Millworks is the culmination of a vision that emerged nearly a decade ago, the result of the Community Foundation’s work with many stakeholders to strengthen Whatcom County’s local food system. The project has expanded based on the interests of Whatcom County residents as well as the aspirations and goals articulated in various community planning frameworks.
FALL 2022 into WINTER 2023
Community engagement
to inform, inspire and
invite input, as well as
design and financing for
Phase 2.
2022+
FALL 2022 into WINTER 2023
DECEMBER
Mercy
Housing
NW breaks
ground on
Phase 1:
Millworks
Family
Housing.
2022
DECEMBER
OCTOBER
Fundraising goal reached thanks to several major gifts from local donors and a significant grant from Mount Baker Foundation. Site cleanup begins.
2022
OCTOBER
JUNE
Generous grants
from PeaceHealth
and the Norcliffe
Foundation bring
the Phase 1
fundraising goal
within $900K of
completion.
2022
JUNE
FEBRUARY
Mercy awarded
$19M in LowIncome Housing
Tax Credit (LIHTC)
financing and
$5.5M in WA State
Housing Trust Fund
awards.
2022
FEBRUARY
DECEMBER
WCF commits
to raise $2.5M
to bridge
financing gap
and accelerate
project.
WCF contributes
$1M toward
$2.5M goal.
2021
DECEMBER
DECEMBER
Port approves
option on
property.
2021
DECEMBER
NOVEMBER
Millworks Family
Housing unlocks
$2.6M in WA State
Department of
Ecology cleanup
money for Port of
Bellingham.
2021
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
YMCA joins
Mercy to operate
early learning
facility
2021
OCTOBER
DECEMBER
City of Bellingham
commits
$2.5 million
to Millworks
Family Housing
and Childcare,
bringing the city’s
total investment
in the project to
$4M.
2021
DECEMBER
MAY
City of
Bellingham
commits
$1.5M
for Mercy
Housing
NW’s
Millworks
Family
Housing.
2021
MAY
FEBRUARY
WCF secures
$1M from
Washington
State
legislature
via the
capital
budget to
support
Phase 1.
2021
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
Mercy Housing
NW commits to
joins Millworks
project team,
build Millworks
Phase 1: 83
workforce
housing units
and 6-classroom
early childhood
education
facility, a ~$37
million project.
2021
JANUARY
MARCH 2020 – SPRING 2022
WCF and many
partner organizations
refocuses efforts in
response to intense
needs associated
with unprecedented
global pandemic and
catastrophic local
flooding.
2020
MARCH 2020 – SPRING 2022
JULY
Port and The
Millworks LLC/
WCF sign
an Exclusive
Negotiating
Agreement for
the site, laying
the groundwork
for intensive
project planning
and preliminary
design.
2019
JULY
SPRING
WA State Department
of Ecology (Ecology)
awards the Port of
Bellingham a $200K
Integrated Planning
Grant in anticipation
of Millworks Family
Housing. (The grant is
one of just a handful of
pilot projects statewide
in Ecology’s Affordable
Housing Cleanup Grant
Program, a collaboration
with the WA State
Department of Commerce.)
2019
SPRING
SPRING
WCF
presents
expanded
campus
concept
(including
workforce
housing and
childcare)
to Port
Commission.
2019
SPRING
APRIL
RMC Architects
joins Millworks
project team.
Exploratory
meeting with
Port staff
for site in
Bellingham’s
planned
waterfront
district garners
a definitive,
“Yes, and!”
(add more uses
and activity).
2018
APRIL
Local Food
Campus
stakeholder
needs and
wants assessed
and potential
sites evaluated.
2017
September
WCF presents food
campus concept to
Bellingham Public
Schools, proposing the
district incorporate
food processing,
business incubation
and other food-related
uses into the Central
Kitchen concept,
originally planned
for the Sehome High
School campus. (Kitchen
was ultimately built to meet
district timeline; the facility
played a pivotal role during
the pandemic.)
2013
September
Project Complete
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This is a bold idea. It shouldn’t be, but it is. I can’t wait to show people what’s possible when community considerations drive development.
Chuck RobinsonWhatcom Community Foundation Board Member