Holiday wish is for a Morris Street Wonderland

Perhaps Morris Street is this town’s Rodney Dangerfield, not able to get respect. Is First Street the blond muscle boy, kicking sand in scrawny Morris’s face?

Morris, the street with the long term empty storefronts, is getting attention from Shelter Bay resident and entrepreneur Ward Phillips. He has bought, and spruced up, the 503 building, long inhabited by Krista Sunday.

Phillips wants sculptures and trees and corner park landscapes the length of the street. He wants an arch –think Anacortes’ Commercial Street – welcoming visitors into La Conner at the roundabout.

Phillips is jump starting the debate, taking the initiative to get accent lighting on 14 buildings in time for Christmas.

His vision: A total experience: “A small town needs to have a bundled image of streetscaping, lighting, attractive physical buildings and an abundance of public events,” he explains.

Phillips has walked this talk. In the 1970s he led the way, rebuilding Edmonds’ moribund downturn and building cooperation and participation with that city’s elected officials and chamber of commerce leaders.

Phillips built his first apartment building in Seattle after starting in construction before the 1962 World’s Fair. He then pioneered development in Pioneer Square.

In Edmonds, Phillips garnered support by “offering to paint the town for free.” He went on to create Old Mill Town, and the city has “become one of the most successful cities on the West coast.”

Over time he led the building of a performing arts center and assisted in arts festivals births. He has a deep belief “in giving back. In every community I give back wherever I can.”

He wants to give to La Conner. Too young at 77 to be retired, he hopes to participate with city fathers: “the right marriage between the city fathers (elected officials), the merchants and the landlords is critical to enhancing the downtown area.”

Next week: more on Morris Street and La Conner as envisioned by Ward Phillips.