Tag: Everett Infrastructure

  • Eclipse Mill Park Timeline: Everett Riverfront 2028 Opening

    Eclipse Mill Park Timeline: Everett Riverfront 2028 Opening

    Featured Snippet

    Q: When will Eclipse Mill Park at Everett’s Riverfront actually open?

    A: The park will now be built in two phases. The City of Everett’s waterside portion — the pier, floating dock, playground, and fish habitat work — starts July 2026 and wraps in November 2026 after the Washington Department of Ecology pushed the original start back for additional site-condition review. The second, larger phase, built by developer Shelter Holdings, runs from fall 2026 through spring 2028, with the full Eclipse Mill Park opening projected for spring 2028.

    We’ve been watching the Riverfront development on the west bank of the Snohomish River for years now, and if you drive past it on the way to the new Costco at I-5 and 41st, you already know the shape of the thing. Apartments are up. Retail pads are framed out. The trail along the river is there if you know where to look for it. But the piece that was supposed to tie the whole development together — Eclipse Mill Park, the 3-acre public park that’s going to be the signature green space for the new neighborhood — has a new timeline, and it’s worth understanding what changed.

    Here’s where things actually stand as of late April 2026, and what it means for the Riverfront buildout.

    The Short Version: A Two-Phase Park With Two Different Builders

    Eclipse Mill Park isn’t being built as a single contract or by a single entity. The 3-acre park is split into two phases, with two different builders on two different timelines. That’s the first thing to understand, because the confusion over “when does the park open” has largely come from people treating it as one project when it’s really two.

    Phase 1 — City of Everett’s portion. This is the waterside end. Playground. Pier. Floating dock. Fish habitat improvements along the riverbank. The City Council approved a $3.6 million construction contract last May to build this phase.

    Phase 2 — Shelter Holdings’ portion. This is the upland section of the park, built by the private developer as part of their Development Agreement with the City. This is the larger portion of the park’s 3 acres.

    Two builders. Two contracts. Two timelines. And two different reasons the opening keeps sliding.

    Why Phase 1 Slid to July 2026

    The original plan had City of Everett crews starting Phase 1 work earlier, with the waterside amenities coming online in 2026. That timeline got redrawn after the Washington Department of Ecology requested additional review of site conditions along the riverbank — a standard request for any project that touches fish habitat on a river as ecologically significant as the Snohomish.

    The revised schedule now has:

    • Construction mobilization: July 2026
    • Waterside amenities complete: November 2026

    So the pier, the floating dock (which Port officials have said could eventually be used to launch personal watercraft), the playground, and the fish habitat restoration work are all targeting a late-2026 completion on the City’s end. That’s a real, visible change Riverfront residents will see this year — crews on site by midsummer, open amenities by late fall.

    Why Phase 2 Runs Fall 2026 to Spring 2028

    Once the City’s portion wraps, Shelter Holdings picks up the baton. Their phase of the park is scheduled from fall 2026 through spring 2028, which puts the full-park opening at spring 2028 — about 18 months later than anyone in the neighborhood was hoping when the Riverfront plan was first approved.

    Why so long? A few honest reasons. The Phase 2 work is the larger share of the 3 acres. It’s being built by the developer, not the City, which means it’s coordinated with the rest of the Shelter Holdings buildout — apartments, retail pads, parking, internal streets — and you can’t pour the signature park in the middle of active mixed-use construction without risking damaging it. So the park goes last, and it goes slow, and the opening date sits at spring 2028.

    What Gets Built: The Actual Park Design

    The published park program is generous for a 3-acre urban waterfront park. Here’s what the full build includes once both phases are done:

    • A waterfront pier extending into the Snohomish River
    • A floating dock sized for personal watercraft launch
    • A playground at the City’s end of the park
    • A signature open lawn and gathering space on the Shelter Holdings side
    • Fish habitat improvements built into the riverbank along the full frontage
    • Trails connecting the park to the broader Riverfront trail network
    • Integration with the apartments and retail to the east so the park reads as the neighborhood’s front porch, not just leftover space

    It’s not the acreage of Grand Avenue Park or Forest Park. But for the kind of neighborhood Riverfront is trying to become — dense, mixed-use, transit-accessible, and built on a former industrial site — a 3-acre programmed park with a working pier is a meaningful amenity.

    The Bigger Picture: Riverfront’s Slow Build Continues

    Eclipse Mill Park’s slip to 2028 is part of a pattern we’ve been tracking for a while. The Riverfront project was originally approved as a 40-acre, 1,250-unit mixed-use development that would include a multiplex cinema, a specialty grocer, a 250-room hotel, office space, and 3 acres of park. The cinema has since been swapped for pickleball courts (reflecting where the indoor entertainment dollar is going in 2026), the grocer has moved around on the site plan, and the timeline for each piece has shifted.

    Two mixed-use apartment buildings are already up. Phase 2 housing — the piece that really fills out the neighborhood — is underway. The hotel is still a future phase. And now the park, which was supposed to open alongside Phase 2 apartments, slides to 2028.

    None of this is unusual for a redevelopment of an old industrial site on a federally regulated river. Every interaction with Ecology, every seasonal fish window, every shared utility trench adds weeks. If you’ve watched any of Seattle’s waterfront projects unfold, you know the shape of it.

    What Residents Will Actually See This Year

    Even with the park pushed to 2028, there’s real work happening on the Riverfront waterline this year that residents can watch in real time:

    • Summer 2026: City crews mobilize for Phase 1 park construction. Expect fencing, equipment staging, and in-water work during the permitted fish window.
    • Fall 2026: Phase 1 waterside amenities near completion. The pier and floating dock take shape.
    • November 2026: City portion hits substantial completion.
    • Fall 2026 — concurrent: Shelter Holdings begins Phase 2 park construction, running through 2027.
    • Through 2026-2027: Remaining Shelter Holdings residential buildings continue vertical construction.

    The Riverfront trail along the Snohomish River stays open throughout, which is the piece most residents actually use day to day. If you walk the trail now, you’ll see the raw edge where the riverbank will be reshaped for fish habitat — watching that transform from fall through next year is going to be one of the more visible pieces of construction on the east side of Everett.

    How the Riverfront Delay Compares to Waterfront Place

    For context, the Waterfront Place development over on the Port of Everett side is running its own slipping timeline. Millwright District Phase 2 is breaking ground this year with 300+ apartments targeting tenant move-ins by late 2026, but the Class-A office buildings aren’t expected to open until as early as 2028. S3 Maritime just opened. Menchie’s and Marina Azul are in the pipeline. The flagship restaurant parcel is still in tenant search.

    Both the Riverfront and the Waterfront are doing the same kind of work on different sites — converting former industrial edges into mixed-use neighborhoods, with parks, restaurants, and apartments. Both are running into the same realities: Ecology review windows, developer coordination, fish seasons, infrastructure sequencing, and the plain fact that you can’t stand up a neighborhood in 18 months.

    The difference between watching these projects with frustration and watching them with curiosity is mostly about whether you understand what the timelines actually mean. An extra year on Eclipse Mill Park isn’t a failure — it’s the cost of doing riverbank restoration right, in a phased build, with a private developer stitching into a public park.

    What Comes Next

    The next milestone to watch is July 2026 mobilization at the park’s waterside. If that holds, the Phase 1 amenities will be open by Thanksgiving. Shelter Holdings’ Phase 2 timeline is tied to the rest of their buildout, so the next market update on Riverfront housing will be the better indicator of whether the park’s 2028 opening slips again.

    We’ll be back at the Riverfront site later this summer with photos once the fencing goes up and the equipment stages in. If you’re a resident of one of the existing Riverfront buildings and you see activity before then, we want to know what you’re seeing from your windows.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When will Eclipse Mill Park open in Everett?

    The full 3-acre park is projected to open in spring 2028. The City of Everett’s phase (playground, pier, floating dock, fish habitat work) is scheduled to be complete by November 2026, but the full park including Shelter Holdings’ Phase 2 won’t open until spring 2028.

    Why was Eclipse Mill Park delayed?

    The Washington Department of Ecology requested additional review of site conditions along the riverbank, which pushed construction mobilization to July 2026. The Phase 2 timeline is tied to developer Shelter Holdings’ broader Riverfront buildout.

    Who is building Eclipse Mill Park?

    Two builders. The City of Everett is building Phase 1 (waterside amenities) under a $3.6 million construction contract approved by the City Council in May. Shelter Holdings, the private developer of the Riverfront project, is building Phase 2 (the larger upland portion) under their Development Agreement with the City.

    What will be in Eclipse Mill Park?

    A pier, floating dock for personal watercraft, playground, open lawn and gathering space, fish habitat improvements along the Snohomish riverbank, and trails connecting to the broader Riverfront trail system.

    Where is the Riverfront development in Everett?

    Riverfront is on the west bank of the Snohomish River, east of I-5, near the Hewitt Avenue Trestle. It’s a 40-acre former industrial site being redeveloped into a mixed-use neighborhood with housing, retail, a hotel, and parks.

    How is Riverfront different from Waterfront Place?

    Riverfront is on the Snohomish River on Everett’s east side, developed by Shelter Holdings. Waterfront Place is on Puget Sound on Everett’s west side, developed by the Port of Everett with various partners. Both are converting former industrial sites into mixed-use neighborhoods — they just face different waterways.

    What else is happening at Riverfront in 2026?

    Phase 2 residential construction continues. The cinema originally planned has been replaced with pickleball courts. Remaining apartment buildings are under vertical construction. The Riverfront trail stays open throughout construction.

  • Port of Everett 2026 Budget: Waterfront Project Breakdown

    Port of Everett 2026 Budget: Waterfront Project Breakdown

    What’s happening? The Port of Everett Commission adopted a $70 million operating and capital budget for 2026 on November 12, 2025. The budget includes $8.1 million for Seaport modernization, $2.6 million for new public infrastructure and Waterfront Place retail and restaurant buildings, and $7.1 million for maintenance and preservation of Port facilities including pier strengthening, marina bulkhead work, boat launch updates, and dredging. The 2026 spending represents the next phase of the Port’s $1 billion Waterfront Place redevelopment.

    If you’ve been watching cranes and construction fences pop up along Everett’s waterfront and wondering what’s actually funded versus what’s still hypothetical, the Port of Everett’s 2026 budget is the most useful document you can read. The commission adopted it in November, and the real-world execution is what’s driving the activity you’re seeing right now.

    We pulled out the line items that matter for anyone who lives in Everett, works near the marina, or just watches the waterfront change.

    The Headline Number

    The Port of Everett commission adopted a $70 million operating and capital budget for 2026. The commission described the budget as continuing to deliver on the Port’s Strategic Plan for “a vibrant and balanced waterfront despite challenges amid changing tariff guidance and market uncertainty.”

    That tariff language is worth pausing on. The Port of Everett operates the largest public marina on the West Coast and a working seaport that handles oversized cargo for Boeing, aerospace components, and other industrial freight. Shifts in trade policy directly affect seaport revenue. A balanced budget that funds both the marina recreation side and the seaport industrial side is how the Port keeps itself resilient when one side wobbles.

    Where the Capital Dollars Go in 2026

    The 2026 capital program breaks out into three big buckets:

    $8.1 million — Seaport Modernization

    This covers two headline initiatives:

    • Electrifying the pier — a shift toward shore power capability for vessels docked at the Port’s marine terminals, reducing diesel generator use and emissions while docked. This aligns with broader Pacific Northwest port decarbonization goals.
    • Security upgrades — infrastructure improvements for the seaport’s security perimeter, cargo handling, and access control.

    $2.6 million — Public Infrastructure and Waterfront Place Buildouts

    This is the bucket most Everett residents will actually see. It includes:

    • Public infrastructure improvements (streets, sidewalks, utilities inside Waterfront Place)
    • New retail and restaurant buildings
    • Public access improvements

    This is the money that funds the visible changes along Craftsman Way — the buildings going vertical, the promenade extensions, and the connections between the marina and downtown.

    $7.1 million — Maintenance and Preservation

    Probably the least glamorous number on the list, but arguably the most important. This bucket covers:

    • Pier strengthening — keeping industrial seaport infrastructure safe and operational
    • Marina bulkhead improvements — shoreline engineering that holds the marina in place
    • Boat launch updates — including work at Jetty Landing, which is getting a major renovation with construction anticipated to start in 2027
    • Dredging — keeping the marina’s 2,300 permanent slips and 5,000 lineal feet of guest moorage navigable

    Combined, maintenance and seaport modernization represent more capital than the flashier Waterfront Place retail buildout — a reminder that the Port’s core business is still moving cargo and keeping vessels in water.

    The Waterfront Place Big Picture

    For context on where the $2.6 million in public infrastructure fits, here’s the full scope of what the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place is building out, per Port documentation:

    • Size: 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use development
    • Footprint: 65 acres at the waterfront near downtown Everett
    • Retail/restaurant space: 63,000 square feet
    • Marine retail space: 20,000 square feet
    • Office space: 447,500 square feet
    • Hotels: Two waterfront hotels planned
    • Housing: Up to 660 waterfront housing units
    • Total expected investment: $1 billion in public/private capital
    • Jobs projected: ~2,100 family-wage jobs at full build-out
    • Annual tax revenue projected: $8.6 million in state and local sales taxes
    • Invested to date: More than $350 million already deployed

    The 2026 budget’s $2.6 million is one year’s layer on top of an already substantial stack. It’s the piece that gets Phase 2 — the Millwright District — closer to opening.

    What This Means for Jetty Landing

    One line item that often gets lost but matters a lot for Everett boaters: the Port secured a $1 million grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to help fund renovation work at the Jetty Landing Boat Launch, which is the state’s largest public boat launch.

    In-water construction is anticipated to start in 2027. For now, the 2026 budget includes planning, design, and preliminary work that sets up that 2027 start.

    If you launch a boat from Jetty Landing, expect the planning phase activity this year and real disruption next year.

    How This Fits the Bigger Everett Story

    Zoom out, and the Port’s $70 million 2026 budget is just one leg of a three-legged Everett transformation stool:

    1. Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place — $70 million in 2026, $1 billion lifetime, 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use waterfront 2. Downtown Outdoor Event Center (stadium) — $120 million projected, targeting late-2027 opening 3. Sound Transit Everett Link extension — the light rail project connecting Everett to the regional network, now facing a $500 million funding gap

    Each project has its own funding mechanism, its own timeline, and its own political dynamics. But together they represent roughly $2 billion in capital flowing into Everett infrastructure over the next decade. The Port of Everett is the one entity with the most predictable budget — it has independent taxing authority, grant access, and revenue from existing marina and seaport operations — which is why its work tends to actually happen on the schedule it sets.

    That matters for anyone watching the waterfront. When the Port says construction crews will be at a given site in 2026, construction crews show up.

    The New Fuel Dock Context

    One detail worth calling out for 2025 → 2026 continuity: the Port’s new fuel dock opened in 2025. The 2026 budget is the first full operational year with the new dock, which means higher fuel service capacity for the marina’s 2,300 slips and guest moorage capability. For recreational boaters, it’s a tangible quality-of-life improvement that’s already in service.

    Combined with the 18-plus marine service providers operating at the marina, the new fuel dock reinforces the Port’s goal of positioning the largest public marina on the West Coast as a full-service destination rather than just a place to store boats.

    What to Watch From Here

    Three things to keep an eye on across the rest of 2026:

    • Millwright District openings — new buildings and roads in Phase 2 are scheduled to open beginning in 2026
    • Pier electrification progress — look for construction activity at the seaport terminals
    • RCO grant execution at Jetty Landing — design work this year sets up 2027 in-water construction

    The citizen budget guide is available at portofeverett.com/2026Budget if you want the full line items. For the lived experience on the waterfront, the cranes and concrete trucks are a pretty good tell.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much is the Port of Everett’s 2026 budget? $70 million total for operating and capital expenses. The commission adopted the budget on November 12, 2025.

    What does the Port of Everett’s 2026 capital budget include? $8.1 million for Seaport modernization (pier electrification, security upgrades), $2.6 million for public infrastructure, new retail/restaurant buildings, and public access at Waterfront Place, and $7.1 million for maintenance including pier strengthening, marina bulkhead improvements, boat launch updates, and dredging.

    What is Waterfront Place? A 1.5 million square foot mixed-use development on 65 acres at the Port of Everett waterfront. At full build-out it will include 63,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, 20,000 square feet of marine retail, 447,500 square feet of office, two hotels, and up to 660 housing units. Total expected investment is $1 billion.

    How much has the Port of Everett already invested in Waterfront Place? More than $350 million in public and private capital has been deployed to date, according to Port documentation.

    When does the Jetty Landing Boat Launch renovation start? In-water construction is anticipated to start in 2027. The Port received a $1 million grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office to help fund the work.

    How many jobs will Waterfront Place create? The project is estimated to support nearly 2,100 family-wage jobs at full build-out, and generate $8.6 million annually in state and local sales taxes.

    Where can I read the full Port of Everett 2026 budget? The Port published a Citizen Budget Guide at portofeverett.com/2026Budget.

  • S3 Maritime Everett: New Port of Everett Marine Services

    S3 Maritime Everett: New Port of Everett Marine Services

    What’s happening? S3 Maritime, a Seattle-based full-service marine installation, maintenance, and repair company, opened its fifth service center in early March 2026 at the Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place. The new facility occupies over 2,600 square feet of office and retail space at 1205 Craftsman Way, Suite 107, with access to the boat yard and moorage. S3 Maritime joins 18-plus marine service providers already operating at the largest public marina on the West Coast.

    If you’ve been walking the Waterfront Place promenade this spring and noticed a new marine services banner up at the Waterfront Center building, that’s S3 Maritime — and it represents a specific kind of tenant that doesn’t get the headlines the way a flashy new restaurant does, but arguably matters more to how Everett’s marina economy actually works.

    We stopped by the Craftsman District earlier this month to see the new facility and figure out what the addition changes for local boaters.

    Who S3 Maritime Is

    S3 Maritime is a Seattle-based marine services company that has been quietly expanding up the I-5 corridor for almost two decades. The company’s timeline:

    • 2007 — Opened in Seattle
    • 2007–present — Operates two service centers in the Ballard area
    • 2021 — Opened a dedicated Anacortes facility
    • 2025 — Expanded to a second Anacortes facility
    • March 2026 — Opened the Everett location at Waterfront Place

    Everett is the company’s fifth marine service center. The Port of Everett Commission authorized the three-year lease in mid-January 2026, and the facility went operational in early March.

    What They Do

    S3 Maritime is a full-service shop — not specialists in one narrow service. The company’s slate of capabilities:

    • Electrical systems
    • Electronics installation and service
    • Engine and mechanical work
    • HVAC systems on recreational vessels
    • Hydraulics
    • Metal fabrication
    • Paint and fiberglass work
    • Water systems
    • Yard services

    The team is also highly mobile, meaning they can meet boat owners at the vessel when an in-yard visit isn’t practical.

    “We are excited to join the Port of Everett and become part of this dynamic waterfront community,” Kalin Tobin, S3 Maritime’s General Manager, said in the Port’s announcement. “This expansion reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable marine services to a broader customer base while investing in the long-term maritime infrastructure of the region.”

    The Space at Waterfront Place

    The new facility occupies over 2,600 square feet in the Waterfront Center building at 1205 Craftsman Way, Suite 107, in the Craftsman District of Waterfront Place. The lease gives S3 Maritime:

    • Office and retail frontage
    • Access to the boat yard
    • Access to moorage

    For recreational vessel owners, the location matters as much as the square footage. Having a full-service shop physically inside the marina complex — rather than across town — means shorter wait times when a boat needs to be hauled, serviced, and relaunched.

    Why Another Marine Services Tenant Matters

    The Waterfront Place headlines tend to go to restaurants and housing. But the marine services side of the marina economy is what keeps the 2,300 permanent slips and 5,000 lineal feet of guest moorage actually usable.

    There are now 18-plus marine service providers operating at the Port of Everett’s marina. With each new addition, the marina gets closer to a true “one-stop” destination where a boat owner doesn’t have to trailer the vessel somewhere else for major work.

    Jeff Lindhout, the Port’s Chief of Marina Operations, framed it this way in the Port’s announcement: “S3 Maritime is a strong addition to the Port of Everett’s marine-related business community, expanding local access to vessel maintenance, repair, and custom services while supporting continued economic activity on the waterfront.”

    For the Port’s business model, marine services tenants do something restaurants don’t — they attract and retain boat owners who pay slip fees year-round. That’s the recurring revenue that funds the 2026 capital budget’s $7.1 million in marina maintenance and preservation work.

    The Marina Context

    A few numbers worth carrying in your head when thinking about how S3 Maritime fits:

    • 2,300 permanent slips at the Port of Everett marina
    • 5,000 lineal feet of guest moorage for transient boaters
    • 18+ marine service providers already operating on-site
    • New fuel dock — opened in 2025, adding fueling capacity
    • Largest public marina on the West Coast by slip count
    • $1 million RCO grant secured for Jetty Landing Boat Launch renovation — Washington State’s largest public boat launch — with in-water construction targeted for 2027
    • 90+ waterfront events per year held at Waterfront Place

    The marina isn’t just a storage facility. It’s a regional maritime hub, and adding service capacity makes the math work for the Port’s long-term Waterfront Place vision of $1 billion in total investment, 2,100 projected jobs, and 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use development.

    The Strategic Location Angle

    S3 Maritime’s General Manager specifically mentioned the I-5 corridor in the Port’s announcement, and the geographic logic is worth unpacking. With service centers in:

    • Seattle (2 locations, Ballard)
    • Anacortes (2 locations)
    • Everett (new)

    The company now has service points anchoring both ends of the major Puget Sound recreational boating area, plus a midpoint. For a boat owner cruising between the San Juans and Seattle, there’s now a service option along the entire route. That’s a meaningful competitive advantage in a service industry where response time and proximity often determine which shop gets the work.

    What This Means If You Own a Boat at the Everett Marina

    A few practical implications:

    • More service competition — more providers at the marina typically means faster scheduling and more competitive pricing
    • Reduced travel for major service — fewer reasons to trailer a vessel to another marina for specialized work
    • Mobile availability — S3 Maritime’s mobile team means the shop can come to your slip for many service needs
    • Broader expertise — the nine-category service list covers most of what a recreational vessel owner will need over a boat’s lifetime

    For boat buyers considering a slip at Everett versus another Puget Sound marina, the density of on-site service providers is starting to tilt the math.

    What to Watch Next at Waterfront Place

    S3 Maritime is one tenant announcement in a longer pipeline. The Port’s 2026 budget includes $2.6 million specifically for new retail and restaurant buildings and public access improvements, and Phase 2 of the buildout — the Millwright District — is scheduled to open beginning in 2026.

    Expect more tenant announcements through the year. Marine services, food and beverage, retail, and office tenants are all on the Port’s target list as the remaining 63,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space and 447,500 square feet of office space gets built out over the next several years.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is S3 Maritime located at the Port of Everett? 1205 Craftsman Way, Suite 107, Everett WA 98201 — in the Waterfront Center building in the Craftsman District of Waterfront Place.

    What services does S3 Maritime provide? Full-service marine installation, maintenance, and repair including electrical, electronics, engine and mechanical, HVAC, hydraulics, metal fabrication, paint and fiberglass, water systems, and yard services. The team is also highly mobile.

    When did S3 Maritime open in Everett? The Port of Everett Commission authorized a three-year lease in mid-January 2026, and S3 Maritime opened the Everett facility in early March 2026.

    How many marine service providers operate at the Port of Everett’s marina? There are now 18 or more marine service providers at the marina, which is the largest public marina on the West Coast.

    How big is the Port of Everett’s marina? The marina has 2,300 permanent slips and 5,000 lineal feet of guest moorage. A new fuel dock opened in 2025.

    Is S3 Maritime a Seattle company? Yes. S3 Maritime opened in Seattle in 2007 and maintains two service centers in the Ballard area, two in Anacortes, and now a fifth in Everett.

    Who can I contact at S3 Maritime? The General Manager is Kalin Tobin. For current contact information, the Port of Everett’s public affairs team can be reached at publicaffairs@portofeverett.com.

  • Everett Stadium Funding: Council Faces $10.6M Vote April 29

    Everett Stadium Funding: Council Faces $10.6M Vote April 29

    What’s happening? Everett city staff are asking the city council to approve an additional $10.6 million in spending on the downtown stadium, a funding measure that would complete the design of the site. The council vote is scheduled for April 29, 2026. City staff told the council on April 15 that the $120 million project still has a $25 million funding gap, and the stadium’s expected opening has been pushed from April 2027 to late 2027.

    If you’ve been following the downtown stadium story, April 29 is the date to circle. That’s when the Everett City Council is expected to vote on a $10.6 million funding measure that city staff described this week as the most significant decision the council will make on the project to date.

    We watched Wednesday night’s council presentation from project manager Scott Pattison and consultant Ben Franz, and the headline is simple: the stadium is moving forward, but the financial picture is getting bigger and the timeline is slipping.

    What the $10.6M Would Pay For

    The new funding request would do two things. First, it would complete the design of the Outdoor Event Center, which has already hit roughly 60 percent design completion using the $7.2 million the city has already committed in capital funds. Second, it would continue property acquisition work on the stadium site.

    On the property side, the city needs to buy 15 parcels to build the stadium at the corner of Broadway and Pacific, right next to the Sounder rail line and just east of Angel of the Winds Arena. As of Wednesday, the city has:

    • Signed purchase agreements for 2 parcels
    • Pending agreements with 4 more
    • Active negotiations with the owners of 8 others
    • Zero parcels actually purchased outright (that only happens after the council approves construction)

    The money itself wouldn’t come from new revenue. The city would get the $10.6 million through an interfund loan from its general fund balance, with the plan to repay it later when the city passes a stadium bond measure.

    Here’s the catch Franz acknowledged on Wednesday: if the council approves the $10.6 million loan but later doesn’t approve a stadium bond to pay it back, it could mean a loss of at least $4.8 million in general fund dollars. Some property acquisition money could be reclaimed if the project falls apart, but the design work is sunk cost.

    The $25 Million Gap the City Still Has to Close

    The stadium is not yet fully funded. Not by a long shot.

    When the city first asked for the initial $4.8 million in June 2025, the project was pegged at $82 million. By the council’s January retreat, that number had grown to $120 million, driven by rising property acquisition costs and construction cost inflation. The city’s direct capital contributions to the project currently make up about 8 percent of the stadium’s total cost. Staff said Wednesday that the project is about $25 million short of its $120 million budget.

    Here’s the funding picture as it stands right now:

    • Stadium bond (planned): More than $40 million, repaid through lease revenue from the teams
    • State youth athletic fields fund: $7.4 million
    • Snohomish County contribution: $5 million spread across 2027-2030
    • AquaSox and USL team upfront commitment: $17 million
    • AquaSox and USL team lease payments: About $100 million over 30 years
    • City direct capital (already spent): ~$7.2 million
    • Gap to close: ~$25 million

    Franz told the council that filling the gap could involve “a number of options, including some very unique public-private partnerships,” but said he couldn’t share specifics. He also mentioned a federal loan program that distributes funds to economic development projects near rail infrastructure as a possibility — the favorable interest rate would be attractive, but the application process is long.

    “The more upfront capital we’re able to secure, the less debt the city has to issue,” Franz said after the meeting. “And that’s the piece we’re balancing, which is why we can’t sit here today and say, ‘Here’s the full funding plan.’”

    The Stadium Itself: What’s in the Design

    Contractors and architects showed the council initial design work Wednesday. The stadium would feature:

    • 5,000 seats
    • A clubhouse area that can be used for non-game events
    • An artificial turf field
    • A perimeter walking area
    • A main entrance where Wall Street meets Broadway

    The project is being delivered through a progressive design-build process, meaning the contractor — DLR Group with Bayley Construction — is designing the stadium alongside the architects rather than after. If the full project gets approved, the contractor would be locked in at a guaranteed price.

    The goal, according to Franz, is to break ground in September 2026. The previous target of opening for the AquaSox’s 2027 season is no longer realistic — the new opening window is late 2027.

    What the Teams Are Bringing

    Both the Everett AquaSox and the United Soccer League have now agreed to the financial terms of a lease, according to Franz. The key numbers:

    • $17 million upfront — combined team contribution toward construction
    • ~$100 million in lease payments over 30 years
    • Day-to-day maintenance responsibility falls to the teams
    • City staffing commitment: likely one employee to oversee operations
    • 50 guaranteed days per year for the city to host its own events or lease to other groups

    Once the bonds are paid off, the lease revenue flows into the city’s general fund.

    Mayor Cassie Franklin noted at Wednesday’s meeting that the maintenance arrangement is a significant win for the city — major capital repairs and upgrades remain the city’s responsibility, but the teams handle operations.

    The USL Piece That’s Still Unresolved

    Before the United Soccer League’s portion of the money can flow, the league still needs to find an owner or ownership group to actually buy the Everett men’s and women’s teams. Pattison said Wednesday in an interview that the league has “two or three people that are interested.”

    A USL spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

    For context, franchise fees in the USL ecosystem run roughly:

    • USL League One team: ~$5 million (per ESPN reporting)
    • USL Championship team: ~$20 million
    • USL Super League (women’s professional) team: ~$10 million (per Backheeled and The Athletic)

    The league’s ownership search could affect the stadium’s timeline. “It really depends on where they are in the process, and where we are in overall readiness to start construction,” Franz said. “We have commitments to the AquaSox that we want to meet at this point. Our goal is to start construction in September, and so we’ll work diligently with them together to meet that.”

    Why This Project Started in the First Place

    Everett first began studying a stadium upgrade in 2022 after Major League Baseball announced new facility standards for minor league stadiums. Funko Field, in its current state, doesn’t meet those requirements. In 2024, the AquaSox’s owner said the city was in danger of losing the team. Later that year, the council decided to study a downtown site — partly because a downtown location could unlock more public and private funding than a rebuild at Funko Field.

    The stadium has become, effectively, the signature piece of Everett’s downtown revitalization strategy. It anchors development plans next to Angel of the Winds Arena, the Sounder station, and the Millwright District’s growing footprint on the waterfront.

    The Calendar From Here

    Three dates worth writing down:

    • April 29, 2026 — City council vote on the $10.6 million funding measure
    • July 2026 — Target for completing a full funding plan
    • August 2026 — Expected council vote on approving stadium construction
    • September 2026 — Target date to break ground
    • Late 2027 — Revised stadium opening

    The April 29 vote does not commit the city to building the stadium. But it does commit $10.6 million — with real financial consequences if the project doesn’t move forward later.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When does the Everett City Council vote on the $10.6 million stadium funding? The vote is scheduled for April 29, 2026. It would complete the design of the Outdoor Event Center and continue work on acquiring the 15 parcels needed to build the stadium.

    How much is the Everett stadium projected to cost? The current cost estimate is $120 million, up from an initial estimate of $82 million in June 2025. The city is about $25 million short of the full budget.

    When will the downtown stadium open? City staff have pushed the opening from April 2027 to late 2027. The new target is to break ground in September 2026.

    Who would play at the Everett Outdoor Event Center? The Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners High-A minor league baseball) and two new United Soccer League teams — a men’s team and a women’s team — if the USL finds ownership groups to buy them.

    Where will the new Everett stadium be located? At the corner of Broadway and Pacific, east of Angel of the Winds Arena and next to the Sounder rail line. The main entrance is planned for where Wall Street meets Broadway.

    What happens if the stadium project doesn’t get approved? At least $4.8 million of the $10.6 million loan could be lost. Some property acquisition money might be recoverable if the city backs out of purchases, but design work is a sunk cost.

    Who is designing and building the stadium? DLR Group and Bayley Construction are delivering the project through a progressive design-build process, where the contractor is working alongside the architects during design.

  • Everett Edgewater Bridge: New Bike Lanes & Sidewalks

    Everett Edgewater Bridge: New Bike Lanes & Sidewalks

  • Edgewater Bridge Opening: Everett Commute Restored

    Edgewater Bridge Opening: Everett Commute Restored

  • NAVSTA Everett Frigate Cancellation: The Complete Guide

    NAVSTA Everett Frigate Cancellation: The Complete Guide

    Q: What happened to the frigates that were supposed to come to Naval Station Everett?
    A: The U.S. Navy cancelled the Constellation-class guided-missile frigate (FFG-62) program in November 2025, eliminating plans to homeport 12 new ships at NAVSTA Everett. The cancellation removed a transformative commitment to the base and the Snohomish County economy. Local leaders have since rebooted the Snohomish County Military Affairs Committee to advocate for the base’s continued relevance in the Pacific Fleet.

    Naval Station Everett sits on the waterfront at the northern edge of downtown — a base that most people in Snohomish County pass without much thought, but that touches the local economy, the housing market, the schools, and the community in ways that most residents never fully appreciate until something threatens to change it.

    That something arrived in November 2025, when the U.S. Navy officially cancelled the Constellation-class frigate program, ending a plan that would have transformed NAVSTA Everett into one of the most strategically significant homeports in the Pacific Fleet. Here is everything you need to know about what was lost, what remains, and what local leaders are doing about it.

    The Promise: 12 Frigates, a Generation of Growth

    In June 2021, the Navy made one of the most consequential announcements in Everett’s modern history: NAVSTA Everett would become the homeport for the first 12 Constellation-class guided-missile frigates (FFG-62). These were not small ships — the Constellation class was designed as the Navy’s answer to a capability gap in surface warfare, intended to project power across the Pacific and operate alongside carrier strike groups.

    For Everett, the commitment meant 12 new vessels, hundreds of additional sailors and their families, pier infrastructure upgrades, and a decades-long anchor of federal investment. The economic multiplier effect alone — housing demand, school enrollment, retail spending, support contractors — would have reshaped Snohomish County’s economic landscape for a generation.

    The Cancellation: What Happened and Why

    On November 25, 2025, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan announced the cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate program beyond its first two ships. His reasoning was precise: the program was delivering approximately 60 percent of a destroyer’s capability at roughly 80 percent of the cost, while running years behind schedule and hundreds of millions over budget.

    The first ship — USS Constellation (FFG-62), built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin — was only approximately 12 percent complete as of the November 2025 report to Congress, and its projected delivery had already slipped from 2026 to an estimated 2029. The Navy made the calculation that the math no longer worked.

    For Everett, the numbers were painfully concrete. The 12 frigates that were never coming represented 12 crews, 12 sets of families, and 12 ships’ worth of homeport infrastructure that will now never be built.

    What NAVSTA Everett Actually Means to Snohomish County

    Naval Station Everett is currently home to approximately 6,000 military personnel and 500 civilian employees, making it one of the ten largest employers in Snohomish County. The Navy’s own regional estimates put the total annual economic impact of military operations in Snohomish County at roughly $340 million — and that figure accounts for the base’s current footprint, not the expanded one the frigates would have created.

    That $340 million flows through the county in layered ways: military housing allowances that sustain rental markets from Marysville to Mukilteo; commissary and PX spending; healthcare utilization at civilian providers; car purchases, restaurant visits, and retail patronage. When you add the support contractors who maintain the base’s ships, facilities, and equipment, the economic web extends across the entire region.

    NAVSTA Everett is currently home to a carrier strike group and associated surface combatants. The base’s deep-water piers can accommodate destroyers, cruisers, and — if the frigates had materialized — the new FFG-62 class. It is a strategically important installation, but one that needs sustained advocacy to maintain its assignment levels as the Navy reconfigures its force structure.

    Everett Fights Back: The Rebooted Military Affairs Committee

    Within weeks of the cancellation, Snohomish County leaders began organizing a response. The Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, led by President and CEO Ray Stephanson, moved to reboot the county’s Military Affairs Committee — a group that had previously advocated for the base but had gone dormant as the frigate program appeared on track.

    Stephanson was direct about the stakes: “The demise of the frigate program is very disappointing,” he said. “The assignment of the frigates would have cemented the base’s role as a key asset for the U.S. Navy.”

    Snohomish County Council member Nate Nehring (R-Arlington) accepted an invitation to join the rebooted committee, signaling that the advocacy effort would span both the public and private sectors. The committee’s goal is proactive — not to mourn what was lost, but to identify what missions, ships, or assets could be directed to NAVSTA Everett as the Navy reconfigures its Pacific Fleet strategy.

    U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, whose district includes NAVSTA Everett, has stated that the Navy’s commitment to Everett as a homeport remains strong despite the frigate cancellation. Larsen has been a consistent advocate for the base in Congress, and his office has communicated directly with Navy leadership about maintaining Everett’s force assignment levels.

    What Comes Next for the Base

    The Navy has not announced any plans to reduce NAVSTA Everett’s current force assignment — the carrier strike group elements and surface combatants currently homeported here are not affected by the frigate cancellation. The base’s infrastructure remains intact and capable.

    The open question is what replaces the growth that the frigates would have generated. The Military Affairs Committee is actively exploring whether other ship classes — next-generation surface combatants or additional destroyers — could be directed to Everett as the Navy builds out its Pacific-oriented force posture. The base’s location, deep-water access, and proximity to Puget Sound industrial infrastructure make it a logical candidate for expanded assignments.

    The answer will likely come from Washington, D.C., shaped by how effectively local leaders and advocates make the case for Everett’s strategic value. That advocacy — quiet, consistent, and backed by a community that understands what is at stake — is now underway.

    Frequently Asked Questions About NAVSTA Everett and the Frigate Cancellation

    Q: Is Naval Station Everett at risk of closure?
    A: The Navy has not announced or suggested any plans to close NAVSTA Everett. The base remains operational with its current ship assignments intact. The frigate cancellation removed a planned expansion, not existing assets.

    Q: How many sailors are currently stationed at NAVSTA Everett?
    A: Approximately 6,000 military personnel and 500 civilian employees are currently assigned to or working at Naval Station Everett, making it one of the largest employers in Snohomish County.

    Q: What was the Constellation-class frigate, and why was it cancelled?
    A: The FFG-62 Constellation class was designed as a next-generation guided-missile frigate to restore U.S. Navy frigate capability. It was cancelled in November 2025 after the program fell significantly behind schedule, exceeded its budget, and delivered roughly 60% of a destroyer’s capability at 80% of the cost.

    Q: What is the Snohomish County Military Affairs Committee?
    A: The Military Affairs Committee is a public-private advocacy group organized through the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County. It advocates at the federal level for maintaining and expanding Naval Station Everett’s role in the Pacific Fleet. It was rebooted in early 2026 in response to the frigate cancellation.

    Q: What is the economic impact of NAVSTA Everett on the local economy?
    A: The Navy estimates military operations in Snohomish County generate approximately $340 million in annual economic impact. This includes direct spending by military personnel and their families, contractor and support employment, and the housing market effects of military housing allowances.

    Q: What ships are currently homeported at NAVSTA Everett?
    A: NAVSTA Everett hosts elements of a carrier strike group and associated surface combatants. Specific ship assignments change as vessels deploy and return. The base’s pier infrastructure is capable of accommodating a wide range of Navy surface combatants.

    Q: Who represents NAVSTA Everett in Congress?
    A: U.S. Representative Rick Larsen represents the district that includes Naval Station Everett. Larsen has been a consistent advocate for the base and has communicated with Navy leadership about maintaining Everett’s force assignments following the frigate cancellation.

    Related: Naval Station Everett’s Fight for Its Future After the Frigate Program Collapse | Everett Fights Back: Inside the Community Push to Secure NAVSTA Everett’s Future | Sound Transit Everett Link Extension: Where the Project Stands in 2026

  • Edgewater Bridge Opening: April 28 Everett & Mukilteo Guide

    Edgewater Bridge Opening: April 28 Everett & Mukilteo Guide

    What is the Edgewater Bridge? The Edgewater Bridge spans the Mukilteo ravine on the border between Everett and Mukilteo, connecting the two cities along Mukilteo Boulevard. The 366-foot-long bridge is a primary commute corridor for residents of both cities and was built in 1946 — making the original structure nearly 80 years old when it closed for replacement.

    After 18 months of construction and a $34.9 million investment, Everett’s new Edgewater Bridge will open to vehicle traffic on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The community is invited to walk across the bridge the day before at a free celebration event on Sunday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m.

    Why the Bridge Had to Be Replaced

    The original Edgewater Bridge was built in 1946. By the time the City of Everett closed it in October 2024, the structure had reached the end of its rated useful life and had known seismic vulnerabilities. Rather than patch an aging span, the city moved forward with full replacement.

    Replacing the bridge was not a straightforward project. Construction crews encountered significant underground obstacles — old timber and concrete debris from a previous, earlier bridge structure were embedded deep in the soil, complicating the installation of the steel piling needed to support the new span. Then, in December 2025, an atmospheric river weather event caused damage to portions of the project and pushed the completion date back further, into April 2026.

    The scale of the work was considerable: crews had to fully remove the 366-foot-long, 60-foot-tall original bridge and build two temporary work platforms on either side of the ravine from which the new structure was constructed piece by piece.

    What’s Different About the New Bridge

    The new Edgewater Bridge is not just a replacement — it’s a meaningful upgrade in several key ways.

    • Wider sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the roadway — a significant improvement for pedestrians and cyclists who previously had more limited options on the original structure.
    • Modern seismic engineering — the new bridge is designed to perform better in an earthquake, addressing the structural concerns that made replacement necessary.
    • Longer designed service life — built to current standards, the bridge is intended to serve Everett and Mukilteo for decades.

    The bridge straddles the city boundary, welcoming travelers into both Everett and Mukilteo. Once the final finishing work is complete, pedestrians and cyclists will have dedicated, protected lanes on each side of the roadway.

    How the $34.9 Million Project Was Paid For

    The total project cost is $34.9 million. Of that, $28 million — roughly 80 percent — came from federal grant funding. The remaining portion was covered by city transportation funds.

    Mayor Cassie Franklin said she was “excited to see the brand-new Edgewater Bridge open again and serving our community,” acknowledging the disruption the closure caused. “Construction brought real impacts — especially to the neighbors who live close to the bridge — but I’m proud to deliver a more structurally sound bridge that’s built to last and ready for the future.”

    What to Expect at the April 27 Celebration

    The City of Everett is hosting a community event on Sunday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m. where residents from both Everett and Mukilteo can walk across the new bridge, meet members of the project team, and hear remarks from city officials.

    Important note: the bridge will not be open to vehicle traffic at the time of the celebration. You can approach from either side but will not be able to drive across. Vehicles will begin crossing on Tuesday, April 28.

    What’s Still Being Finished After Opening

    Even after vehicles start using the bridge on April 28, some work will continue. According to the City of Everett, permanent roadway striping, barriers, lighting, paint, and other finishing tasks may still be in progress. The new sidewalks and bike lanes will remain closed to pedestrian and cyclist use until that final phase of work is complete — so pedestrian access will follow the vehicle opening by a short period.

    Why This Reopening Matters for Everett and Mukilteo

    Mukilteo Boulevard is a primary east-west connector used daily by commuters heading toward Interstate 5, Paine Field, and local destinations in both cities. The 18-month closure forced drivers to reroute through already-congested surface streets — an impact felt by neighborhoods on both sides of the ravine. The reopening directly relieves that pressure.

    The new bike lanes and wider sidewalks also represent a real win for non-motorized transportation in a corridor that previously had limited options. Both Everett and Mukilteo have been working to improve walkability and bikeability, and this crossing is now part of that network in a meaningful way.

    Frequently Asked Questions About the Edgewater Bridge Opening

    When does the Edgewater Bridge open to vehicles?

    The bridge opens to vehicle traffic at the end of the workday on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

    When is the community celebration for the new Edgewater Bridge?

    The City of Everett is hosting a community walk-across event on Sunday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m. The bridge will not be open to vehicle traffic at that time. Residents can approach from either the Everett or Mukilteo side.

    How much did the new Edgewater Bridge cost?

    The total project cost is $34.9 million, with $28 million funded by federal grants — about 80 percent of the project cost covered by federal dollars.

    Is the new bridge safer in an earthquake?

    Yes. The new bridge was built to modern seismic engineering standards and is significantly more earthquake-resistant than the 1946 original, which had known structural vulnerabilities.

    Why did the bridge closure last 18 months?

    The original construction schedule was extended twice — first due to underground obstructions from an older bridge structure buried beneath the site, and again after an atmospheric river weather event in December 2025 caused damage to portions of the project.

    Will there be bike lanes and sidewalks on the new Edgewater Bridge?

    Yes. The new bridge includes bike lanes and wider sidewalks on both sides. They will open to use once final finishing work on the project is complete, which is expected to happen shortly after the vehicle opening.

    What cities does the Edgewater Bridge connect?

    The Edgewater Bridge straddles the boundary between Everett and Mukilteo, connecting both cities along Mukilteo Boulevard.

  • Millwright District Office Space: Pre-Leasing in Everett

    Millwright District Office Space: Pre-Leasing in Everett

    Quick Definition: The Millwright District is a 10-acre mixed-use campus within the Port of Everett’s $1 billion Waterfront Place development. Pre-leasing is now open for up to 120,000 sq ft of Class-A office space across three interconnected buildings, developed by Lincoln Property Company. Openings are anticipated as early as 2028.

    We’ve written a lot about the residential side of the Millwright District buildout — the 300-plus apartments breaking ground, the restaurant row filling in, the waterfront esplanade taking shape. But there’s a commercial story happening here that deserves its own spotlight, because it changes what the Millwright District actually becomes as a place to work, not just a place to live and eat.

    The Port of Everett and its development partner Lincoln Property Company (operating commercially as LPC West) have launched pre-leasing for up to 120,000 square feet of Class-A office space at Waterfront Place. Pre-leasing is open now, with occupancy targeted as early as 2028.

    What “Class-A Waterfront” Actually Means Here

    “Class-A office space” gets used loosely in commercial real estate, so let’s break down what it actually looks like in this specific context — and why it’s meaningfully different from a generic Snohomish County office park.

    The Millwright District offices sit within Waterfront Place at the largest public marina on the West Coast. The planned complex features:

    • Rooftop terraces with Olympic Mountain and Puget Sound views
    • Structured on-site parking (a dedicated garage, not a surface lot)
    • Community conference rooms shared across the building complex
    • A fitness center within the office complex
    • Immediate walkable access to Restaurant Row dining, marina recreation, retail, and the waterfront esplanade

    Suite sizes range from 5,000 to 120,000 square feet across up to three interconnected buildings. A 5,000 sq ft tenant and a 120,000 sq ft campus tenant can both be accommodated — the three-building configuration allows Lincoln Property Company to serve single large anchors or multiple smaller tenants co-locating in the same complex.

    Who Is Lincoln Property Company?

    LPC West is not a local developer — they’re one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the country, with a national portfolio spanning office, industrial, and multifamily assets. The Port of Everett selected LPC West through a competitive process to develop the Millwright District’s 10-acre commercial footprint.

    The significance of that choice: Lincoln Property Company typically develops in markets where they project long-term rent growth and durable tenant demand. Their presence in the Millwright District reflects how outside institutional investors are reading Everett’s commercial trajectory — and it’s not a minor endorsement.

    The Timeline: When Does This Open?

    Lincoln Property Company is projecting a 24-month construction period, with openings targeted as early as 2028. The construction clock starts when pre-leasing reaches its threshold — a standard commercial real estate structure where the developer needs committed leases before a construction lender funds the project.

    The faster pre-leasing fills, the faster the 24-month clock starts — and the sooner the doors open. If pre-leasing proceeds slowly, the 2028 target shifts.

    The infrastructure foundation is already in place: the Millwright Loop Roads (a $13 million construction contract completed in 2023) gave the site road access. The residential apartment phase is already under construction. Restaurant Row is open and drawing foot traffic. The office buildings are the next vertical layer on a site that’s already functional.

    What This Does for Everett’s Commercial Real Estate Market

    Everett has historically been a manufacturing and bedroom community — a place where people live for affordability and commute to Seattle or work at Boeing or Naval Station Everett. The transformation we’re tracking on this desk is Everett becoming a destination city in its own right: a place with its own employment base, its own amenities, and its own identity beyond its two largest employers.

    Class-A office space on the waterfront is a direct play on that transition. If a firm can put 50 employees in a Millwright District suite with Olympic Mountain views and a rooftop terrace, walking distance from waterfront restaurants and marina recreation, that’s a meaningful differentiator in Puget Sound commercial real estate. It’s the kind of space that helps Snohomish County employers retain talent that might otherwise commute to Seattle offices.

    It also creates a self-reinforcing cycle for the district itself. Office workers become lunch customers at Restaurant Row. They become boat owners at the marina. They become apartment tenants in the Millwright District residential buildings. That’s the mixed-use model working as designed — and it’s why the Port structured the entire development this way rather than just building more boat slips.

    How to Learn More About Pre-Leasing

    If you’re a business owner, real estate broker, or facilities director evaluating Snohomish County office options, pre-leasing information is available through the Port of Everett and Lincoln Property Company. The Port’s website at portofeverett.com has the Millwright District office pre-leasing page with contact information and suite specifications.

    The range of suite sizes — 5,000 sq ft to 120,000 sq ft — means this isn’t exclusively for large enterprises. Professional service firms, engineering consultancies, tech companies, and architecture firms all fall within the tenant profile the project is designed to serve.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the Millwright District at Waterfront Place?
    A 10-acre mixed-use campus at the heart of the Port of Everett’s $1 billion Waterfront Place development. It includes up to 120,000 sq ft of Class-A office space, 200+ multifamily housing units, and up to 60,000 sq ft of destination retail on the Everett waterfront.

    Who is developing the Millwright District office buildings?
    Lincoln Property Company (LPC West), one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the country, is the development partner. Selected by the Port of Everett through a competitive process.

    What size office suites are available at Millwright District?
    Suites range from 5,000 to 120,000 square feet across up to three interconnected buildings. The configuration accommodates both small professional firms and large campus tenants.

    When will the Millwright District office buildings open?
    Construction is estimated at 24 months, with openings targeted as early as 2028. The start of construction depends on pre-leasing activity.

    What amenities will Millwright District office tenants have?
    Rooftop terraces with Olympic Mountain and marina views, structured parking, community conference rooms, a fitness center, and walkable access to the Waterfront Place restaurant row, retail, and marina.

    Is Millwright District office space currently available?
    Pre-leasing is open now through Lincoln Property Company and the Port of Everett. Contact information is available at portofeverett.com.

  • Everett Link Extension: 2026 Timeline & Funding Gap

    Everett Link Extension: 2026 Timeline & Funding Gap

    Quick Definition: The Everett Link Extension is a planned 16-mile light rail segment connecting Lynnwood City Center to Everett Station with six new stations. Sound Transit targets a 2037 opening to SW Everett Industrial Center and 2041 full service to Everett Station, pending closure of a $500 million funding gap.

    We’ve been watching the Everett Link Extension timeline shift around for a few years now, and 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most consequential years for the project since voters approved ST3 back in 2016. This spring, Sound Transit is preparing to release its Draft Environmental Impact Statement — the document that narrows down exactly where the tracks, stations, and operations facility will go. This is what you need to know right now.

    Where the Project Stands in April 2026

    The Everett Link Extension remains in its Planning Phase, with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) expected to be released for public review in 2026. The Draft EIS is a big deal — it’s the point where Sound Transit presents the preferred alignment, the six station locations, and the environmental and community impacts of building 16 miles of elevated light rail through Snohomish County.

    Once the Draft EIS is released, there will be a public comment period. Then Sound Transit prepares the Final EIS, currently expected around 2027. The Sound Transit Board formally votes on the route and station locations after the Final EIS — no shovels in the ground before that point.

    • 2026: Draft EIS release and public comment period
    • 2027: Final EIS and Board decision on preferred route and stations
    • 2030–2036: Construction phase
    • 2037: Target service opening to SW Everett Industrial Center
    • 2041: Projected full service to Everett Station

    The Six Planned Stations — What We Know

    The Everett Link Extension adds six new stations to the regional Link light rail network, connecting riders from the Lynnwood City Center terminus northward into Snohomish County. Here are the six stations currently planned:

    West Alderwood — Connects to the area between Lynnwood and southwest Snohomish County neighborhoods currently underserved by rail.

    Ash Way — Positioned near the Ash Way Park-and-Ride on I-5, already a major transit hub for express bus commuters heading to Seattle.

    Mariner — Serves the Mariner community in south Everett near the I-5 and Highway 526 interchange.

    SW Everett Industrial Center — Located near Boeing’s primary Everett manufacturing campus. This is the station that puts light rail walking distance from one of the region’s largest employment sites. Targeted as the first endpoint of service in 2037.

    SR 526/Evergreen — Near Everett’s southern approaches, serving Paine Field-area commuters.

    Everett Station — The northern terminus, connecting Link directly to Everett’s Amtrak Cascades and Sounder commuter rail hub downtown. Full service here is targeted for 2041.

    A seventh provisional station at SR 99 and Airport Road is also being studied, though it is not currently funded and would need additional financial support to be included.

    The $500 Million Funding Gap — What It Actually Means

    We’re not going to bury the hard part: Sound Transit has a $500 million affordability gap on this project. That’s a real number from Sound Transit’s own project documents — not a rounding error or a worst-case scenario.

    In practice, Sound Transit is pursuing increased local, state, and federal funding while simultaneously exploring cost-reduction options — different construction approaches, phasing strategies, or station design changes that could bring the price down without cutting service quality.

    The ST3 System Plan — the broader 25-year transit expansion voters approved in 2016 — is also up for a structural review by the Sound Transit Board in summer 2026. The board is evaluating “different approaches to updating the ST3 System Plan,” which could include new ways to build, phase, or sequence projects, including the Everett extension.

    What this means practically: if the board decides to phase the project and build to the SW Everett Industrial Center station by 2037 first, then complete the final stretch to Everett Station later, the shape of the project changes significantly. If new funding closes the gap, the 2037/2041 timeline firms up. We’ll be tracking whatever comes out of those board discussions as they develop.

    What the Draft EIS Will Tell Us

    When Sound Transit releases the Draft EIS this year, it will contain:

    • The preferred alignment — the exact route the tracks follow
    • Station designs and footprint maps for all six locations
    • Property acquisition requirements
    • Environmental impact analysis: noise, traffic, wetlands, neighborhood effects
    • Community benefit assessments
    • The preferred location for the Operations and Maintenance Facility North (OMF North), a critical piece of system infrastructure targeted for a 2034 opening

    The public comment period following the Draft EIS release is the moment for Snohomish County residents to officially weigh in. Station design concerns, community impacts, park-and-ride configurations — all of that input gets recorded in the official planning record during this window.

    Why This Matters for Everett’s Development Boom

    We’ve spent a lot of time covering Everett’s physical transformation — the waterfront, the stadium project, the housing surge. Light rail sits underneath all of it as a long-term infrastructure bet.

    When Everett Station connects to the regional Link network, the entire corridor from downtown Everett to Seattle becomes a roughly 45-minute commute without a car. That changes the math on living in Everett for people working Seattle-based jobs. It changes what downtown Everett can support in terms of retail, restaurants, and density.

    The Port of Everett’s Millwright District, the new downtown stadium, the apartments going up near the transit center — every one of these projects is betting on a future where Everett is a complete city, not a staging area for a Seattle commute. The $500M funding gap and the 2037-2041 window is the biggest variable in that long-term calculation.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When will the Everett Link Extension open?
    Sound Transit is targeting 2037 for service to the SW Everett Industrial Center station and 2041 for full service to Everett Station. Both timelines are contingent on closing a $500 million funding gap.

    How many stations will the Everett Link Extension have?
    Six stations are planned: West Alderwood, Ash Way, Mariner, SW Everett Industrial Center, SR 526/Evergreen, and Everett Station. A seventh station at SR 99/Airport Road is being studied but is not currently funded.

    What is the Everett Link Extension Draft EIS?
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be released in 2026. It identifies the preferred route alignment, station locations, and environmental and community impacts. There will be a public comment period after its release.

    How long is the Everett Link Extension?
    Approximately 16 miles of new light rail, running from the Lynnwood City Center terminus north to Everett Station.

    What is the $500 million funding gap?
    Sound Transit has identified a $500 million shortfall between current projected revenues and the estimated cost of the Everett Link Extension. The agency is pursuing additional local, state, and federal funding as well as cost-reduction options.

    What is the ST3 System Plan review?
    The Sound Transit Board is evaluating different approaches to updating the ST3 System Plan in summer 2026. This could include new ways to build, phase, or sequence projects — potentially affecting the Everett extension timeline.

    Will there be park-and-ride access at Everett Link stations?
    Yes. The Ash Way station connects to an existing major Park-and-Ride facility. Specific configurations at each station will be detailed in the Draft EIS.

    How does this connect to existing Everett transit?
    The extension terminates at Everett Station, which serves Sounder commuter rail and Amtrak Cascades. It will also connect with Community Transit bus routes throughout the corridor.