Commentary

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   HAVE YOUR SAY Feel strongly about something? Share it with the community by writing a letter to the editor. You’ll need to include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) We reserve the right to edit letters, but if you keep yours to 300 words or less, we won’t ask you to shorten it. If your letter is published, please wait 30 days before submitting another. Send it to: E-mail: letters@heraldnet.com Mail: Letters section The Herald P.O. Box 930 Everett, WA 98206 Fax: 425-339-3458 Have a question about letters? Contact Carol MacPherson (cmacpherson@heraldnet.com or 425-339-3472).   Published: Saturday, July 19, 2008 GUEST COMMENTARY Key Bank building: To be or not to be? By Brenda Stonecipher A play in three acts, which attempts to clarify the events leading to the city's decision to lease the former Key Bank building to the Village Theatre for its Kidstage program. ACT I -- The Stage is Set In 2002, a group of citizens who shared a goal of developing downtown parks and open space formed the Committee to Establish Open Space in Downtown Everett. Over the next two years, the group conducted surveys, focus groups and analyzed several potential locations for a park and/or plaza. The Key Bank site at Wetmore and Wall, which was designated as a plaza in the original master plan for the Everett Performing Arts Center (EPAC), ranked at or near the top of the list. When Key Bank and EverTrust Bank merged, the need to consolidate properties made the Wetmore location surplus. At the urging of the committee, the city purchased the property. ACT II -- The Plot Thickens Following the purchase, a proposal for the city to build a parking garage underground, with a "cap" on which the park would sit was brought forward by a local businessman. This creative idea was vetted thoroughly, but rejected -- primarily because it was believed that a city-funded parking garage should be sited near the Events Center, to help meet the parking needs of the Conference Center. Additionally, its proximity to an existing parking garage that was far below capacity and technical challenges with the site rendered the plan infeasible. The City Council and administration, informed by the good work done by the committee, undertook an evaluation of alternatives. The essential question became whether to retain the Key Bank building. Factors influencing this decision included safety, park and plaza design, historic preservation, aesthetic considerations and cost to the city (at this point, the building would require seismic and fire code upgrades prior to occupancy). A legitimate safety issue, cited by downtown Everett stakeholders and Everett police management, was concern that a park at this location may attract unwanted loitering and illegal activity. Design of the plaza could aid in creating a safe environment, but it was acknowledged that having pedestrian activity after business hours in the vicinity would best alleviate the safety concerns. City staff evaluated potential use of the building by a restaurant, art gallery, bookstore or other retail tenant, but the location does not have ideal pedestrian and traffic counts for retail uses, so the likelihood of finding such a tenant was deemed unlikely without a significant public subsidy. ACT III -- Dénouement Village Theatre proposed to lease the building and create classroom space for its Kidstage program, which has grown in Everett more than 30 percent per year for the past five years, and regularly has waiting lists for its programs. Organizers submitted a plan to create three classrooms, offices for youth programs staff and a coffee shop/deli. The classroom on the main level would be fitted with retractable theatre seating, to be used for Kidstage productions. This space would also be suitable for small acts and would be available for rental on a limited basis. It should be noted that VT needs classroom space, not theatre space, which eliminates use of the Historic Everett Theatre for their purposes. In 2007, the City Council authorized the mayor to enter into an agreement with VT. The agreement calls for the city to bear the cost of legally required upgrades and other items for which the landlord would be responsible, regardless of who leased the building. The cost of tenant improvements required to finish the interior and make it usable for programs will be borne exclusively by VT. The significant benefits to the city and our community are: VT will reduce usage of the lobby, community room and stage at EPAC, so the increasing rental demand for this facility can be met; VT will pay the city $48,000 per year for the Key Bank lease; VT will increase by 450 the number of children who can participate in its Kidstage program, which currently serves more than 1,000; and, most importantly, its use of the building will provide the requisite activity to ensure that the new plaza is a successful investment. Our decision to lease the Key Bank building to VT is the result of many years of thoughtful analysis -- appropriately so, since the future of the city is much too important to be left to improvisation. If implemented, the plan will result in a multi-faceted win for our community: a successful children's arts education program will be given an opportunity to grow; a historic building will be preserved; and a vibrant public plaza and gathering space will be built in downtown. Hopefully, our constituents will agree: All's well that ends well. Brenda Stonecipher is a member of the Everett City Council.

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