.

    Youth Violence: Prevention First, Enforcement Last

    One area where Goetz has been especially vocal is youth. His stated approach — prevention first, intervention where possible, and enforcement as a last resort — puts youth violence reduction at the center of EPD’s strategic direction. This aligns with a framework Mayor Franklin has emphasized across multiple budget cycles.

    In practice, the prevention model means officers assigned to youth engagement, department relationships with schools, and outreach programs designed to build trust between young Everett residents and law enforcement before any conflict arises. The idea is that a different kind of public safety ecosystem emerges when relationships are built early — one that doesn’t rely solely on reactive policing.

    What Residents Should Watch For in 2026

    Based on Chief Goetz’s stated priorities and the department’s current trajectory, here are the key indicators residents can track to assess EPD’s progress this year.

    • Vacancy count: Is EPD hitting its goal of single-digit open positions? The department publishes staffing data on its Community Transparency Dashboard at everettwa.gov.
    • Drone program expansion: The planned addition of central Everett drones should be operational in 2026. EPD’s public drone flight dashboard tracks call clearance data in real time.
    • Violent crime trends: Sustaining and deepening the 2025 crime reduction gains through 2026 will be the real test of the current strategy.
    • Youth programs: Any new partnerships, school programs, or community engagement initiatives Goetz announces will signal how the prevention-first philosophy is being operationalized.
    • City Council oversight: The Council’s Community Health and Safety Committee continues to receive regular EPD briefings. Agendas are posted at everettwa.gov/AgendaCenter.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is the new Everett Police Chief?

    Robert Goetz was sworn in as Everett’s Chief of Police on January 7, 2026. He was appointed by Mayor Cassie Franklin and brings more than 35 years of service with the Everett Police Department.

    What happened to former Chief John DeRousse?

    Chief John DeRousse retired at the end of 2025 after leading EPD. Mayor Franklin appointed Deputy Chief Robert Goetz as his successor.

    How does Everett’s Drone as First Responder program work?

    When a 911 call is received, a drone launches from one of EPD’s precinct locations and reaches a scene in approximately 90 seconds — significantly faster than a patrol car. The drones provide live video of the scene and in some cases resolve calls without dispatching an officer at all. EPD’s drone flight data is publicly available on its transparency dashboard.

    Is crime going down in Everett?

    Yes. Everett reported a more than 20 percent overall crime reduction from 2024 to 2025, and violent crime was on pace to reach its lowest rate in seven years. Vehicle thefts dropped 70 percent. Everett’s overall crime rate remains above national averages, but the downward trend has been sustained over multiple years.

    How many officers does the Everett Police Department have?

    EPD had approximately 13 to 14 vacancies when Chief Goetz took over in January 2026. His goal is to reduce that number to single digits by end of year. Current staffing data is available on EPD’s Community Transparency Dashboard at everettwa.gov.

    Where can I follow EPD’s public data?

    The City of Everett maintains a Community Transparency Dashboard at everettwa.gov/2862/Community-Transparency-Dashboard with data on crime, calls for service, and drone deployments.

    Sources: Everett Post Q&A with Chief Goetz (January 2026); Lynnwood Times Chief Goetz profile (January 13, 2026); HeraldNet “Behind the Badge” (2026); Mayor Franklin 2026 State of the City address (March 5, 2026); HeraldNet “Everett’s Drone as First Responder program underway” (March 14, 2026); EPD Community Transparency Dashboard; City of Everett official website (everettwa.gov).

  • Forest Park’s Hidden Trails, Animal Farm, and 130 Years of Everett History: A Complete Local’s Guide

    Q: What is Forest Park in Everett known for?
    A: Forest Park is Everett’s oldest and largest park at 197 acres, featuring a WPA-era trail system with up to 4.9 miles and 13 hill climb courses, a free seasonal animal farm, a water playground with an orca theme, the Forest Park Swim Center, and historic structures dating back to the 1930s New Deal era — all located at 802 E. Mukilteo Boulevard.

    This Isn’t Just a Park — It’s Where Everett Goes to Be Everett

    Every city has a park it points to on the brochure. Forest Park is the one Everett actually uses. On any given weekend, you’ll find trail runners grinding through the hill climb courses, families lined up at the animal farm, kids screaming through the splash park, and retirees doing slow loops on the upper ridge trail while learning about native plants from interpretive signs a local Boy Scout troop installed. It’s 197 acres of forest, history, and community packed into the city limits, and most people who don’t live in Everett have never heard of it.

    That’s fine with the locals. They like it that way.

    A Park Built by the Great Depression

    The land that became Forest Park was first purchased on September 27, 1894 — ten acres for $4,300, with a requirement that $600 in improvements be made within five years. By 1909, the city had expanded its holdings to 80 additional acres, and in 1913, the park was officially named Forest Park.

    But the park you walk through today was really built during the 1930s. England-born parks superintendent Oden Hall ran one of Washington State’s largest Works Progress Administration projects right here, employing hundreds of workers during the Great Depression to transform what had been rough forestland into a genuine public park. WPA crews cleared trails, built rock walls that still stand today, planted specimen and native trees, constructed animal enclosures for a growing zoo, and erected Floral Hall — a community exhibition building that opened in 1940 and now sits on the National Register of Historic Places.

    When you hike the trails and notice the mossy stone steps and aged service roads winding through old-growth-sized trees, you’re walking on infrastructure that Depression-era workers built by hand nearly a century ago. There’s something about that history that makes every trail feel a little more intentional.

    The Trail System: 13 Hill Climbs and a Ridge You’ll Want to Take Slow

    Forest Park’s trail network is the real draw for anyone who wants to get their heart rate up without driving to the Cascades. The system includes 13 mapped hill climb courses that you can combine for up to 4.9 miles and over 1,100 feet of elevation gain. Kiosks at trailheads show the routes, all marked with numbered posts so you can track your progress — or know exactly where you are when you’re gasping for air on climb number seven.

    The terrain is a mix of soft wooded single-track, moss-lined WPA-era stone stairs, aged service roads, and narrow boot paths. It’s not manicured and it’s not paved — this is real Pacific Northwest forest hiking, with roots to step over, mud after rain, and canopy so thick that even on sunny days the light filters green.

    For a mellower experience, the upper ridge trail is worth every minute. It follows the park’s high spine through mixed forest, and interpretive signs along the way teach you about the native plant species, local wildlife, and geological history of the area. Bring a camera — the filtered light through the canopy is the kind of thing that makes non-hikers understand why people hike.

    The Animal Farm: Free, Charming, and Your Kids Will Not Want to Leave

    Forest Park has had animals since 1914, when a small zoo opened that would operate for over six decades. When the zoo closed in 1976, the Animal Farm rose from its footprint — literally built at the old butcher shop location at the park’s west end starting in 1970. Today it operates seasonally during summer months as a free petting farm with goats, chickens, rabbits, sheep, ducks, and horses.

    For families with young children, this is the anchor attraction. Kids can pet and feed the animals, and horse rides are available for a small donation. It’s low-key, unpretentious, and exactly the kind of thing that creates the memories your kids will bring up at Thanksgiving twenty years from now. The price — free — means you can come every weekend all summer without thinking twice.

    Splash Park, Swim Center, and the Playground That Never Ends

    Behind the main playground area, Forest Park’s water playground features an orca-themed splash park with spray features designed for different age groups, including a smaller section for toddlers. It’s the kind of place where you’ll watch your kids run through the same water jet fourteen times in a row and somehow never get bored.

    The playground itself is enormous — swings, multiple climbing structures, bars, a digger, spinners, and a train-shaped jungle gym that serves as the unofficial meeting point for every playdate in the park. Covered picnic shelters nearby make it easy to set up camp for the day.

    The Forest Park Swim Center, which opened to the public in 1975, sits at the park’s edge. Originally built with a unique removable roof — revolutionary for its time — it was damaged in the Thanksgiving Day storm of 1984 and replaced with a permanent structure in 1985. The swim center offers public swim sessions, lessons, and lap swimming year-round, making it one of Everett’s most-used recreational facilities regardless of season.

    How to Get Here and What to Know Before You Go

    Forest Park is located at 802 E. Mukilteo Boulevard, Everett, WA 98203. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to dusk. From I-5, take exit 192 for 41st Street and head toward the Mukilteo Ferry. 41st Street becomes Mukilteo Boulevard, and the park entrance is the first left turn.

    Public transit reaches the park via Everett Transit routes 3 and 18. Parking is free and generally available on weekdays, though summer weekends can fill the main lot — arrive before 10 a.m. if you’re bringing kids to the animal farm or splash park.

    Trail surfaces are natural — wear real shoes, not sandals. After rain, the lower trails get muddy, so boots are worth the effort. The hill climbs are legitimate exercise; bring water. And if you’re visiting the animal farm, check the City of Everett Parks website for current seasonal hours before you go — operating dates vary year to year.

    Why Locals Love It

    Forest Park isn’t flashy. It doesn’t have a brewery attached to it or a waterfront view. What it has is 197 acres of honest-to-goodness forest in the middle of a city, trails that were built by hand during the hardest economic period in American history, a free animal farm that delights every kid who walks through the gate, and the kind of quiet that’s increasingly rare in the Puget Sound region.

    It’s the park where Everett residents proposed, where their kids learned to ride horses, where their grandparents danced to band music, and where — if you show up on any given Tuesday morning — you’ll find a handful of regulars doing their hill climbs in comfortable silence, nodding to each other like old friends. Because they are.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How big is Forest Park in Everett?

    Forest Park covers 197 acres, making it Everett’s largest park. It has been part of the city’s park system since the first ten acres were purchased in 1894.

    Is Forest Park’s Animal Farm free?

    Yes. The Animal Farm operates seasonally during summer months and admission is free. Horse rides are available for a small donation. Animals include goats, chickens, rabbits, sheep, ducks, and horses.

    How long are the trails at Forest Park?

    The trail system includes 13 hill climb courses that can be combined for up to 4.9 miles with over 1,100 feet of elevation gain. A more relaxed upper ridge trail is also available for those who want a gentler walk.

    What are the hours for Forest Park?

    Forest Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to dusk. The Forest Park Swim Center has separate hours for public swim sessions, lap swimming, and lessons — check the City of Everett website for the current schedule.

    How do I get to Forest Park?

    From I-5, take exit 192 for 41st Street and head toward the Mukilteo Ferry. 41st Street becomes Mukilteo Boulevard, and the park entrance is the first left turn. The address is 802 E. Mukilteo Boulevard, Everett, WA 98203. Everett Transit routes 3 and 18 also serve the park.

    Is Forest Park good for kids?

    Forest Park is one of the best family parks in Everett. It features an enormous playground, an orca-themed splash park with age-appropriate sections, a free seasonal animal farm, covered picnic shelters, and gentle trail options alongside more challenging hill climbs for older kids.

    What is Floral Hall at Forest Park?

    Floral Hall is a community exhibition building constructed during the WPA era and opened in 1940. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to host community events.

    Can you swim at Forest Park?

    Yes. The Forest Park Swim Center has been open since 1975 and offers public swim sessions, lap swimming, and swim lessons year-round. The outdoor splash park is seasonal and free.