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Published February 2004 BUILDING
COMMUNITY
By
John Wolcott For most developers, building Mill Creek’s first “town center” is a historic occasion, an opportunity to be part of creating a focal point for this upscale, master-planned residential community of 12,000, giving it a “heart,” making it a gathering place that will be a unique civic, cultural and commercial experience.
But for developer “Red” Jacobsen of Mukilteo, who’s building one of the first structures in the new center and then launching construction of five more buildings plus an adjacent public plaza, the Town Center project is more than all of that. To him, it’s just plain fun. Always on the move, and ready with a quick grin, Jacobsen balances the demanding schedules and complexities of design reviews with the city, conferences with architects, monitoring contractors and negotiating financing with an energy that belies his 66 years. “This is exciting,” he said. “Our first building’s tenants will include a 300-seat La Palmera Mexican restaurant on the second floor, my son Eric’s business — Sound Financial Management — and an ice cream business, specialty retail stores, a medical office and condominiums.” Outside will be fountains and sculptures of Northwest animals, probably bears, and landscaping to enhance both the building and the Town Center in general, he said. The Mexican restaurant will include balcony dining, where guests can watch the growing of the community’s new downtown as future buildings are erected. To the south, ground is already being cleared for more offices and retail buildings that will be home to a variety of businesses. LA Fitness, a gym-club chain, is reportedly considering a location, according to Constance Wilde, a CB Richard Ellis vice president who is marketing Town Center properties. The far south end of the Town Center will be anchored by a 56,000-square-foot Central Market, part of the Town & Country Markets grocery business that also operates stores in Shoreline and Poulsbo.
To the north of Jacobsen’s three-story, 30,000-square-foot Park Place Center, on the other side of the new Main Street bridge over Mill Creek, is Mill Creek Court, a three-story, 16,000-square-foot facility built by financial advisers Rolf Trautmann and Dennis Maher. The offices for Trautmann Maher & Associates are on the third floor, the second floor is open for leasing and a street-level deli, the Tuscadeli Café, is open for business. Across the street is Jacobsen’s next project, Creekside Village, a Tuscan-style outdoor shopping area with 44,000 square feet of retail space in three buildings adjacent to a public plaza. About 40 percent of the space is already leased, and ground hasn’t been broken yet for construction, he said. “This will really be attractive to the public,” Jacobsen said. “There will be a covered, heated stage for public events, from music to a Leavenworth-style Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. We’ll have a schedule of activities out by next summer, and we’ll be building a public fountain area with figures of a giraffe, an elephant and other animals for people to enjoy.” City Manager Bob Stowe said, “The city’s vision is to have a good mix of quality local, national and regional retail stores.” Demographics for the Mill Creek area support that development vision. Although the city’s population is small, a $49,500 study financed by the city shows that at least 20,000 vehicles pass the Town Center site each day and that an estimated 86,661 people live within a five-minute drive of the site. Their average annual household income tops $82,000. By 2007, the population in that area is expected to grow to 94,749. To help manage the heavy traffic flows in the area, a section of Highway 527 is being widened to the north of the development, between the Town Center and Murphy’s Corner. Nearly 1,000 residential living units are under construction or planned near the site. When the new Town Center is finished it will be far different than shopping malls or office centers, Jacobsen said. “It will be a public activity place for relaxing, shopping, working and celebrating city activities.” Related: Development of city centers is regional, national trend |
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© The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA |
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