SEATTLE – June 27, 2019 – The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) has designated the Cascade Industrial Center as the region’s tenth Manufacturing Industrial Center. Manufacturing Industrial Centers receive priority for federal transportation funding through PSRC, as they are expected to fuel regional economic and employment growth.
The designation recognizes the Cascade Industrial Center, located in Marysville and Arlington, as a regionally significant hub for intensive industrial growth with a clear plan to support and preserve manufacturing and distribution activities. The Cascade Industrial Center is the second such designated area in Snohomish County joining Boeing/Paine Field.
The Cascade Industrial Center currently supports 8,000 jobs – 45 percent directly in manufacturing – and is anticipated to reach nearly 25,000 total jobs by 2040. Current major employers include Senior Aerospace; Top Cub Aircraft; Acro Machining; Swire Coca-Cola, USA; Dungeness Gear Works; Hampton Lumber and Western Forest Products.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers is confident the Manufacturing Industrial Center designation will contribute to the region’s long-term job growth. “Investing in opportunities to bring good wage jobs in advanced manufacturing to the people of this county is the cornerstone of our vision for economic growth and prosperity,” Somers said. “The Cascade Industrial Center has served as an important hub of industrial activity in the region for decades and this designation will contribute further employment opportunities.”
Strategically located just 40 miles north of Seattle, the Cascade Industrial Center comprises 4,019 acres of land, including 1,762 acres of developable, partially used and vacant sites in the cities of Arlington and Marysville. Eighty percent of the land area is zoned for industrial uses including light industrial, general industrial, commercial and mixed use. It is also in close proximity to the new commercial air terminal at Paine Field in Everett, providing cost-effective convenience for businesses needing an accessible airport.
Streamlined permitting and business-friendly incentives help recruit, retain and expand businesses in the Cascade Industrial Center. Neither city has a B&O tax. Eligible investors may also receive a 10-year City and County property tax exemption, reduced State B&O tax for Aerospace, General Industrial, Food Processing, and Timber, and customized worker training grants. Much of the Cascade Industrial Center is located within two adjacent Opportunity Zones, providing capital gains tax deferral to eligible investors.
The designation is the culmination of years of collaboration between local elected leaders, PSRC and a broad coalition of business leaders who believe recruitment and retainment of new businesses, and expansion of existing business will be boosted with the new designation.
“Marysville and Arlington have worked in partnership for years to develop the Cascade Industrial Center. This regional asset offers industrial and manufacturing businesses a prime location with excellent amenities at substantially lower costs,” said Mayor Jon Nehring of the City of Marysville. “North Snohomish County offers businesses and workers a naturally beautiful and enviable quality of life at a bargain price compared to Seattle. As just an example, the median home value in Marysville and Arlington is half the price of Seattle’s.”
“This regional designation happened because of leadership within Snohomish County dedicated to growing new jobs closer to home,” said PSRC’s President Bruce Dammeier. “Our region is seeing unprecedented growth. The Cascade Industrial Center is well positioned to grow jobs and opportunity in one of the region’s prime marketplaces and will play an increasingly important role in the region’s future.”
The Cascade Industrial Center is currently home to dynamic and innovative companies and industries with room to grow and expand. According to City of Arlington Mayor Barb Tolbert, the designation is a testament not only to the future potential of this site but also the diverse industries that already operate within the center. “The Cascade Industrial Center is a prime opportunity for new businesses to grow and prosper. It has an ample and growing workforce and there are multiple tax incentives that may be available for our target industries of aerospace, advanced manufacturing, food processing, maritime industries, and wood products and mass timber,” said Tolbert. “Arlington and Marysville employ a streamlined regulatory roadmap for all proposed manufacturing projects to ensure a predictable, clear, and consistent permit review process for developers with cost and time estimates.”
Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring feels the Cascade Industrial Center’s location, with its direct access to major West Coast international trade gateways, regional transportation corridors and a robust worker pipeline are key features to attracting prospective investors to the site. “The Cascade Industrial Center is a significant asset for job creators and workers in North Snohomish County. Innovative worker training programs like the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways Program and AMTEC ensure a productive workforce for many years to come,” said Councilmember Nehring.
Interested
in locating in the Cascade Industrial Center? Contact Matt Smith, Director of
Industry & Resource Development at Economic Alliance Snohomish County at
(425) 248-4219 or [email protected].