EVERETT — Construction on the second phase of Library Place, which will add 178 apartment units to downtown Everett next year, is running well ahead of schedule.
Work on the five-story building, which surrounds the original 22 units in the first phase of Library Place, began in April. Developer Skotdal Real Estate put the project on hold for two years while it waited for the economy to improve. The new building fills the block south of the Everett Public Library with frontage on Hoyt and Rucker avenues and California Street.
Developer Craig Skotdal, president of Skotdal Real Estate, said construction on the second phase was originally targeted for completion by June 2012, but things are going so smoothly that it’s now on track to open by January or February.
“We have a truly dedicated design and construction team working on Library Place,” Skotdal said in a press release. “They understand that this building has the potential to make a lasting, positive contribution to the revitalization of downtown Everett. The sooner the doors open, the sooner people can start moving in.”
With the project now moving at full speed, he said the number of subcontractors working around the site has grown to an average of 50 people per day, including framers, plumbers, electricians, roofers and other trades. Skotdal Real Estate has been acting as prime contractor on the project.
The second phase of Library Place will include about a dozen different floor plans. Units vary from a 510-square-foot studio to a 1,120-square-foot two-bedroom apartment. Tenants will have views from exceptionally large windows, making the apartments feel larger thanks to lots of natural light.
“The size of the windows that are being installed are unique for an apartment building,” Skotdal said. “Most homes will enjoy windows that are at least eight feet high and 11 feet wide, which makes even studio apartments feel spacious.”
The custom-sized windows are being manufactured by Milgard in Tacoma and Portland, Ore., and are being installed on the east side of the building along Hoyt Avenue.
When completed, the first and second phases will share an outdoor courtyard. Two retail spaces will face Hoyt Avenue. Beneath phase two is a 230-stall parking garage, which includes recharging stations for electric vehicles.
Skotdal said the exterior of Library Place will feature a combination of traditional brick, contemporary metal and colored fiber concrete panels that will complement its neighbor and namesake, the Everett Public Library.
Library Place also will dedicate two display walls near its main entrance lobby to the stories of Pegasus, the state’s first bookmobile, and the Everett Woman’s Book Club, Skotdal said.
Pegasus is a Ford Model A truck that has been meticulously restored by the Everett Public Library.
The Woman’s Book Club story wall will feature the original founders of Everett’s library system who shared a vision to “improve the mind through the study of literature.” Other library-related design elements are planned for every floor and apartment, Skotdal said.
The American Library Association’s online news magazine, I Love Libraries, in July recognized Library Place’s creative marketing efforts and support for the Everett Public Library, saying, “Skotdal Real Estate is going beyond simply using a creative library-themed marketing campaign by developing Library Place to be a central part of the Everett community, which includes supporting and loving its library.”
Inside the second phase is a two-story, light-filled reading room for community gatherings and events, Skotdal said. It will be named in honor of Charles B. Ogden, co-founder of Dykeman Architects and a longtime advocate of downtown revitalization.
“As an architect and as a principal overseeing the work of others, Chuck’s fingerprints can be found on key projects that helped turn the tide in restoring downtown Everett as a vibrant urban center,” Skotdal said.
Ogden’s influence can be seen in buildings on all four corners at the intersection of Hewitt and Colby avenues, Skotdal said. Ogden became an integral part of Skotdal Real Estate’s development team, applying his design and construction experience to myriad projects including Library Place.
“As a company and as a community, we’ve all benefitted from his extraordinary example,” Skotdal said.
Leasing comes later
Leasing for Library Place phase two will begin this fall. Potential tenants will be able to tour unfinished units during construction and secure one with a deposit before the project officially opens in early 2012. Pricing will be released when the lease campaign begins. Register for tours at 425-252-6600 or Live@Library-Place.com.
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