Waterfront Development

The Port of Bellingham and city of Bellingham have joined forces to redevelop 137 waterfront acres that the port acquired from Georgia- Pacific West Inc. in 2005 as well as an additional 83 acres of waterfront property.

Restore the Health of the Land and Water
Over a century of heavy industrial activity on Bellingham's waterfront has produced a legacy of environmental contamination in the land and water. Shipyards, city landfills, timber ponds, food processors, pulp mills and paper plants have left behind toxic chemicals and waste, which must be addressed as this 220-acre area transitions from a heavy industrial site to mixed-use neighborhood. Critical salmon habitat along the shorelines has been destroyed and altered to support traditional industrial activities. Cleaning up the historic contamination and restoring salmon habitat are focal points of Bellingham's waterfront redevelopment effort, and The Waterfront District will celebrate a new era of environmental stewardship.

Cleaning Up the Bay
There are six state-listed cleanup sites within the 220-acre New Whatcom redevelopment area. The Port and City have acquired most of the contaminated property and taken over the cleanup responsibility to help revitalize a stagnant waterfront economy and bring forward the community's vision of a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront.

Habitat Restoration
By creating a variety of new habitat features for fish and wildlife and a variety of ways people to enjoy the waterfront, Bellingham will prosper as a revitalized waterfront community for generations to come.