Introduction
To the north of Seattle sits the budding city of Edmonds, casually flying under the radar and yet growing at a clip thanks to area developments. Where to Retire Magazine named Edmonds in its list of “Best Places to Retire: 8 Small Towns Near Big Cities” for its current September/October 2019 issue. This is the second year in a row that Edmonds has made the list, for its historic charm and proximity to national parks. Edmonds was also noted as a neighborhood of interest in a Curbed issue this summer which took a deeper look at areas to live around Seattle.
Development Pipeline Round-up
Currently the City of Edmonds has development projects underway including review of downtown parking, redevelopment of the Senior Center and waterfront. There were plans to construct an overpass walkway to the waterfront, but plans were halted in June. The project was stopped after 8,000 people signed a petition in protest due to concerns related to the size, views, and the environment. While the overpass project is not moving forward, the City does have as much as $5 million slated towards waterfront redevelopments related to the Edmonds Waterfront Center building that will create new parking grading for the Senior Center, concrete staircases and an accessible ramp, among other projects.
The 26,000 square foot Edmonds Waterfront Center building is slated for completion in July 2020. During construction of the project, Edmonds Senior Center Thrift Store is currently housed at Westgate Center on Edmonds Way & 100th Avenue W, a building operated by Ironwood Commercial Real Estate. The location is one of 15 in which the center is operating programs and activities throughout the area.
The Village at Westgate is Edmonds’ first development in its new Westgate Mixed-Use Zone, and offers 91 rental units, 3,100 square feet of retail space, and a public/private amenity space at the intersection of 100th Avenue W and Edmonds Way. The project opened in July of this year. In addition to the Westgate Mixed-Use Zone, the City Council is anticipated to provide direction around development of the Five Corners neighborhood of Edmonds this year. The two neighborhoods were part of a collaborative project with students at the University of Washington’s College of Built Environment and Green Futures Lab. The goals outlined in the most recent analysis for Five Corners indicate incentives for pedestrian-friendly spaces and affordable housing.
Further outside of the city center, the proposed 234th Street Apartments would have 205 residential units in 5 floors over two stories of parking, or 233 stalls.
Nearby Everett, a thirty minute drive to the north, is developing its first residential waterfront property, the Waterfront Place Central Redevelopment. The project is a redevelopment of the Port of Everett, and will include up to five districts containing both commercial and retail spaces, 660 residential units, new marine infrastructure at Fisherman’s Harbor including a public dock, and other public spaces as well as transit improvements.
Transit Development & Changes
The Highway 99 Subarea Plan is Edmonds’ outline of how strategic growth along two miles of its busiest corridor should progress. It was adopted in 2017 after a $10M allocation to the transportation budget in 2015. This plan has in part allowed for greater residential development, as exemplified by the projects above.
The City of Edmonds Public Works recently conducted a parking review study. The last such study to be performed by the City was in 2003. “Things have changed in Edmonds in the last 16 years,” says Phil Williams, the City of Edmonds Public Works Director. “The city has certainly picked up a lot of intensity and vibrancy in the downtown that has impacts positive and negative, but in this case, it does affect parking and the parking demand.” The department solicited feedback through August 12 to consider alongside a transportation assessment currently being negotiated with consultant company Framework, which will analyze parking data around the downtown core. The goal of the study is to better understand parking demands and generate a variety of possible solutions that may also be reviewed by community members.
The greatest yet-to-be-seen impact in the immediate area will be whether or not Everett gets Sound Transit Link Light Rail system at its doorstep. It’s too far out to tell exactly how this will impact the area—current plans put the rail completed in 2036—but connecting Everett to Seattle, SeaTac International Airport, and Federal Way by light rail should improve access and stimulate development. Currently, Edmonds operates a Kingston ferry that links the city to Kitsap County.
Economic Drivers
The Port of Everett Marina is the largest public port on the
West Coast of the United States. The Port’s redevelopment project, Waterfront
Place Central, will bring more than 2,000 jobs to the area.
Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace manufacturer, is located in Everett. In
Washington state alone, the company
employs almost 70,000 people.
Happenings
City of Edmonds Public Works Department was scheduled to review the full scope of work for the Downtown Parking Review study on or around August 20th, 2019.
On September 24, the City Council conducted a joint meeting with the planning board to discuss future works and activities. The regularly scheduled planning board meeting took place Wednesday, September 25, and included agenda items such as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) that may impact single family housing.
Summary
As the city of Seattle continues to see robust growth, outlying suburbs may see more and more appeal from house hunters and transplants to the region. While it may seem a sleepy bedroom suburb, the city of Edmonds offers convenient access to some of the Pacific Northwest’s best amenities: water, mountains, forests. Current projects like waterfront redevelopment will only make Edmonds’ urban core more appealing, and long term transit plans and a healthy global employer make this a region to watch.
