IRG is a privately held real estate investment and development firm that is nationally recognized as a leading force behind the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the country. We solve some of America’s most difficult real estate challenges and create jobs in communities whose economies have been severely impacted by international trade and high-tech dislocation.
IRG’s core competency is retrofitting otherwise obsolete buildings, corporate campuses — such as the former Weyerhaeuser Campus in Federal Way, former military bases, industrial complexes and technology and biotech campuses. IRG is recognized for its success in in adaptive reuse and redeveloping historic properties to productive new uses.
The vision for Woodbridge Corporate Park remains the same as it was when the property was purchased from Weyerhaeuser Co. in 2016 — restoring the jobs and revenue lost when Weyerhaeuser left, preserving the unique historical elements of the property, and creating a new paradigm for a vibrant commercial center consistent with placing new development behind tree buffers.
Construction of the proposed Woodbridge Corporate Park will create 780 temporary jobs and generate $13 million in tax revenue to the City of Federal Way over a three-year period. Once the campus is completed and operational, Woodbridge will generate an additional 3,100 new permanent jobs and generate $6.8 million in annual tax revenue for the City of Federal Way to support and enhance important community services and programs.
To date, an estimated 3,880 jobs — in addition to approximately $19.8 million in tax revenue and impact fees — have been lost to Federal Way due to opposition from a small neighborhood group. That delay comprises three years of construction and a year of full-campus operations. This includes construction jobs and the employment and revenue opportunities from interested parties from a variety of global companies, including several in the biotech industry.
Development permits and applications are for only approximately 63 acres — about 17% of the 400-acre campus. These permits and applications comprise three distinct development projects, totaling 5 sophisticated industrial buildings that can accommodate a wide range of potential uses. These new buildings will be hidden from roadways behind robust tree buffers, part of our extensive efforts to preserve the historic elements of the campus while maintaining the existing natural feel of the campus.
Woodbridge Corporate Park has a comprehensive plan for protecting and preserving the historical aspects of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters building as well as the surrounding natural elements of the campus. Specifically, we are establishing a view-conservation easement on the meadows so no development could occur there that would block views, thus allowing the headquarters building to always be seen from I-5 and State Hwy. 18. In addition, Woodbridge is preserving the exterior façade of the headquarters building to maintain its architectural significance. In terms of public-access spaces at Woodbridge, the campus is private property intended for use by its owner and lessees. Incidental use by the public is permitted subject to the owner’s right to revoke permission and close all or part of the campus to the public at any time. The public’s use of the campus is subject to RCW 4.24.210.
The Woodbridge Corporate Park property is — and always was — zoned specifically for industrial buildings and a wide variety of commercial uses. Weyerhaeuser developed industrial buildings several times on the site since its inception in 1971. Moreover, the Weyerhaeuser family developed the original agreement with the City of Federal Way that specifically zoned this property for industrial buildings, just like the ones we’ve proposed for the campus.
Our plans for development at Woodbridge are incredibly environmentally responsible. Aside from the new development permitted or proposed, we are creating natural, robust and effective tree buffers around and between all our new buildings. This is part of a thoughtful, highly sustainable approach that is entirely in keeping with what Weyerhaeuser developed on the property over the past 40 years.
Our vision for this property will bring positive economic and environmental benefits to Federal Way with limited impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods — all while preserving the essential character of the campus. As such, these new industrial buildings will have very limited visibility to area residents, surrounding highways and the campus road network. In regards to open-space areas of the property, the campus is private property intended for use by its owner and lessees. Incidental use by the public is permitted subject to the owner’s right to revoke permission and close all or part of the campus to the public at any time. The public’s use of the campus is subject to RCW 4.24.210.
Furthermore, we anticipate continuing Weyerhaeuser’s voluntary policies in terms of trails access and public experiences at the lakefront, the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, the Bonsai Museum, and other open-space areas on the property. It’s important to note that as part of Weyerhaeuser’s original agreement with the City of Federal Way, this property was never intended to be a public park, and there has never been a point when the public was formally invited to use the campus.
We have received tremendous support from the community, including the Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, other business and civic organization and many community leaders — all of whom are looking to the new jobs and tax revenue that our new industrial buildings will bring to Federal Way, not to mention our plans for maintaining the beauty and historical significance of the campus.
The City of Federal Way has been a tremendous partner, from the moment we acquired the property in 2016. The City has approved permits for our first proposed industrial project, Building A, finding no significant adverse environmental impacts on IRG’s application. The City has also determined there are no adverse environmental impacts for our second proposed project, Building B. The City greatly supports our efforts to bring jobs and critical tax revenue to Federal Way through our development plan at Woodbridge.
Approvals for permitted or proposed projects on campus have been approved and confirmed repeatedly by local and state agencies and bodies. Previous appeals have been affirmed in our favor, and we have every expectation that all approvals moving forward will be issued in a way that’s consistent with the typical approval process set by the City of Federal Way.
The traffic from our permitted and proposed projects is within the standard set by the City of Federal Way and the Washington Department of Transportation. Furthermore, traffic studies clearly show that our planned new industrial buildings will generate far less traffic than other potential uses, including residential and retail, that have been proposed by a small neighborhood group.
In our current plan, this area will remain just as it exists today. Open-space areas like the lakefront are extremely important to our future tenants, our local neighbors and the broader Federal Way community.
Despite being zoned specifically for industrial, the local neighborhood group has proposed that apartments be built immediately next to the historic headquarters building. Apartments, condominiums or retail would have a significantly negative impact on both traffic and campus beauty, compared to industrial. For instance, industrial is the only real estate product type that can be hidden with trees and other buffers, helping us to duly preserve the historic elements of the campus while maintaining the existing natural feel of the campus and creating needed revenue for the City and preservation of the headquarters building.
Weyerhaeuser’s abrupt exit severely, and negatively, impacted the Federal Way economy, leaving the City stunned and surprised. Moreover, until new development occurs on the campus, Federal Way will continue to suffer financial hardship. This is a significant reason that there is extensive community support for our development projects from the City and local business and civic leaders.
Woodbridge Corporate Park is complying with current applicable stormwater requirements. All runoff from new impervious surfaces will be captured and conveyed to the onsite stormwater pond for treatment and detention before being released to the downstream system. In addition, the permitting process will address all the wetland impacts, direct and indirect, as required per the applicable regulations.
Weyerhaeuser Company and International Paper currently occupy portions of the industrial building at the property, known as the Technology Center. Both companies have long-term leases.