MARYSVILLE Its still the emotional center of Marysville, said City Councilwoman Carman Rasmussen.
Speaking at a Council meeting Nov. 5, Rasmussen was referring to downtown Marysville, an area bordered by Ebey Slough to the south and Eighth Street to the north. Interstate 5 and Alder Street make up the approximate east and west boundaries.
The Council and the Marysville administration want to spend $275,000 on a yearlong study looking at ways to revamp that area, said city Community Development Director Gloria Hiroshima.
At its regular Nov. 13 meeting, the Council was expected to approve a contract for the study with consultants Makers Inc., of Seattle. The city recently received a $75,000 grant to help pay for the study. Makers was chosen from among a number of possible consultants by a City Hall selection committee. Calls made to City Hall asking for comment on the plan were referred to Hiroshima
According to Hiroshima, the study will look at various issues in the downtown area ranging from parking to infrastructure. She promised there will be plenty of opportunities for public input into the study.
Hiroshima said in many ways the coming study is a continuation of the comprehensive city plan officials put together about two years ago. The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce President Caldie Rogers said this plan should prove more sophisticated than the previous effort, partly because of some changes at City Hall.
The core of this whole thing is really the future, Rogers said.
Infrastructure issues include utilities, sewers and traffic, according to Hiroshima, who said if the area is to attract new businesses, the Snohomish County Public Utilities District already has indicated a need for a new power substation in the area.
On another front, Hiroshima said officials need to determine whether downtown water lines along with storm and sanitary sewers are sufficient for future needs.
Rogers believes handling traffic will be key to the success of any downtown blueprint.
Traffic has to be a top priority, she said, adding she wants downtown to be attractive not only to businesses, but to anyone looking for a nice place to sit and have lunch.
Hiroshima and others contend now is a good time to move forward with studying the downtown. Among the reasons are the numerous vacant spaces south of Fourth Street. Hiroshima also talked a lot about the closing of two major businesses on the outskirts of downtown, most recently, the Welco lumber mill, which shut down in early September.
Although previous reports were unclear as to whether Welco was shut down permanently, Hiroshima said the mill property now is up for sale. She did not know if the land had attracted any potential buyers at this point.
The city already owns the approximately 10 acres that used to be home to the former Interfor plant east of the SR 529 bridge. That plant closed its doors last year.
Officials have discussed using the Interfor property for a future city hall campus, but last week Hiroshima also said planners may look at a mixed use development for the site, concentrating on retail, office space and residential construction. The former mill properties ultimately could become a big piece of the downtown redevelopment puzzle as both Hiroshima and Rogers talked about a desire to make better use of Marysvilles waterfront.
The mill closings could aid in making that desire a reality, especially regarding a strip of waterfront property south of First Street.
Hiroshima noted recent years have seen the development of a boat launch and a park along the water.
Its great, but we want to see more private investment, Hiroshima said.
In that vein, in the past, the owners of the Geddes Marina west of the railroad tracks have said various developers have approached them about their property, but those developers didnt want their potential projects next to an industrial site.
Hiroshima believes residential development will be key to recreating downtown, including the possible mixed use development at the former Interfor plant.
If you look, there hasnt been much residential development in that whole area for 20 years, Hiroshima said.
As head of the chamber, Rogers seems convinced downtown can compete and compliment other Marysville shopping areas.
It really has its own charm, she said of the downtown, adding the types of specialty shops and smaller businesses she envisions can fill niches not touched upon by the citys larger retailers.