Adaptive Re-Use Study: Northern State Hospital

Northern State Hospital is an exceptional property, originally designed by the renowned Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm. Nearly 30 of the Spanish colonial revivalist style buildings, as well as the 200+ acre landscape itself, have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The facility served as a mental hospital from 1912 until 1973. In the last 40 years, only portions of the facility have been used, and many of the buildings are vacant and falling into disrepair. The state is struggling to financially support the facility, and frustration is growing in the local community that such a unique public asset is not living up to its potential. 

The Northern State Hospital property was transferred from the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES) to the Port of Skagit in 2018. The Property is currently owned and managed by the Port, with buildings leased to multiple tenants, including the Cascade Job Corps, for on-site housing and educational services. MFA is working with the Port of Skagit, Skagit County, and the City of Sedro-Woolley to assess environmental conditions and the potential for adaptive reuse of the Property. Since 2014, MFA has assisted the Port in securing and implementing state integrated planning grant (IPG) funding, state RAG funding, EPA assessment grant funding, and EPA cleanup grant funding to assess environmental concerns and begin cleanup actions at the property. MFA is leading a multidisciplinary team to assess the market potential for redevelopment, the feasibility of renovation of the historic buildings, and risk associated with legacy environmental impacts. For example, MFA assisted the port in obtaining an Integrated Planning Grant from the state Department of Ecology to fund an adaptive reuse study. MFA has most recently supported the Port of Skagit in ongoing investigation and cleanup activities under an Agreed Order. 

The implementation strategy articulates the case for WHY the local governments should acquire an interest in the Northern State Hospital property, HOW a transaction of the property between public agencies could best be structured, and WHAT future use has the highest likelihood of achieving the goals of the state and the local community. In parallel, MFA has conducted phased environmental investigations and interim actions at the property designed to effectively use available grant funds. This work involved extensive research into the history of the property and analysis of uses and conditions of buildings to prioritize potential sources of impacts. The remedial investigation identified seven Areas of Concern (AOCs). Sampling of soil, soil vapor, indoor and outdoor air, and groundwater has been conducted to support characterization the nature and extent of contamination. MFA has also prepared conceptual cleanup alternatives and cost estimates that addressed priority AOCs as interim actions. Interim actions completed include a sub-slab depressurization system to remedy air contamination associated with historical dry cleaning and laundry operations and removal of elevated arsenic concentrations in shallow soil associated with a former building. The work completed has resulted from effective collaboration and outreach with Ecology, EPA, the City of Sedro-Woolley, Washington DES, the Port, and the broader public.