Downtown Anacortes is about to get a little brighter, and not just for the holidays.
On October 6, the Downtown Anacortes Alliance will begin installation of roofline lights along the historic buildings on Commercial Avenue. The project, called “Light Up Downtown,” will add year-round lighting to Downtown from 4th Street to 11th Street.
Crews will work through November 20, when the lights officially switch on. That is one night before Elves Night Out.
“Our downtown buildings have so much character, and these lights let people see them illuminated in a bright new way, all year long,” said Jordan Hay, Downtown Anacortes Alliance executive director. “The Downtown Anacortes Alliance is so excited to see one part of the city’s Streetscape Plan being fulfilled.”
Part of the Downtown Streetscape Plan
Light Up Downtown is the Downtown Anacortes Alliance’s first project to grow out of the Downtown Streetscape Plan. The City of Anacortes developed the plan with consultant First Forty Feet and presented it to the City Council in July. It draws on ideas from residents, business owners, and property owners about the future of Commercial Avenue and nearby streets.
Lighting is a big part of that vision. The plan calls for a “layered lighting strategy that improves safety, supports evening activity, highlights storefronts, and creates a memorable nighttime experience.” It also recommends building-mounted lighting to help “highlight architectural character.”
In other words, the lights are not just pretty. They help people feel safer walking Downtown after dark, and they give folks one more reason to linger over dinner or duck into a shop on the way home.
Building Owners Make It Possible
Building owners are the heart of the project. Each owner decides whether to take part. Participating owners pay half of the cost, and the Downtown Anacortes Alliance adds a matching grant.
As of mid-September, 95% of Downtown building owners or tenants signed up. Downtown Anacortes Alliance Business Captains, volunteers who stay in touch with Downtown merchants, helped spread the word.
“Based on community input, , there was an overwhelming alignment of building owners and tenants’ support for permanent enhanced lighting along Commercial Avenue and some side streets,” said Bill Gartz, Downtown Anacortes Alliance board member and project leader.
What to Expect During Installation
Crews will use a boom lift parked in front of each building to reach the roof. Work hours are 7 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m., with no work over the lunch hour or at night.
A street attendant will guide pedestrians and traffic whenever the lift is running. Sidewalk and parking space will be blocked only near the lift, and access to shops will stay open as much as possible.
Streets will remain open to traffic. After hours, the lift will be parked on a side street.
See the Lights on November 20
The timing fits a busy season Downtown. Elves Night Out runs November 21 from 4 to 8 p.m., and the Anacortes Cuisine Scene follows from January through March 2027. Both are good chances to see and enjoy the new lights in action.
The community is invited to celebrate the official lighting on November 20 at dusk.
Check downtownanacortesalliance.org/streetscapeplan for updates or to read the streetscapes plan.
Questions about the project can go to the Downtown Anacortes Alliance at info@downtownanacortes.org.
Written by: Jennifer Juckett, Downtown Anacortes Alliance Board Member, Communications
