SNOHOMISH — A far-reaching look at the Avenue D corridor suggests it could accommodate mid-rise apartment buildings and office buildings if redevelopment opportunities are feasible for developers.
A volunteer committee is pondering how to reshape the corridor from 6th Street to state Route 9. The group’s kickoff meeting was July 28.
The area’s centerpoint, if not its biggest piece, is the county’s former public works yard on the west end of Avenue D between 10th and 13th streets.
A draft** market study for the Avenue D yard was completed in March. One access point there is along Bonneville Avenue west of Avenue D. A few committee members voiced concern against large developments creating traffic overloads along Bonneville as it stands today.
Consulting planner Bill Trimm had the committee review six blocks along the Avenue D corridor asking for ideas. Trimm, a retired city planning director, has helped other cities in similar visioning projects post-retirement.
A few members suggested the former Alfy’s Pizza space at 10th and Avenue D could be a prime spot for an apartment building.
The shopping plaza anchored by Dollar Tree — which has been many different grocery stores over the decades — should be fully redeveloped, a few members said.
Another topical location was the wide parking lots for Snohomish Square, anchored by Haggen and the Post Office, and the Lakeview Center plaza, anchored by Safeway and Bartell Drugs, at 13th Street and Avenue D.
These two shopping centers “could be our biggest destination places,” said committee member Rio Ingram.
The city can use zoning to affect future development, but cannot force things to change on current development — nor does it plan to use the Midtown plan to do so, city planners indicated.
Committee member Gordy Cole gave this perspective: “The amount we can expect to be redeveloped is not huge.”
The Midtown Task Force next meets Aug. 25 and Sept. 22 online. A public open house is currently scheduled for October.
The Midtown plan will be developed for the city’s planning commission to consider approximately next February, and final recommendations will go to City Council for consideration in spring 2021.
CORRECTION: The draft version of the Otak/Leland study was completed, but the final version is not complete, according to the county official working on the Avenue D Yard. The Tribune regrets the error.
