When Will it Happen?
Phase 1
Phase 1 is open and fully occupied as of July 2024. Mercy Housing NW owns and operates the 83-unit permanently affordable apartments and owns the Early Learning and Childcare Center, which is leased and operated by the Whatcom Family YMCA.
Phase 2
Phase 2 is currently in design with plans to be under construction by the end of 2025 and open in late 2027. We are in the process of developing operations and programming plans for the different functional areas of the building.
Where Will it Be?
The Port of Bellingham is redeveloping 237 acres on Bellingham’s central waterfront, which sits on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples who continue to live on and steward the land and waters of Whatcom County. More recently, a pulp and tissue mill occupied the site for industrial use.
The Millworks occupies a 3.3-acre site at the northeast edge of the district, which is part of one of three federally designated Opportunity Zones in Whatcom County. Millworks Phase 1 is the first completed new construction and the first residential building completed as part of the waterfront redevelopment and serves as a catalyst for more projects in the district, setting a standard for quality and the bar for what is possible.
The site is adjacent to downtown Bellingham, close to services and jobs. Whatcom Transit Authority already has an active bus line through the district, helping residents establish foundational transportation habits that include public transit.
