In 2002 the Skotdal Family purchased the former Greyhound Bus station at Pacific and Hoyt. At the other end of the block was the Imagine Children’s Museum. In 2008 several other parcels on the block were put up for sale by the Drumhellers. The Imagine Children’s Museum purchased three parcels and the Skotdal Family purchased one. The Skotdals say they also spent $800,000.00 to clean up environmental issues caused by the decades of use as a Greyhound depot. In 2009 the Skotdals proposed to the city they be allowed to straighten an alley on the property to run north and south thru their holdings instead of the 90 degree angle that had been used when the full Greyhound building was on the lot. They later withdrew that request, came back in 2010, withdrew again and finally came back to the Everett City Council last night to finish the process of straightening the alley. Meantime, the popularity of the Children’s Museum grew causing safety concerns over kids in the alley and parking lot if any changes were made. The Museum was also concerned to future impacts on their investment of the old Drumheller building at the corner of Pacific and Colby. City staff reviewed the Skotdal proposal and determined that it was better to straighten the alley and there were many options to make it safe for kids to get to the museum. After hearing from both sides during a city council meeting that was standing room only, the council voted 4 – 3 to allow the Skotdals to straighten the alley thru their property. The Skotdals will still have to go thru the complete permitting process to convert the old Greyhound Bus Depot to the mixed use development they envision.
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June 16, 2011
Downtown Everett, Everett Economy, Everett Government