Interbay Armory Relocation and Redevelopment Planning

As the Washington Military Department planned to relocate its National Guard facility from Seattle’s Ballard/Interbay manufacturing industrial center, there were significant political, financial, and logistical implications that had to be factored into potential future plans for the 24.75-acre site.

The property presented a unique development opportunity in a tight Seattle real estate market. However, the National Guard performs an essential public function and needed to be fully operational on a new site before any development could occur on the Interbay property. To help develop a plan to maximize the public benefit and economic development opportunities at the site, the state legislature established and tasked a committee through the Department of Commerce to oversee a redevelopment planning process.

MFA led a team of consultants to deliver the following outcomes to the committee: 

• Evaluation and reporting of existing conditions through Environmental Site Assessment 
• Preparation and presentation of redevelopment scenarios with a compelling vision for the future 
• Sharing information and gather feedback from key stakeholders through public meetings, surveys, and interviews 
• Feasible path for relocation of the National Guard facility (subconsultant)
• Creation of an implementation plan to support the reuse of the Interbay property

Efforts on this project reached a key milestone in November 2019, when a final report was given to the legislature and Office of the Governor.