WWU Foundation Reaches Agreement with Dawson Construction on Armory

Dawson Construction, LLC of Bellingham has signed an option agreement to purchase the Armory property from the Western Washington University Foundation.

The option is for 10 months and allows Dawson Construction time to perform a feasibility study before completing the sale.

“As a lifelong resident of Bellingham, Pete Dawson, president of Dawson Construction, has a keen interest in the community and in the future of the Armory. We believe that Dawson Construction’s experience with restoration projects will benefit development of future plans for the Armory,” said Stephanie Bowers, president and CEO of the WWU Foundation.

As part of the potential purchase and sale agreement between the WWU Foundation and Dawson Construction, the Armory will retain some of its current architectural characteristics in future redevelopment.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Western’s award-winning Compass 2 Campus program.

“The WWU Foundation Board wanted to do something with immediate impact on the community and decided to earmark a portion of the proceeds for scholarships for students who have been part of Compass 2 Campus for the past eight years,” Bowers said.

The Compass 2 Campus program at Western’s Woodring College of Education pairs Western student mentors with 5th through 12th grade students from traditionally underrepresented and diverse backgrounds in Whatcom and Skagit counties.

The Armory building, on North State Street a few blocks from Western’s campus, was built in 1910 as a site for military training.  Both the National Guard and Army Reserve used the facility until 1953. During 1953-1989, the main floor was used as a roller rink. Water damage forced closure of the roller rink in 1989. Many local residents still recall fond memories of afternoons and evenings spent at the Rolladium.

In 1972, WWU acquired the property from the National Guard for one dollar. In addition to allowing the rink to remain un­til 1989, the University used the structure to house the Theatre Arts Department Prop & Scene Shop, Costume Shop, and surplus storage.

As is common with older buildings, there have been issues through the years. Over the past six to seven years the University has mitigated roof leaks and made facility repairs.

After several years of assessment and review, Western leadership determined that the University had no further use for the building other than temporary storage, and thus the best future for this building would be to sell to a third party that has a vision for its revitalization and redevelopment.

To maximize flexibility in working with a potential developer, the University transferred the Armory property to the WWU Foundation in January 2016, with the intent that the Foundation would identify a qualified buyer for the Armory.

Dawson Construction, LLC is based in Bellingham, Washington, and Juneau, Alaska.  Operating since 1967, the company has been associated with many notable, local construction and development projects, ranging from Bellingham High School and Whatcom Middle School renovations, to the Bellingham Hospice House and the Bellingham International Airport Terminal Expansion.  Dawson Construction has also managed other renovation projects such as the Mount Baker Theater, the Waples Building in Lynden, and the Alaska State Capital Building in Juneau, Alaska. 

The Western Washington University Foundation exists to generate private support for the benefit of Western Washington University. It is a nonprofit, public 501(c)(3) organization that is independent of the university and its Board is comprised of alumni, donors and community members who are dedicated to the advancement of Western’s mission.  The Foundation was established in 1966 as a vehicle to receive and encourage private giving to WWU. Since that time, donors now provide nearly $15 million dollars of support annually to the University in the form of annual, endowed, estate gifts, as well as in-kind donations of real estate, equipment and art. Financial support funds student scholarships, as well as program and faculty support.