March 3, 2026

Mukilteo waterfront redevelopment advances with NBBJ at the helm

Photo courtesy Port of Everett [enlarge]

The former National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration property today …

The Port of Everett has selected Seattle architecture firm NBBJ to design a transformative redevelopment of its properties at the Mukilteo waterfront.

The DJC last reported on the project in 2023. Working with the city of Mukilteo and in close collaboration with the community, the long-term vision is to work alongside partners to transform the 26-acre waterfront into a more cohesive bustling destination.

The port is a major landowner at the waterfront. Other landowners include the city and private entities.

The port plans to redevelop its parcels with a host of new uses and elements including a pedestrian-oriented front street tied to the waterfront. Along the street there would be new restaurants, retail, small-scale housing, and a promenade. Also envisioned is outside space for entertainment, and a diversity of places to sit, gather and enjoy the water.

Sketch by Stephanie Bower [enlarge]

… and what it could look like after redevelopment.

The port is making strides to make this vision a reality. In addition to hiring NBBJ to help move the project forward, it recently accepted the transfer of one site — formerly home to a National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facility — and unanimously authorized the acquisition of another for redevelopment.

These new sites will bring the port's waterfront holdings to five parcels. The port says it will begin a formal process to seek a development partner for its Mukilteo properties this spring.

THE NEW PARCELS

The former NOAA site spans 1.1 acres at 802 Front St. The vision for a reimagined waterfront was spurred by NOAA's decision in 2020 not to move forward with a plan to build a new research facility at the site.

The property was originally conveyed to NOAA by the U.S. Air Force in 2013. Under congressional directive, if NOAA should not move forward with the research facility, the site was to be conveyed to the port so it could be developed for public use.

On Feb. 3 the Port Commission authorized the transfer and acceptance of the former NOAA site from the federal government via quit claim deed, and on Feb. 10 voted to incorporate the property into its redevelopment plans.

On Feb. 3 the commission also unanimously voted to authorize port staff to enter into a purchase and sale agreement to secure a .55-acre property at 710 Front St. from MSI Mukilteo LLC.

The agreement includes a 9,637-square-foot building and a parking lot. Washington culinary icon Ivar's has a long-term lease for the building which the port plans to keep. In a press release the port said Ivar's will continue to be “a staple of the Mukilteo waterfront for decades to come.”

The port anticipates closing on the sale in July, pending a due diligence period now underway. Port documents reveal that the negotiated purchase price is $10 million.

The property is adjacent to a parklet and interim parking lot which the port acquired back in 2022 to preserve for future waterfront redevelopment. Those were formally holding lanes for the old Washington State Ferries terminal. The terminal closed in late 2020 when the new Mukilteo Ferry Terminal opened about one third of a mile east of the old ferry dock.

LOOKING AHEAD

Image from the Port of Everett [enlarge]

The Port of Everett’s current and future parcels at the Mukilteo waterfront.

NBBJs designs for the port's parcels will align with a vision statement and set of guiding principles established in 2022 via a comprehensive community outreach and visioning process. NBBJ was involved in that effort.

The vision statement reads: “Mukilteo's Waterfront is a welcoming and convenient gathering place. It provides a year-round mix of uses that promotes culture, recreation, and entertainment. It offers easy access to the beach, businesses, and wonders of the Salish Sea.”

Building on this, the port says the “redevelopment plans will highlight the area's unique, beachy charm, and create a balanced waterfront that supports economic development, public access, and environmental stewardship.”

NBBJ has previously written on the possibilities of waterfront revitalization projects and the importance of balancing equity, ecology and new development.

The port is currently exploring interim use opportunities for the former NOAA property while development planning gets underway.

In 2016 the port donated approximately 2 acres adjacent to that site to the city of Mukilteo to support waterfront redevelopment. That land is not included in the port's current redevelopment plans.