Showdown in Downtown

Decisions Looming Soon on Proposed
Downtown Plan, Capital Improvements

Article and photos by Dave Brumbaugh

Something’s finally going to happen.

Downtown Bellingham — the subject of numerous studies, workshops and recently even protests — may soon see significant changes.

Downtown projects totaling approximately $53.5 million — of which $33 million would come from voter-approved bonds — were recommended by the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee in a report submitted last month to the Bellingham City Council.

Also, the city council receives this month the draft for the City Center Master Plan, which details projects that should be implemented this year, as well as short-range projects for 2002-2006 and long-range projects that would start after 2006.

The best assurance that these plans won’t gather dust at City Hall comes in November. The general-election ballot will include four Bellingham City Council positions. A new pro-business group, United for Bellingham, is working hard to ensure that solid, pro-business candidates will be running and supported.

Also, the Downtown Renaissance Network, formed earlier this year, already has been active under the leadership of general manager Mauri Ingram and will announce its board members this month.

People in business and government agree that now is the time for action.

“We have talked way too much,” says Steve Price, manager for the city’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Develop-ment.

“It seems all we do is study the issues,” laments Holly Barbo, co-owner of Barbo Furniture and a representative for the Central Business District in city government.

 

Investment plans

Downtown Bellingham has been an area of concern since the early 1980s but the blood pressure of downtown advocates soared when Bellis Fair mall opened in 1988. Downtown lost major retailers such as J.C. Penney, Sears, Woolworth’s and the Bon Marché.

However, much progress has been made since then. Some of the largest buildings have been renovated into office space for individual professionals and major companies such as Brown & Cole Stores and DIS. Other spaces have been filled by new businesses, particularly along Cornwall Avenue. More than 900 businesses with 6,000 employees are located downtown now.

The need to attract and support businesses still exists.

“There are many people who see downtown as an important indicator of economic vitality,” says Price.

While some of the proposed projects have hefty pricetags, Price and Ingram emphasize the public investments in downtowns draw much more in private investments.

The national Main Street Program, with which the Downtown Renaissance Network is affiliated, reports that every public dollar spent on downtown improvements will bring in $10 in private investments.

The Capital Improvements Advisory Committee concentrated on possible projects that didn’t have dedicated revenue streams, so it didn’t include street and utility projects. The committee grouped its recommendations of high-priority projects into three areas:

• Housing and public space improvements, particularly in the Railroad Avenue corridor. These include $3 million in voter-approved bonds to fund a facility for the Bellingham Farmers Market, as well as signage and other streetscape projects. A $4.5 million, 300-car parking garage in the area could be funded by revenue bonds.

• Cultural district improvements include a new and larger city library, expansion and improvements to the Mt. Baker Theatre and Whatcom Museum of History and Art and a 500-car parking garage for this area. The rough estimate for these projects totals $39.5 million, of which $23.5 million would be funded by voter-approved bonds.

• Waterfront acquisition and development, including renovation of the Taylor Dock, would require an estimated $6.5 million in voter-approved bonds.

The estimated total cost of the committee’s high-priority projects is $53.5 million, including $33 million that would have to be approved by voters. The committee emphasized that studies by experts would be needed to provide solid estimates of the cost of various projects.

If the city council agrees to move forward on any of the public-funded projects, Price says they could reach voters by late spring in 2002.

Barbo is supportive of investments in the cultural district. She says quality of life is important to businesses looking for a city and believes Bellingham could be known for its musical offerings much like Ashland, Ore., is known for its Shakespearean festival.

Barbo also stresses that the city needs to reduce its requirements for off-site improvements from housing developers because they raise the cost of housing, another key factor in drawing businesses. She cites the city’s cumbersome permitting process as another area needing improvement.

“If we improve the business climate, we improve the jobs and the jobs improve the city,” she remarks. “It is crucial we improve our mid-range jobs.”

Price adds that the proposed capital-improvement projects would be used and enjoyed by the public, as well as spurring private investment in downtown.

Although private investment is preferred in most areas, Price believes the city needs to take the lead in providing parking spaces downtown, which doesn’t have the space for parking that outlying shopping centers offer. He says parking availability for employees follows right after rent when businesses ask questions about downtown properties.

“Parking in downtown is like a basic infrastructure service,” similar to water and sewer lines, Price says. “We need at least two additional parking structures in the downtown area.”

 

Master plan’s priorities

Most of the ideas for projects recommended by the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee came from the draft City Center Master Plan, developed by local residents and businesspeople, city staff and consultants. The draft plan emphasizes projects in one of five areas, listed in order of priority: 1) Holly Street gateway corridor; 2) Railroad Avenue corridor; 3) Commercial core; 4) Old Town/waterfront area; and 5) Civic center/cultural area.

Additional projects recommended in the draft master plan include development of the former Mason Building site at the corner of Holly and Railroad and the addition of housing units. The city currently is negotiating for the sale of the Mason Building site to Marketplace Development, a new company formed by Bellingham businessmen Jeff McClure and Jeff Kochman. Their proposal calls for construction of a building with retail/office space on the ground floor and residential units on the upper two or three floors.

“The Mason Building has been identified as absolutely critical” because of its high visibility at a key intersection,” Price says. If this public-private project works, it will encourage development of other sites such as the former Flame Tavern, he adds.

The draft plan discusses the conversion of one-way streets into two-way streets, which are perceived as more pedestrian friendly. Although initial discussions focused on changing the one-way section of Holly Street into two-way traffic, support has shifted toward leaving Holly as a one-way street and converting two streets running parallel to — Chestnut and Magnolia — into two-way streets. The converted streets may have two lanes in one direction and only one lane in the opposite direction so no parking spaces are lost.

The plan also stresses taking quick action on small projects with high visibility — such as street trees, banners, signage and façade improvements — that will show progress and generate support for other downtown projects.

 

New organization

Downtown efforts are being given a boost by the Downtown Renaissance Network. It was funded by the city with an $80,000 grant. Some of the money was used to hire Ingram, co-owner of The Calumet restaurant and a former chair of the Downtown Development Steering Committee, as executive director. She believes the organization will ask for more city funds in 2002 and 2003, then reduce its reliance on city funds as its membership grows.

The DRN’s goal, as described in its mission statement, is “enhancing, promoting and advocating for the healthy maintenance, improvement and development of Bellingham’s city center.”

The DRN is following the principles of the nationwide Main Street Program, which has guided downtown renovations in many other communities. It hopes to act as an umbrella group for various organizations and agencies involved in downtown so that everyone is informed and improvements are made, not just discussed.

It already has been involved in development of a downtown map. Approximately 20,000 copies will be available for distribution this month by about 50 participating businesses, the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and the local Convention & Visitors Bureau. Street banners, an idea suggested by Sportsman Chalet co-owner Leslie Brewster, will be installed along Holly and Chestnut streets by early August.

Another idea — “something to make Bellingham distinctive,” Ingram says — will be installation of decorative garbage containers downtown. The containers will have panels with scenes designed by local artists. They decorative containers first will be placed along Railroad Avenue late this summer or early fall and other streets will receives them as funds become available.

Ingram also wants to see by next year a downtown event during the Ski to Sea Race weekend.

Ingram invites anyone with an interest in downtown — residents and students as well as businesspeople — to become part of the DRN. Membership is free this year. Board members will be announced this month and the following committees will be formed: Organization, Design, Promotion, Economic Restructuring, Waterfront and Transportation. For more information, call Ingram at 527-8710 or write to the Downtown Renaissance Network at 1221 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225.