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Tag: Port of Everett

  • Snohomish County’s Federal Asks Are Being Made in Washington Right Now — Inside the EASC DC Fly-In Underway This Week

    Snohomish County’s Federal Asks Are Being Made in Washington Right Now — Inside the EASC DC Fly-In Underway This Week

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

    A Snohomish County Trip Most Residents Don’t Hear About

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

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

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

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

    What the Fly-In Actually Does

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

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

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

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

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

    What’s on the Federal Asks List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Why This Trip Matters More in 2026 Than Most Years

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

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

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

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

    The Boeing Sponsorship Is a Signal, Not a Conflict

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

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

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

    What Comes Back to Everett From This Week

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

    The concrete things to watch over the next 60 days:

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

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

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

    Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Port of Everett Just Won a PSBJ Operational Excellence Award — And the Real Story Is the $4.3M Electrification Project Starting This Year

    Port of Everett Just Won a PSBJ Operational Excellence Award — And the Real Story Is the $4.3M Electrification Project Starting This Year

    Port of Everett Just Won a PSBJ Operational Excellence Award — And the Real Story Is the $4.3M Electrification Project Starting This Year

    Q: Why did the Port of Everett win the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Operational Excellence award in 2026?

    A: For weaving sustainability into every operational decision across its Seaport, Marina, and Waterfront Place properties — including a 16-category Climate Change Strategy, a real-time emissions analytics pilot called DAPE, and a $4.3 million WSDOT electrification grant that funds zero-emission cargo handling equipment with work starting later in 2026.

    The Puget Sound Business Journal handed the Port of Everett its 2026 Environmental Sustainability Award for Operational Excellence on May 1, and we want to talk about it for a minute — because the press release version of this story is a feel-good announcement, and the actually-interesting version is the line near the bottom about a $4.3 million WSDOT grant that’s about to put zero-emission cargo equipment on the working waterfront.

    That’s the story we’d rather tell.

    The Award, Briefly

    The Puget Sound Business Journal recognized the Port of Everett in its 2026 Environmental Sustainability Awards in the Operational Excellence category. The framing from PSBJ is that environmental stewardship runs through how the Port makes operational decisions — not as an add-on, but as one leg of what CEO Lisa Lefeber calls a “triple-bottom-line approach” weighing economy, environment, and community on every call.

    “Environmental stewardship is an important priority for the Port, and you can see that it is woven into every operational decision the team makes, whether at the Seaport, the Marina, or our properties at Waterfront Place,” Lefeber said in the Port’s announcement.

    Port of Everett Commission President David Simpson framed it forward: “As stewards of our waterfront, environmental sustainability is an important aspect of the Port’s work. We will continue to enhance our efforts as we prepare for the next 100 years of stewardship.”

    Why This Award Actually Matters

    Awards are easy to skip. This one is worth not skipping for two reasons.

    First, the criteria. PSBJ’s Operational Excellence category isn’t a “you announced a goal” award. It’s a “you put it into operations” award. The Port had to show its work — and the work it showed reads like a checklist of things you don’t usually see all stacked on the same waterfront.

    Second, what’s coming next. The award is essentially the public-facing receipt for a body of work that includes a real-time emissions analytics platform the Port piloted in 2025, a Climate Change Strategy with 16 distinct action categories, and a freshly funded electrification project that will start putting equipment in the ground later this year.

    That’s the part of the story that hits Everett directly, and it’s the part the press release buried.

    The 16-Category Climate Change Strategy

    The Port’s Climate Change Strategy organizes its sustainability work into 16 tailored action categories — covering everything from infrastructure resilience (think: bulkheads, wharves, and shoreline protection that have to survive sea-level rise and increasing storm intensity) to operational changes (how cargo moves, what equipment runs on what fuel, where electricity comes from).

    The framework is the Port’s answer to a question that doesn’t have a single industry answer yet: how does a working seaport — one that handles roughly $21 billion in exports a year and supports more than 40,000 jobs — actually decarbonize without giving up the cargo function that pays for everything else on the waterfront?

    Sixteen categories is a lot for a port of Everett’s size to take on. The Port of Seattle’s strategy is structured differently. The Port of Tacoma’s looks different again. Everett’s choice to itemize the work this way is part of why the recognition came down on operational execution, not just policy.

    The DAPE Pilot — Real-Time Emissions Analytics

    In 2025 the Port piloted a program called Decarbonization Analytics for Port Equipment, or DAPE — a real-time emissions monitoring and analytics platform that lets ports identify decarbonization opportunities without having to first build new infrastructure to do the measuring.

    The practical version: instead of waiting for a long emissions inventory cycle to reveal that a particular crane or yard tractor is the dirty one, DAPE shows it in operations data as it happens. That changes what the Port can act on quickly — fuel choices, idling rules, equipment scheduling, cargo flow — and it gives a baseline against which the bigger capital moves (electrification, equipment replacement) can actually be measured.

    The pilot won an award of its own when it launched. The fact that it’s now folded into the larger Operational Excellence recognition tells you the Port treated DAPE as part of regular operations rather than a one-off pilot that ended.

    The Numbers That Made the Case

    A piece of the case PSBJ would have looked at: between 2005 and 2021 — across a span when cargo volumes through the Port surged nearly 300% during the pandemic — the Port reduced CO₂ emissions per ton of cargo by 51% compared to 2005 inventories, and 34% compared to 2016 inventories.

    That’s an emissions intensity drop achieved while throughput went up. It’s the kind of number that’s hard to fake and harder to dismiss. The Port participated in the Puget Sound Maritime Emissions Inventory to get the underlying measurements, which means the methodology is shared across Puget Sound ports — apples to apples.

    The $4.3M Electrification Project — The Story Inside the Story

    Here’s the line we want to dwell on, because it’s the part of the announcement that actually changes what’s about to happen on the working waterfront.

    The Port has a $4.3 million grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation through the Washington Port Electrification Program. It funds the Port’s Port Electrification Project, which advances electrification at the Port’s marine terminals and invests in lower- and zero-emission cargo handling equipment.

    Work starts later this year.

    What that means in practice: the Port’s marine terminals — Pier 1, Pier 3, the South Terminal area on the working waterfront — are about to get electric infrastructure that supports zero-emission cargo equipment. The funding source matters here. It’s coming from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, the cap-and-invest program that’s been generating revenue from emissions allowances since 2023 and routing that money into climate-action investments.

    So the chain is: Washington’s biggest emitters pay into the cap-and-invest program → WSDOT runs a Port Electrification Program with that money → the Port of Everett gets $4.3 million → Everett’s working waterfront gets electric cargo equipment and the infrastructure to charge it → emissions per ton of cargo keep dropping.

    That’s a real money-to-equipment chain, not a slogan. And it ties Everett directly into the politically contested CCA in a way that’s easy to see and easy to point at when the program comes up for renewal or repeal debates.

    What This Means for Everett

    Three concrete things change because of the recognition and the grant behind it.

    Pier 3 gets a quiet upgrade beyond the rebuild. Pier 3 is already getting an $11.25 million federal PIDP grant for structural rebuild that we covered last week. Layered on top of that, the Port Electrification Project adds the electric infrastructure that future cargo equipment will plug into. If you’re a Boeing logistics planner moving oversized parts through Pier 3 — which handles 100% of Boeing’s oversized aerospace components — the long-run picture is a quieter, cleaner Pier 3 where the cranes and yard tractors don’t sit idling on diesel between moves.

    Air quality on the working waterfront moves in the right direction. Diesel cargo equipment is one of the meaningful contributors to local air quality on a working seaport. Electrification swaps that out for grid power — which in Snohomish County is largely hydroelectric via Snohomish County PUD. The neighborhoods directly above the Port — Bayside, Northwest Everett — get the air-quality dividend.

    The Port positions itself for the next round of grants. Federal and state agencies giving out infrastructure money increasingly have decarbonization criteria built into the scoring. Ports that have already done the operational work — measured emissions, run pilots, executed on grants — score better in the next round. The PSBJ recognition is a marker that gets cited in future applications.

    The Quiet Part About Tariffs

    The Port’s 2026 budget — adopted late last year — explicitly noted that the Port was working “despite challenges amid changing tariff guidance and market conditions.” That language is specific to the trade environment heading into 2026.

    The Operational Excellence award isn’t directly about tariffs, but it’s adjacent. A port that’s running tighter operationally — measuring its emissions in real time, running on data, securing climate grants — is also a port with a better grip on its cost structure when global trade gets choppy. The two stories are the same story, told different ways.

    How the Award Connects to the Rest of the Waterfront

    The recognition lands in the middle of one of the most active stretches in Port history. Pier 3 is rebuilding. The Segment E bulkhead and wharf project at Port Gardner Landing is in its final phase. Waterfront Place is 95% leased on the residential side and S3 Maritime just opened on the marine services side. Mukilteo waterfront assembly is in motion.

    The PSBJ award says, quietly, that the Port can do all of that and still win on environmental operations at the same time. That’s the through-line worth holding onto.

    What to Watch For Next

    A few specific things will tell you whether the Operational Excellence recognition is real or just a press cycle.

    The first is the start of the Port Electrification Project later this year. Watch for procurement notices on electric cargo handling equipment and for shore-power infrastructure permits. Those are the construction-document equivalents of the work being real.

    The second is the next iteration of the Puget Sound Maritime Emissions Inventory. The 2021 inventory showed the 51% per-ton emissions drop versus 2005. The next one will tell us whether the trend held through the pandemic-era cargo surge and into 2026 conditions.

    The third is the Port’s Climate Change Strategy update. The 16 action categories aren’t static; the strategy is meant to be revisited. Watch for which categories get accelerated and which get reframed as conditions change.

    We’ll be tracking all three.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: When did the Port of Everett win the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Operational Excellence award?

    A: The Port of Everett was recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal in its 2026 Environmental Sustainability Awards, with the Operational Excellence honor announced on May 1, 2026.

    Q: What is the $4.3 million Port Electrification grant?

    A: It’s a Washington State Department of Transportation grant from the Washington Port Electrification Program, funded by the Climate Commitment Act. The Port of Everett will use it to advance electrification at its marine terminals and invest in lower- and zero-emission cargo handling equipment, with work scheduled to start later in 2026.

    Q: What is DAPE — the Port of Everett’s Decarbonization Analytics for Port Equipment program?

    A: DAPE is a real-time emissions monitoring and analytics platform the Port piloted in 2025. It identifies operational efficiencies and decarbonization opportunities without requiring new infrastructure investment to do the measuring.

    Q: How much has the Port of Everett reduced CO₂ emissions per ton of cargo?

    A: The Port reduced CO₂ emissions per ton of cargo by 34% compared to 2016 inventories and 51% compared to 2005 inventories, even as cargo volumes spiked nearly 300% during the pandemic, according to the 2021 Puget Sound Maritime Emissions Inventory.

    Q: How many categories are in the Port of Everett’s Climate Change Strategy?

    A: The strategy is organized around 16 tailored action categories spanning infrastructure resilience, operational changes, and long-range planning specific to the Port of Everett’s waterfront operations.

    Q: What does the Port Electrification Project mean for Boeing’s oversized cargo through Pier 3?

    A: Pier 3 handles 100% of Boeing’s oversized aerospace components moving through the Port. The Electrification Project adds the electric infrastructure that future zero-emission cargo equipment will use, alongside the separately-funded $11.25 million federal PIDP grant for Pier 3 structural rebuild.

    Q: Who are the Port of Everett’s senior leaders quoted in the announcement?

    A: CEO and Executive Director Lisa Lefeber leads Port operations, and Port of Everett Commission President David Simpson chairs the elected commission that sets policy.

    Q: How much economic activity does the Port of Everett support?

    A: Port activities support more than 40,000 jobs in the surrounding community and contribute $433 million in state and local taxes, and the Port is responsible for the movement of approximately $21 billion in exports.

  • Everything Under Construction at Everett’s Waterfront Right Now — April 2026 Update

    Everything Under Construction at Everett’s Waterfront Right Now — April 2026 Update

    Waterfront Place is entering its most significant construction phase yet — and if you haven’t been down to the waterfront recently, the pace of change will surprise you.

    Here’s a complete rundown of every major active project, opening, and construction milestone happening at Port of Everett’s Waterfront Place right now, as of April 2026.

    Restaurant Row: What’s Open, What’s Coming

    The Port has completed two new restaurant buildings in Fisherman’s Harbor within the last six months. Current open businesses: Fisherman Jack’s (established), South Fork Baking Company (established), Rustic Cork Wine Bar (opened December 2025), The Net Shed Fish Market and Kitchen (opened December 2025), Tapped Public House (opened March 2, 2026 — rooftop deck is legitimately great). Coming spring 2026: Marina Azul Cocina and Cantina (family-owned Mexican from the Casa Azul team in Woodinville) and Menchie’s at the Marina frozen yogurt. One last parcel remains — the Port is seeking a high-end steakhouse or experiential dining concept to build out the final corner spot with boat-in access and a required rooftop deck.

    Millwright District: 300+ Apartments Breaking Ground

    The Millwright District is the most transformative phase of Waterfront Place. Developer LPC West (Lincoln Property Company’s Pacific Northwest arm) is breaking ground in 2026 on 300+ waterfront apartments alongside the Millwright Loop roadway, which completed construction in 2025. The office component is already in pre-leasing — up to 120,000 square feet of Class-A waterfront office space in up to three interconnected buildings with rooftop terraces, structured parking, and direct access to the marina promenade. This is the piece that turns Waterfront Place from a destination into a neighborhood.

    The New Sculpture: A Girl, a Photo, and 80 Years of Everett History

    One of the quieter additions to the waterfront this year is worth stopping to find. In February 2026, the Port unveiled a new bronze-cast sculpture along the Central Marina esplanade — a girl gazing out over the marina, inspired by a well-known 1940s photograph of a young Everett girl doing exactly that. The sculptor, Sultan-based artist Kevin Pettelle, also created the “Fisherman’s Tribute” sculpture near Scuttlebutt. Pettelle said this is among the last bronze pieces he will make in his career. The girl in the original photograph, it turned out, is a living Everett resident — she recognized her green plaid jacket and brown saddle shoes when Port staff shared the image with her. Find the sculpture near Pacific Rim Plaza and Boxcar Park on the Central Marina esplanade.

    Marina Infrastructure: Guest Dock 1 and the Boat Launch

    The Port’s 2026 capital plan includes $100,000 to begin reconstruction of Guest Dock 1 and upgrades to marina systems. Separately, the Port secured a $1 million grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office to fund renovation work at the Jetty Landing Boat Launch — the state’s largest public boat launch. In-water construction is anticipated to start in 2027. The new fuel dock, which opened in 2025, is operational.

    Upcoming: Cleanup Day and Summer Events Season

    The Port’s 32nd annual Marina and Jetty Island Cleanup Day is April 18 from 9 a.m. to noon — a free volunteer event with supplies provided. After that, the waterfront shifts into its summer events season: 90+ annual waterfront events including weekly summer concerts, the July Jetty Island ferry opening, and the annual holiday celebrations and festivals. The Jetty Island public ferry typically runs from late June through Labor Day.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many restaurants are at Waterfront Place right now?

    14 cafes, breweries, and restaurants are currently operating, with Marina Azul and Menchie’s at the Marina expected to open spring 2026, and one final high-end parcel still available.

    When does the Millwright District start construction?

    2026. The residential component — 300+ apartments — is breaking ground this year. The office pre-leasing is already underway with Lincoln Property Company.

    Where is the new Port sculpture?

    On the Central Marina esplanade between Pacific Rim Plaza and Boxcar Park. It’s a bronze-cast girl gazing over the marina, inspired by a 1940s photograph. The sculptor is Kevin Pettelle of Sultan, WA.

    When does the Jetty Island ferry open?

    Typically late June through Labor Day for general public access. The April 18 cleanup day is one of the few chances to visit the island outside that window.

    When will the Jetty Landing Boat Launch renovation start?

    In-water construction is anticipated to begin in 2027. The Port secured a $1 million RCO grant to fund the renovation of the state’s largest public boat launch.

  • Port of Everett Wants a Flagship Restaurant on the Last Waterfront Parcel — Here’s What We Know

    Port of Everett Wants a Flagship Restaurant on the Last Waterfront Parcel — Here’s What We Know

    The Port of Everett is searching for a flagship dining partner to build a high-end restaurant on the last available parcel along Restaurant Row at Waterfront Place — and the opportunity is unlike anything else on Puget Sound.

    Parcel A7 sits on a prominent corner of the marina promenade at Fisherman’s Harbor, with panoramic views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and 2,300 boat slips. The Port isn’t leasing an existing building — it’s seeking a tenant willing to design and build their own restaurant on a long-term ground lease, from the ground up.

    What the Port Is Looking For

    The Port has been specific: a high-end steakhouse or similarly upscale experiential dining concept. The site can accommodate a two-story building with up to 8,000 square feet of interior space, a required rooftop deck, valet parking, and an expansive outdoor patio. And here’s the detail that sets this apart — diners can arrive by boat through the adjacent guest dock. Marina-to-table dining, for real. The Grand Avenue Park footbridge also links the site directly to downtown Everett, making it walkable from the urban core.

    “This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to become part of Everett’s transforming destination waterfront,” said Catherine Soper, the Port’s Chief of Business Development and Tourism. “With strong year-round foot traffic, a bustling public marina, and a vibrant calendar of events, this space presents an exceptional business opportunity.”

    Restaurant Row Is Almost Full

    The Port has been on a restaurant opening tear. In the past six months: Rustic Cork Wine Bar opened December 2025, The Net Shed Fish Market and Kitchen opened December 2025, Tapped Public House opened March 2, 2026 with the largest waterfront rooftop deck in Snohomish County, and Marina Azul Cocina and Cantina and Menchie’s at the Marina are arriving this spring. That’s five new tenants in one build-out cycle, bringing Waterfront Place to 14 onsite cafes, breweries, and restaurants. Parcel A7 is the last significant vacancy in Fisherman’s Harbor — and the Port wants to cap it with something exceptional.

    Why This Matters for Everett

    Restaurant Row isn’t just a real estate play — it’s the front door of a $1 billion public/private redevelopment reshaping 65 waterfront acres. The Millwright District, the next major phase, is breaking ground now with 300+ waterfront apartments and up to 120,000 square feet of Class-A office space pre-leasing through Lincoln Property Company. That growing residential and workforce base is the long-term customer for whoever lands on A7. Waterfront Place logged more than 1.6 million site visits in 2024, with numbers expected to grow every year through full buildout.

    A high-end steakhouse or experiential concept at that corner — with those views, boat-in access, and that foot traffic — would be genuinely new for Everett and possibly for Puget Sound.

    How to Connect With the Port

    There is no exclusive listing brokerage for this parcel, though prearranged broker commissions will be honored. Interested operators can contact Senior Property Manager Tara Hays at tarah@portofeverett.com.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where exactly is parcel A7?

    On the marina promenade at Fisherman’s Harbor, Waterfront Place, Everett — at a prominent corner with highway and waterside visibility, adjacent to Hotel Indigo, connected to downtown by the Grand Avenue Park footbridge.

    Can guests actually arrive by boat?

    Yes. The site has a boat-in option through the Port’s adjacent guest dock — making marina-to-table dining genuinely possible at the West Coast’s largest public marina.

    What type of restaurant is the Port seeking?

    A high-end steakhouse or upscale experiential dining concept willing to design, build, and operate its own structure on a long-term ground lease.

    How many restaurants are already at Waterfront Place?

    14 onsite cafes, breweries, and restaurants as of spring 2026, with five more openings in the 2025–2026 wave. Parcel A7 is the final available spot at Fisherman’s Harbor.

    How much foot traffic does the waterfront see?

    More than 1.6 million site visits in 2024, with growth expected annually through full buildout of Waterfront Place.