Excited about potential demolition of Georgia Pacific buildings

As a business owner in the city of Bellingham, my vision for the downtown area has remained cloudy since buying my commercial suite three years ago. After the city purchased the Georgia Pacific plant, my visions turned to grandeur, but just what kind of timeline is the city on with this project? I realize great things come to those who wait, or so it's said, but will we have to wait another decade for Bellingham's waterfront project to catch up with Fairhaven?

So, when I received a letter from the City of Bellingham's Planning and Community Development Department about the SEPA Determination, Demolition Permit and Shoreline Permit Exemption for the demolition of GP's Pulp Screen Room, Bleach Plant and Pulp Storage buildings, I got a little excited. I guess just bringing up demolition can excite a 34-year-old male. What guy doesn't like to see things blow up, right? But the thought of 80,000 square feet of an eye store I drive past nearly every day finally being demolished is promising.

Let's be honest, GP has hogged all that prime land for long enough. Sure, we put up with it when there was a business there that employed hard-working men and women from our community, but since it closed, it's been nothing but an eye sore in my opinion. I guess you can look at the brick construction and broken windows and find some artistic beauty in those relics, but I want new buildings. Give me the waterfront mecca the city dreams about. The one that accommodates cruise ships and tourists that will bring revenue to Bellingham. I mean, personally, my business is all done online, so it's not really gonna affect me one way or the other, but the thought of demolition and progress being made should excite all the other struggling downtown businesses I see closing left and right throughout Bellingham, shouldn't it?

Oh, I guess if you know more about the environmental impacts of such a project and want to comment in writing, the PCDD is accepting written comments by 5 p.m., Wednesday July 13. But let's not dilly dally on this people. Please don't get emotionally attached and drag this out longer than need be. Let's get your ducks in a row, do it right, and blow those buildings to the ground so we can get started on this project already...:)