BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Port of Bellingham commissioners have voted to move forward on a plan to redevelop the Boardmill Building on the Bellingham waterfront.
Port of Bellingham staff recommended a plan proposed by a Whatcom County team of contractors and developers called the Boardmill Group.
The commission voted to begin negotiations with the group at its August 9th meeting.
Elie Samuel with the Boardmill Group says they understand the importance of the project to the community.
“We care deeply about how it gets developed,” said Samuel. “And we’ll proceed with diligence in doing that in a way that we hope will make almost everybody in the community feel good about it.”
The plan would turn the brick building that’s adjacent to the current container village into a hotel and convention center that would include some residential units and public spaces.
Commissioner Michael Shepard says community members he’s heard from favor public access, which planners said would be discussed during negotiations.