Weyerhaeuser Building Move Complete

There were a couple of glitches and it took longer than expected but the move of the historic Weyerhaeuser Building is complete. The move started with final staging and prep work yesterday morning and then began right around midnight. It ended at Boxcar Park shortly after one o’clock this afternoon. Here’s a complete look at the move courtesy Lisa Lefeber at the Port of Everett…

The Port of Everett’s iconic Weyerhaeuser Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was successfully moved to its new location at Boxcar Park this morning. Boxcar Park is a new 2-acre park project planned to be further developed into a public and performance venue during the second phase of Waterfront Place.

Watch a YouTube video story of the move here: https://youtu.be/HWgw1j1lqI0

This relocation is a major element of the Port’s $330 million, new mixed-use Waterfront Place Central development. The building was moved now, just prior to the commencement of the first phase of Waterfront Place’s Fisherman’s Harbor District. When fully realized, the Waterfront Place development is expected to support 2,075 family-wage jobs. The project’s taxable development will generate $8.6 million annually in state and local sales taxes.

“The Waterfront Place Central project is all about jobs, recreation, history and fun,” Port of Everett Commissioner Troy McClelland said. “And the relocation of the historic Weyerhaeuser Building is a critical component in incorporating all of these elements. From the street signs to the public spaces, we are honoring the rich history of the Everett waterfront with this relocation and new development.”

The Port Commission awarded a nearly $1.1 million contract to the Everett-based Nickel Bros to relocate the historic building. Nickel Bros is the largest house moving company in the Pacific Northwest, having moved nearly 300 historic buildings in the U.S. and Canada.

After more than a year in the planning, it took eleven (11) hours to move the building one-mile via a prime mover, 1957 Mack “Bruno.” The building, which has been moved three times, weighs approximately 350-tons, most of which is the concrete safe. In preparation for the tow, on June 21, the building was lifted 7.5 feet in the air using a unified jacking system, with 42 jacks. On July 13, the Port’s 98^th birthday, Nickels Bros spent nearly six hours getting the building into the right position to ensure a smooth move on July 14.

“We are excited to have been a part of this project,” Nickel Brothers Estimator Nick Carpenter said. “There is an inherent risk anytime a building of this size is moved, and we are thrilled that after months of preparation on our end this historic building is now safely at its final location.”

The historic Weyerhaeuser Office Building’s ornate Gothic-style structure was erected in 1923 at the company’s first Everett plant. Architect Carl Gould was commissioned by the Weyerhaeuser Company to design a 6,000 square foot, one-and-a-half story building that would showcase local wood species such as fir, cedar and hemlock. A unique feature of this building is the 160-ton concrete and steel safe that was used to store all the money from lumber purchases.

Future uses of the building, which will be known as the Weyerhaeuser Muse, include being the backdrop for an outdoor performance venue and a marine clubhouse, with estimated opening in the year 2020.

“It is important to embed that rich history into our new developments, and bridge that gap between Everett’s past and present,” Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson said.

About the Historic Weyerhaeuser Building

The Weyerhaeuser Company was Everett’s largest employer for decades, and the structure resided at two of its largest plants. The Weyerhaeuser Office Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Today, the building serves as a reminder of the once abundant and productive lumber and shingle industry that contributed to the evolution of the vibrant Everett waterfront.

The historic Weyerhaeuser building was originally located at Weyerhaeuser’s Mill “A” plant, about one mile south of Waterfront Place in today’s international Seaport. In 1938, after Mill A was converted to a pulp mill, the building was moved to Mill B located on the Snohomish River on the east side of Everett. It served as office space until that mill closed in 1979.

In 1983, the structure was donated to the Port of Everett and barged back down the river to its current home on the waterfront. The building’s two voyages made it a point of public interest and affection.

Lefeber tells MyEverettNews.com the Port of Everett hopes to lease the building’s former location for restaurant space.