Marysville Civic Center taking shape as work progresses

The Marysville Civic Center campus construction is on schedule and on budget as it begins to take shape in downtown Marysville.

The center, which is located next to Comeford Park, will eventually host all of the city’s departments, as well as the city jail and courthouse.

Construction on the project began in January 2020 and is scheduled to be completed in early 2022.

“Currently we are on schedule,” said Bryan Milligan, project manager for the Civic Center. “We haven’t run into any serious procurement issues."

The manufacturing of construction supplies has been disrupted because of the pandemic, so some materials are less reliably available than before.

“There have been some small items we have had trouble with but we have been able to work around those issues so far,” said Milligan

He said it is tough to predict if there will issues with the future of the project.

“It is something we have a concern for going forward and that we are watching,” he said.

The project is still on budget as well, according to Milligan.

“Like with every project we have our fingers crossed that remains the case,” he said.

Construction workers are currently doing some of the finishing work on the inside of the north side of the project, where the jail will be.

That facility had to be completed first as there are a lot of computer and security systems that will be complicated to install in the building, said Milligan.

Workers on the south side of the project are finishing the sheetrock and working on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing of the facility.

“We’re excited to see this start coming together,” said Milligan.

When opened, the Marysville Civic Center will bring together many different offices.

“It creates a one-stop shop for every city department,” said Connie Mennie, communications administrator with the city of Marysville.

Currently the Public Works, City Hall and court building are all separate.

“People will come to City Hall and we have to tell them sometimes ‘oh we can’t do that here,’ and then send them a mile away,” said Mennie.

For city workers a single Civic Center will be more efficient because it is easier to meet and get together.

“It will be more energy efficient as well,” which will create long-term savings, said Mennie.

A plaza and expanded Comeford Park will add to the area as well.

“As our downtown evolves I think this campus will become a centerpiece that the community can take pride in,” said Mennie.

The offices for the Marysville Police Department and jail that are part of the project were paid for by a sales tax approved by Marysville residents.

The other portion of the project is meant to be paid for by selling the current Marysville government buildings.

“The current court building will become the new community center for the city,” said Mennie.

The old Ken Baxter Community Center at Comeford Park was taken down to make room for the plaza there.

Marysville has an agreement in place with the Marysville Fire District to sell them the current Public Safety Building on Grove Street.

“With City Hall we do plan to sell that as soon as possible after the employees leave for their new building,” said Mennie.

The Public Works building will probably be a longer-term project to sell though, she said, and is likely to be sold after or as part of waterfront development.

Updates about the Marysville Civic Center are available at marysvillewa.gov/973.