 August 2007 marked the second anniversary of the signing of the Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) between the Port of Everett and The US Army Corps of Engineers and The State Historic Preservation Officer regarding the retention and restoration of the Collins Building. Historic Everett and The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation are consulting parties for the agreement. Under the terms of the MOA the Port is responsible for maintaining the building in good condition consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Preservation of Historic Buildings. The Port still has not made some critical repairs - most notably replacing broken windows and instituting a maintenance and monitoring plan which should include: moisture and pest control; housekeeping and security. There have been concerns about impaired fire dept. access around the building. The Port entered into a redevelopment agreement with the Collins Building Redevelopment Group in the summer of 2006. Even though the redevelopment group worked dilegently to meet the milestones in their agreement, the Port Commission voted to terminate the agreement on November 13, 2007. While the stakeholders in this issue decide what is next for the Collins casket factory building, please write Executive Director John Mohr and the Port Commissioners your letter asking them to abide by the spirit of the Memorandum of Agreement. Call Valerie Steel on the Historic Everett Collins Committee at 425-308-6052 if you have questions. Note: In addition to the Collins Building, the Port owns two other National Historic Register Properties: The Weyerhaeuser Building at 19th and W Marine View Drive and the Equator at the 10th Street Boat Launch.  The Collins Building Committee is a group of local citizens dedicated to preserving the Collins Casket Factory building since the spring of 2004. As Port of Everett plans became public for the North Marina Redevelopment Project, the Collins building was slated for possible demolition. In September 2005, the Port signed a 4 year Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) with the State Army Corp of Engineers and State Historic Preservation Office to reuse the historic building. Supported by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Everett, and the Alliance, the Port and developer Maritime Trust would work together to produce an effective Redevelopment Plan. 
 The 75 year young 3-story building is located at 1210 W. Marine View Drive, on Everett's waterfront. The Collins building is a classic example of post and beam, wood frame construction, used for large manufacturing buildings in the early 1900s. It contains 60,000 square feet total on 3 floors, with flooring made of full dimension 2x4s stacked on end. Posts are a solid 12x12 iron wood. Built on pilings over tidelands on Port Gardner Bay, it is now surrouded by loading and parking lots. The long distinctive banks of pane glass windows are trimmed in white with brick red siding. 
  The Hulbert Lumber Company built the casket factory circa 1925, naming it the North Coast Casket Factory. For the next 71 years, it was used expressly for casket manufacturing. The building was sold to the Port of Everett in 1991, and has since been used for light manufacturing and warehouse space. |
 The Collins Committee is reviewing with counsel and the Army Corp. and the WA Trust for Historic Preservation the Port of Everett's efforts to abide by the MOA. For more information see updated information on this page or write us today! Request a copy of the RFQ for developers, architects, investment groups, builders, and management companies and/or brokers at this email or call the Port of Everett and ask for the Property Director in charge with the Collins building. Supported by the Alliance to Save the Collins Building, Historic Everett, Washington Trust, Washington State OAHP, SHPO, and National Trust for Historic Preservation |
