Volunteers of America outlines $26 million Lynnwood neighborhood center serving South Snohomish County

Volunteers of America Western Washington told the Mountlake Terrace City Council on May 1 that construction of the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center is about 55% complete and the organization expects to open the multi‑service facility later in 2025.

The center, which VOA described as a “multi service, multi generational, multicultural, multi agency building,” will be a 40,000‑square‑foot, LEED Gold facility at the intersection of Highway 99 and 196 that VOA said will serve South Snohomish County and parts of North King County.

In a presentation to the council, Joel Feldman, philanthropy officer for Volunteers of America, said the project will include early learning classrooms, a gym, a commercial commissary kitchen, a community piazza and a staffed cafe. “We’re looking at opening up ECAP classrooms that are gonna be able to serve about 80 kids,” Feldman said, a number he described as roughly a 50% increase in VOA’s ECAP capacity. Feldman said the project also will include senior services, programs for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, dispute resolution services, on‑site behavioral health provided by the Center for Human Services, and mobile health services from Medical Teams International.

Feldman told the council the project’s total budget is about $26,000,000 and said public and private funders include the state of Washington, Snohomish County, the federal government (HUD), the cities of Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds, Premera Blue Cross, the Sunderland Foundation and individual philanthropists such as Rick Steves. Feldman said VOA’s current fundraising goal is roughly $2,400,000 and that a donor has offered a matching gift of up to $1,000,000.

Council members asked several questions about how the center will operate. Council Member Murray asked how VOA’s religious affiliation would affect services. Feldman said, “Volunteers of America does have a faith is a faith based organization. We do not discriminate to anybody based on their religion, background, anything along those lines. We welcome all folks.” He added, “We don't ask questions about what your background is, what your faith background is… We work to make this a welcoming space for all.”

Council members also discussed transit access. Feldman said the project is intended to be transit‑oriented. Council Member Woodard described likely transit options for Mountlake Terrace residents, saying riders could take Sound Transit light rail to the Lynnwood area and then transfer to an Orange Line route or bus routes such as the 119 and 101 to reach the site.

Feldman showed construction photos and gave a brief timeline: he told the council earlier in the presentation the center was expected to “open up in fall of 2025,” and later in the meeting said, “we look forward to welcoming the community in late December.” He also told the council the building was at roughly 55% completion, that the exterior enclosure (windows and roof) was finished and interior work—drywall, electrical and HVAC—was underway.

Feldman invited Mountlake Terrace residents to follow VOA’s social accounts and local press channels for service availability updates and to contact VOA for partnership or volunteering opportunities. “We are gonna work very hard on our marketing efforts to get the word out there,” he said.

Council members thanked VOA for the update and expressed interest in a site tour; VOA said it expects to offer a hard‑hat tour later in the summer or fall and then open the center to the public when construction and permitting are complete.

No formal action or vote was taken on the presentation; council discussion was limited to questions and requests for follow‑up information about transit access and community outreach.