Development Update: Whiskey Ridge Adds a Thousand New Homes, Lake Stevens Library Nears Completion, Groundbreaking for LS Museum Commercial Building Next Week
Long-promised residential boom now reality where Lake Stevens meets Marysville...LS Schools readies "Elementary School #8" for borderland growth...Sno-Isle nears completion on Lake librar
While residential development continues at a staggering rate along the Lake Stevens/Marysville border, development in the City of Lake Stevens proper has calmed somewhat after the storm of Costco and roundabout-relater fervor.
Several years have passed since the City of Lake Stevens published an economic study underpinning its plans for the prosperous, growing community around Snohomish County’s biggest lake — and work is set to begin again on plans that will outline the future of the region.
The city last published major development plans three plus years ago, and at the time a joint civic center / library was still on the cards, and the city’s economic development plan divvied the area up into four zones: basically the greater Frontier Village area, the Cavelero Hill/Costco/South Lake Stevens corridor, historical downtown Lake Stevens and the Hartford industrial area.
Showing how much has changed since the time of those plans, the retail and commercial maps don’t recognize Soper Hill as a commercial area of note. In fact, the area isn’t even noted on the 2022-era docs. Much has changed in that regard.
Few can argue the fact that Costco is a massive hit and has provided benefits to residents and the city alike.
The fruit of former Mayor John Spencer’s tireless work was eventually executed by current Mayor Gailey and an efficient, forward-thinking council that has avoided the intramural disputes that seem to plague so many other municipalities.
Additionally, the decision to part ways with Sno-Isle on the proposed Civic Center campus seems to have worked out well for everyone. The new library is humming along and set for a Spring opening.
And the former Barclays North complex at south Lake Stevens seems to be an ideal solution for a permanent city complex. Although, as far as the branding goes, “Municipal Services Complex” leaves a little to be desired.
However, as residential and commercial funds pour into Marysville’s coffers from the non-stop development of Whiskey Ridge and Soper Hill, Lake Stevens has seen mixed results in other areas: A six story multi-purpose project slated for 160 residential units with ground floor retail and office space destined for Chapel Hill fell through… and the old Rite Aid building has sat empty for years at this point, in the center of a commercial core.
The city’s plan to turn 91st into a walkable streetscape became slightly more feasible after an initial round of Transportation Benefit District-funded improvements combined with the completion of the round-about projects1 implemented a walkable series of crosswalks serviced by a massive sidewalk that runs along what used to be the Frontier Village frontage road. To make that plan a reality, something has to be done to either eliminate the parking lots or otherwise pull the Lake Stevens Marketplace retail adjacent to street side. How this will be accomplished, or if it will be accomplished, is TBD.
That said, it’s apparent that the bulk of the region’s growth over the last couple years have occurred via the considerable retail development atop Soper Hill and the almost unimaginable large residential project that’s transformed Whiskey Ridge. The retail at Soper Hill appears to be a hit, with a popular mix of quick serve restaurants and two large gas stations always appearing busy. The residential is selling well. How this apparent growth and success, approportioned as it is to the City of Marysville and Lake Stevens School District (and not, save for the east side of the Chapel Hill retail, under the domain of Lake Stevens) affects the future of the 425 is yet to be seen.
Work is still to begin in earnest on a new set of governing plans for the future of Lake Stevens, with a council populated by a fresh set of members (all of the incumbents went down to defeat last November) who — at least in during their campaigns — mouthed a lot of anti-growth platitude.
Yet to be seen if the realities of GMA governance change their collective tunes. Mayor Gailey has a couple years to play with in his term. Will he sit back and welcome the new council to do their best? Or will the new and experienced join together to usher the county’s fastest growing city into an era of prosperity…while continuing the safety, levels of service and quality of life that makes this corner of the 425 such a desirable locale? Yet to be seen.
With that said, let’s take a look at the state of development across several key fronts: Whiskey Ridge, downtown Lake Stevens, Chapel Hill and Lake Stevens School District.
Whiskey Ridge Growth Continues at Breathtaking Rate
WHISKEY RIDGE — Two years ago J425 sent the drone north along 87th Ave NE, surveilling an undeveloped mudscape that would soon become a hive of residential activity.
When we sent the drone up last night, the results of that activity were apparent.
