A big Squalicum waterfront project is in the permitting phase. Here are the details
A major construction project on Bellingham’s waterfront is going through the city’s permit process.
Seaview Boatyard North recently submitted building permit applications to construct a 42,000-square-foot boat repair/storage warehouse at its Squalicum Harbor facility. According to the application, the building will be 55 feet tall, so views would be altered but not obstructed at nearby residential areas on the bluff.
The proposed building is part of the lease agreement with the Port of Bellingham. According to the lease agreement, Seaview must start construction within six months of being issued building permits, completing it within 12 months.
“The Port is thrilled to see Seaview Boatyard continue to invest in our local marine trades economy and create family-wage jobs for Whatcom County residents,” said Mike Hogan, spokesman for the port, in an email. “Seaview’s new dry-stack storage facility will provide convenient storage for small boat owners at the gateway to the San Juan Islands and free up high-demand recreational moorage opportunities in Squalicum Harbor.”
The building will replace Seaview’s open-air repair facility. The proposed square footage of the new building is equal in size to the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher building.
In a phone interview on Monday, Aug. 8, Seaview owner Phil Riise said the company is very excited about the project because there is a strong demand for storing and boat repair.
Riise said he’s looking at this as a two-year project. Along with going through the permitting process, the company wants to be fiscally conservative, so it is keeping a close eye on interest rates as it secures funding. Along with the building, the company also is considering new equipment that would improve maneuverability when it comes to lifting and moving boats.
“It’s going to be a great facility,” Riise said.
In an October 2021 article in The Bellingham Herald, Riise talked about the company’s efforts to ensure pollution doesn’t go into Bellingham Bay, including installing a $500,000 stormwater management system in 2019.
The company first moved into the Squalicum Harbor facility in 2002 and the current facility holds around 40 vessels at a time. Seaview also has operations in Fairhaven.
This story was originally published August 8, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
