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Edmonds Waterfront Center

Senior, Community facility

Edmonds is a community of 42,347 people on the shores of Puget Sound. Its ferry terminal is the front door to the community, and since the early 1960s, the Edmonds Senior Center building has occupied the site. The original 1960s building was a boat storage building, and with two additions cobbled together over the years, the building had serious seismic structural issues, not to mention a sinking first floor. In 2013, with the passage of the City’s Strategic Action Plan, the Edmonds Senior Center began work to replace the existing aging structure with a new facility--renamed the Edmonds Waterfront Center to demonstrate its mission of serving all ages.

The building is owned by the Edmonds Senior Center. The City of Edmonds owns the land and provides a 55-year ground lease to the Waterfront Center. The Edmonds Senior Center offers programs focused on seniors Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.–4 pm, and the City of Edmonds Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services offer programs Monday-Thursday from 4-10 p.m. On Friday evenings and weekends, the Edmonds Waterfront Center will be used as a rental venue. All rental revenue will be used to support programs at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.

The new community center prioritizes innovative approaches to creating community for seniors as well as opening its doors to all ages, allowing this remarkable site along the beach promenade to give back to the community. A café and community lounge serves as a welcoming entry-point, introducing visitors to all that the new facility has to offer. Flexible-use multipurpose rooms support community meals, dancing, art and music classes, exercise and fitness classes and life-long education.

The modern, northwest design takes full advantage of the mountain and water views. Using an open design concept where possible, the building is designed to offer maximum flexibility for current and future programs. Most spaces have been designed for multiple uses to accommodate different user groups and ongoing program innovation. The LEED Gold certified facility is centered around an open, two-story lobby and grand staircase. The project features natural building materials, rooftop solar panels, all-electric power, and low-emitting materials. Site improvements also provide universally accessible access from the new parking lot to the facility, walkway, and beach that optimize the waterfront location through demolition of the existing bulkhead and installation of a vegetated dune with beach access.