College of the Environment Graduate and Undergraduate Publications

Date Permissions Signed

6-5-2009

College Affiliation

Huxley College of the Environment

Date of Award

Spring 2009

Document Type

Environmental Impact Assessment

Department or Program Affiliation

Department of Environmental Studies

Department

Environmental Studies

First Advisor

Melious, Jean O.

Abstract

The Port of Bellingham proposes to partially demolish the Granary Building on the Bellingham New Whatcom redevelopment site located on the downtown waterfront. Partial demolition of the building--removing the northern portion of the building, increasing the distance between the building and the shoreline--is preferable to either complete preservation or total demolition for a number of reasons. Preserving at least some of the original structure would retain historic value within the proposed historic district of the New Whatcom waterfront space. Removing part of the structure would create more of a shoreline buffer to enhance habitat restoration of the adjacent Whatcom Waterway. Partial removal would also increase waterfront access to the former Georgia Pacific site in accordance with the Port's new proposed straight street grid plan. Moreover, this new street grid creates Bloedel Avenue, a road that connects Central Avenue--where the Granary Building sits--to the innards of the New Whatcom site. In terms of sustainable development, strengthening the structural integrity of the building would require a certain degree of seismic upgrades and implementation of new sustainable technologies depending on the proposed future use of the building. However, renovating and reusing the current building would be more environmentally sustainable in the long term than the demolition or no action alternatives.

Type

Text

Keywords

Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Bellingham--Planning, Urban renewal--Washington (State)--Bellingham, City planning--Washington (State)--Bellingham, Land use, Urban--Washington (State)--Bellingham, Environmental impact analysis--Washington (State)--Bellingham

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

613230400

Subject – LCSH

Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Bellingham--Planning; Urban renewal--Washington (State)--Bellingham; City planning--Washington (State)--Bellingham; Land use, Urban--Washington (State)--Bellingham; Environmental impact analysis--Washington (State)--Bellingham

Geographic Coverage

Bellingham (Wash.)

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

environmental impact statements

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

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