These projects are keeping Bellingham construction activity high
While there appear to be fewer housing units in the permit process this year, there’s still plenty of construction taking place around Bellingham.
According to the city’s permit dashboard, more than 500 residential units are in the permitting process, with 75 of those applications for single-family homes. More than 1,500 residential units are under construction, of which more than 250 are in the single-family home category.
A year ago, when interest rates were significantly lower, there were around 900 units in the permit process and around 1,500 that were under construction. Increased costs for funding projects tend to slow activity, but Bellingham continues to have a shortage of available housing.
A recent study estimated that Whatcom County had around 4,700 fewer homes than it needed in 2019. That was up from just over 2,000 homes needed in 2018. The study came from Up for Growth, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research group.
Here’s an update on a few projects working through Bellingham’s permitting process:
▪ Applications were recently submitted to build nine townhomes in the 1300 block of Queen Street, which is near Civic Field. The project is called Lilywood Townhouses.
▪ The workforce housing development in Bellingham’s waterfront district continues to move toward the construction phase. At its August meeting, port commissioners approved plans to work with the state’s Department of Ecology to begin cleanup work in the area through November.
Once the cleanup is done, construction is expected to begin in 2023. The proposed project by Mercy Housing Northwest would build more than 70 residential units. The facility is designed to fit the budget of workers and will have classrooms for an early learning center. The site is on the corner of Cornwall Avenue and Laurel Street, near the bike pump track.
▪ Construction is also continuing at a steady clip in the North Bellingham area. Building permits were recently submitted for four homes in the 600 block of Northview Street, which is just south of the North Bellingham Golf Course. It’s part of the North View Homes project, which will eventually have 29 single-family homes and 18 duplexes.
▪ The four-story, 20-unit proposed residential project at 1025 Billy Frank Jr. St. is currently in the permit review process although permits have been approved for foundation work. A second, related project on the 600 block of East Maple Street, would demolish a two-story apartment for a new 13-unit multi-story residential building. The second one is also in the permit review stage.
▪ While not residential, St. Joseph hospital’s five-story parking garage continues to make its way through the permitting stage. The city recently approved the planned development permit for the project, which would provide a net gain of 418 parking spaces for the hospital..
This story was originally published August 18, 2022 at 11:09 AM.
