Meridian Plaza shopping center gets makeover

JARED PABEN

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Each week, The Bellingham Herald takes a look at an ongoing commercial construction project in Whatcom County. This week: Meridian Plaza.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Construction crews are giving the nearly three-decades-old Meridian Plaza a major facelift along the mini-mall's 360-foot face, said Brandon Passe, project manager at HB Hansen Construction. Crews are demolishing the front of the former liquor store and are working to frame a new front.

| DANNY GAWLOWSKI | THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

OTHER PROJECTS
- Vocon Design has applied to the city for a building permit for a new 8,956-square-foot Key Bank branch at the corner of Holly and State streets. The project, valued by the city at $3 million, will also include a drive-up canopy.
- Architect Dave Christensen has applied to the city for a project to build a new three-story medical office building with parking underneath at 2500 Squalicum Parkway. He submitted two applications. One is to do piers and site work for the foundation of the building, work valued at $200,000, and the other is to construct the building shell, work valued at $4.8 million. The property is owned by Squalicum Creek Properties LLC.
- Eastbourne Bellingham LP of Houston, Texas, has applied to the city to build a new Jack in the Box and gas station at 1020 W. Bakerview Road, near Northwest Avenue. The project is valued at $400,000.

"This mid-section is going to be the focal point," he said. "They'll have the big 'Meridian Plaza' signage up there with the metal canopy structure."

The mall has 12 store spaces, and all stores will remain open during construction.

WHERE IS IT?

The mall is located behind the Denny's at the corner of Meridian Street and Telegraph Road.

WHO IS DOING THE WORK?

Los Angeles-based AZNL-Meridian LLC owns the building, and Lynden-based HB Hansen Construction is the general contractor. Thomas Grinstad of Bellingham-based Grinstad & Wagner Architects designed the project.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

The work is valued at $300,000, according to city records.

SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE?

Work began on July 15, and crews expect to be finished with the entire mall front at the end of October, Passe said.

WHAT IS NOTEWORTHY ABOUT THE PROJECT?

Right now, the low-profile mall has vinyl stretched over a frame over the entire mall front. Store names are printed on that vinyl, which was installed about 15 years ago. But across the street, at the Meridian Village Shopping Center, Linens 'n Things took over the former Rite Aid Pharmacy space, giving it a taller, more-modern look, Passe said. Some of those ideas will be incorporated in this work, he said.

Stores will have their own canopies and signs, he said.

"The concept here is to create independence for each tenant space," he said. "It's definitely a completely different concept from what's existing."

SOURCE: PROJECT MANAGER BRANDON PASSE, CITY OF BELLINGHAM