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Port‑City liaison: interlocals signed for event center design; Twelfth/Commercial work delayed about 30 days
Summary
Interlocals for the Port and city were signed, enabling architects to proceed to 30/60/90 percent design work for the event center; a separate downtown sidewalk reconstruction at Twelfth and Commercial faces about a 30‑day delay after crews found fused power lines under removed concrete.
Anacortes council liaisons reported Sept. 2 that interlocals for the proposed event center between the city and the Port have been signed and that the next step is to define 30, 60 and 90 percent design milestones with architects. The Port‑City report also flagged construction progress and traffic impacts at a separate downtown intersection.
Why it matters: The interlocals formalize city‑port expectations and move the project into detailed design; design choices and budget limits will determine functionality, user access and the facility’s eventual cost. The Twelfth/Commercial sidewalk replacement work affects downtown traffic and pedestrian access.
Councilmember Cleland McGrath, who attended the morning liaison meeting, said the signed interlocals allow staff and the port to request 30/60/90 percent design submissions from architects and to follow a stakeholder‑informed design process. “Our main point is that we need to do a lot of preparatory work, both at the port and city level to make sure we articulate what we want,” she said, noting the group wants stakeholders who will use the facility to have input so the design meets functional needs and budget constraints.
Councilmember Fantini (who attended later portions) and the liaison reported a construction issue at the Twelfth Street and Commercial Avenue intersection: crews removed concrete sidewalks and discovered power lines fused beneath the concrete, a condition that will create roughly a 30‑day delay while utilities are addressed. Liaison reports also said about 150 truckloads of large pipe will be transported through the city on designated truck routes during upcoming construction.
What was not decided: The liaison update was informational; no contract awards or budget approvals were made at the council meeting. Councilmembers emphasized keeping stakeholders engaged as design moves forward.
