Cascade Industrial Center: The new name for investment in Arlington, Marysville

The cities of Marysville and Arlington announced a refreshing new name for their joint manufacturing industrial center today that they hope will spring to the minds of prospective investors.

They’re calling it the Cascade Industrial Center.

Formerly known as the Arlington-Marysville Manufacturing Industrial Center, or AMMIC, the regional jobs center offers more than 1,700 acres of developable manufacturing and industrial property, a valuable asset in the growing Puget Sound region.

“Our work toward making this vision become reality will bring family-wage jobs to our community,” Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring said. “Businesses will find affordability and an enviable quality of life for their employees. Residents will gain the opportunity to trade their commutes for working closer to home. It’s a win-win.”

Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert added, “The cities have been working together for years to plan and make infrastructure investments to support manufacturing and industrial business uses in this 4,000-acre center in north Marysville and south Arlington. Our goal to benefit our residents with access to good employment opportunities close to home is now well on the way to being achieved.”

MIC designation is an incentive for cities that brings higher prioritization for transportation funding, gives cities a leg up on regional funding to help with infrastructure needs that support manufacturing and industry activity, and it raises the profile of the area.

The Cascade Industrial Center will become one of two new MICs.

In all, PSRC’s four-county region of Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap has 29 regional growth centers and nine designated regional MICs where intensive industrial and commercial activity dominates, or is planned.

The only MIC so far in Snohomish County is at Paine Field/Boeing in Everett.

The Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board is set to vote on Thursday to approve the official designation of the Cascade Industrial Center as a regional Manufacturing/Industrial Center.