Redevelopment Plans Advance for Former Burlington Building on Meridian Street

A major North Bellingham retail property is preparing for a potential overhaul as the owners of 4131 Meridian Street have completed their pre-application review with the City of Bellingham. Public records show the proposal comes from the same development group currently pursuing a Dutch Bros project at 4015 Cordata.

According to documents filed with the city, property owners Bellis Meridian LLC and their applicants, Cole Valley Partners, are evaluating a full demising and redevelopment of the former Burlington Coat Factory building. The concept would divide the large anchor space into multiple tenant suites suitable for soft-goods retailers, a grocery tenant, or a fitness operator. The project is treated as a redevelopment of existing space rather than new construction.

City records indicate the pre-application meeting took place on Oct. 28, with the review process closing on Nov. 18. The site is located within the People’s Place Planned Commercial District and is regulated by ordinances 8646 and 9456, which govern permitted uses, signage standards, and when exterior modifications require design review. Planning staff confirmed that soft-goods retail, grocery stores, and fitness uses are all allowed at this location.

Any exterior alterations would trigger design review, according to the city. A full Planned Development Permit would only be required if new structures were proposed. Current documentation shows the focus remains on interior layout changes and updates to the building façade.

City engineering comments note that Westerly Road, which provides primary access to the site, does not currently meet pedestrian standards. While sidewalk installation is not automatically required for this phase, future redevelopment or new building construction could prompt frontage improvements.

Fire officials also advised that the property will eventually undergo an address correction due to non-standard address sequencing in the surrounding area. For now, they recommend using suite numbers once the demising layout is finalized.

The project is still in an exploratory stage and has not advanced to a formal permit application. Pre-application reviews allow developers to receive early guidance on zoning rules, traffic considerations, stormwater requirements, and design expectations before submitting complete plans. No impact fees are anticipated for the listed uses, and utilities already serve the perimeter of the site.

The proposal adds to a growing list of redevelopment and commercial activity along Meridian and Cordata, including multiple retail updates and the planned Dutch Bros at 4015 Cordata.

Bellingham Metro News will continue to follow this project and report updates if new filings appear or a formal permit application is submitted.

Fernando Gonzalez is the Editor-in-Chief of BMN, contact him at [email protected]; 360-510-0929 TEXT ONLY. For tips, email [email protected]