The heavily damaged Terminal Building in Fairhaven following the December 2023 fire that destroyed the historic building and claimed the life of business owner Nathaniel “Nate” Breaux. - Photo by Fernando Gonzalez
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Nearly three years after a devastating fire destroyed the historic Terminal Building in Fairhaven and claimed the life of a beloved local business owner, plans are beginning to take shape for a new building on the property.
A newly filed City of Bellingham pre-application shows a three-story mixed-use development proposed at 1105 Harris Avenue, on the same 5,000-square-foot property associated with the former Terminal Building at 1101 and 1105 Harris Avenue.
The proposal, called the Harris Street Mixed Use Project, would include multiple commercial tenant spaces on the lower levels, additional commercial and office space at the intermediate and mezzanine levels, and three residential dwelling units on the upper floor.
JWR Architecture is listed as the applicant. The project is still in the early planning stages and has not received final approval.
A virtual neighborhood meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. through Microsoft Teams. The meeting is being held before a formal application for land-use permits is submitted and will include preliminary site and building plans. A City of Bellingham representative is also expected to attend and answer questions about the city process.
The proposed development would begin a new chapter for the ‘ol’ Busy Corner’ of Fairhaven that has remained closely tied to the Terminal Building fire since December 2023.
The fire broke out late on Dec. 16, 2023, at the historic building at Harris Avenue and 11th Street. When firefighters arrived, flames were coming from the Harris Avenue Cafe and extending toward the second floor. Crews initially attempted to enter the building but were forced to withdraw because of concerns that portions of the structure could collapse.
The fire destroyed the building, which housed the Harris Avenue Cafe, The Old Independent Coffeehouse and upstairs offices. The Terminal Building had stood in Fairhaven since the late 1880s and was one of Bellingham’s longtime historic landmarks. The City of Bellingham’s history of the building notes that the property had housed businesses ranging from a saloon and grocery store to offices and coffee shops over more than a century.
Bellingham Metro News broke the story as the fire was unfolding and continued reporting from the scene during the aftermath, as firefighters, investigators and the Fairhaven community dealt with the destruction. It became one of the most tragic events to hit the Fairhaven neighborhood in recent years.
Nathaniel “Nate” Breaux, 39, the owner of Harris Avenue Cafe and The Old Independent Coffeehouse, was initially reported missing following the fire. Because of the instability of the structure, investigators spent days carefully dismantling portions of the building before they could complete a search, Bellingham Metro News had even observed videos of the time of the structure, partially collapsing during the aftermath and search. Human remains were located inside on Dec. 26.
Authorities later confirmed the remains were Breaux’s. The Whatcom County Medical Examiner determined that he died from inhalation of products of combustion and ruled his death an accident.
The loss prompted an outpouring of support throughout Fairhaven, with memorials appearing near the property and community members rallying around Breaux’s family and the businesses affected by the fire.
The vacant property later went on the market and was sold in August 2025. The real estate listing for the property described the 5,000-square-foot lot at the corner of Harris Avenue and 11th Street as a redevelopment opportunity covering both 1101 and 1105 Harris Avenue.
Now, the newly filed proposal offers the clearest indication yet of what may eventually replace the Terminal Building.
The neighborhood meeting is only an early step in the development process. According to the project notice, the meeting must take place before the applicant submits for land-use permits, meaning the building’s plans could still change as the proposal moves through city review.
Bellingham Metro News will continue following the Harris Street Mixed Use Project as additional plans, renderings and permitting information become available.
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