This 1,000-acre campus in the Cascade foothills began as Northern State Hospital, built in 1909. The scenic topography and undulating setting were designed by the famous Olmstead Brothers, who inherited the nation’s first landscape architecture business from their father, Frederick Law Olmstead. The hospital ended operations in 1973 and the Port of Skagit is now its steward.
RMC is working on the revitalization of the site, where most of the historical buildings remain intact. The Sedro Woolley Innovation for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Center is designed as a destination mixed-use campus accommodating education, research and development, manufacturing, hospitality, and commercial venues. RMC worked with local high-tech manufacturing firm, Sedron Technologies (formerly Janicki BioEnergy) to insert newly constructed manufacturing space into the fabric of the original land plan, while preserving the essential features of the design concept. The historical buildings will be renovated for office, residential, hospitality, and support uses. First up is the restoration and seismic upgrades to the property’s crown jewel, the Assembly Hall, built in the 1920s.