Tim, when you were at Sail Sand Point for the Div.4 AGM in Dec. we did have a tour of the new Hobie Cats Northwest location. Perhaps you left before the tour. The Northshore Facility, Building 11, where we met, and Sail Sand Point are all very much a work in progress. Since the Navy turned over The Sand Point Naval Airstation to Seattle, it has become Magnuson Park, with very strict rules, one of which is signage.
Hobie Cats Northwest will be able to add some limited signs to identify their current location, which is at the south end of Building 11, about 200 ft from the end, and enters on the road to left, west side, behind the building. Folding signs, similar to realtor's are at the entry to the park, and locations to the Northshore. Sail Sand Point and a Kayak dealer now have these signs in place. Hobie Cats will add similar signs.
To the building. Building 11 was the Base Maintenance shops, 44,000 sq ft, and had many additons over the 40 years it was in operation. There are several tenants in this building, many are non profits like Sail Sand Point. Last year, the City after trying for several years to raise money to develop the Building, took bids to find a developer, after a prequalification round of elimination. The option was to tear down the Building, leaving the future of Sail Sand Point much in doubt.
We worked with a local Architect-Developer, who also is a volunteer, Board Member at Sail Sand Point, to get qualified for the project. They were sucessful, and after much delay, the remodel will be underway this year. This is a all private funded project, about $7 million.
Several firms including Hobie Cats Northwest and Sail Sand Point have put their futures' on the line by committing to renting space in this project, also known as Building 11 LLC. For the Developer, they have to do all the design, approvals, contracting to bring the building up to code, meet the tenants needs, after raising the money from private, no Government, sources. This will be in return for a long term lease on a building that they can never own. I do not know where we find these Angel's, but that is what it takes to make these projects happen.
Tim, this is probably more information than you needed, but wanted to make sure everyone in the Division was aware of the commitment being made by Hobie Cats Northwest and Sail Sand Point to the future of the Northwest Facility at Magnuson Park.
Caleb