Big changes are on the horizon for an Edmonds waterfront mainstay. It won’t happen quickly but when it does, it will be completely different.

On Friday, June 6, the Port of Edmonds signed the paperwork to welcome 1010 Development as the new owner of The Landing building, home to Arnie’s Restaurant and 13 other tenants.

The company plans a boutique hotel and wellness spa for guests with plenty of welcoming public spaces and eateries for locals.  

It’s estimated that construction will begin sometime in 2029. Arnie’s Restaurant and other tenants will remain in place and open until construction begins. 

The hotel 

Ryan Appleby, the person behind the purchase and 1010 Development, has a vision for the future. He believes in Edmonds, public space and the environment. He says he is committed to all three as he builds out the hotel. 

“We have roots dating back five generations in Edmonds,” said Appleby, president of 1010 Development. “It’s an important place to us.”

“Ryan is coming in with new money and new energy, new tenants and new services,” Economic Development Director Brittany Williams said. 

A longtime Edmonds resident, Appleby appreciates the value of the waterfront as a public gathering place and plans to cater to both hotel guests and Edmonds residents. The ground floor will include accessible amenities like a walk-up coffee bar and café. He sees the Sunday morning cold-water plungers and says it would be good to have sauna services on the ground floor so they can come right in.

It will be one of the few waterfront hotels on Puget Sound. Others include Mukilteo’s Silver Cloud Hotel and Seattle’s Edgewater Hotel. Appleby is excited to bring new business and tourists to the Port and the City of Edmonds. 

1010 Development has a long permit process to manage and will release a hotel rendering at a later date. Appleby confirms the building footprint will not change, but it will be a complete teardown.

The deal: Appleby, Catspaw LLC and the Port of Edmonds

This deal started to take shape in early 2024 when Catspaw LLC, a Snohomish County property company with local investments, decided it was time to move on. They owned the building where Arnie’s is located for the last 20 years and had a relationship with the founding families dating back to the ‘80s. But with family spread out across Washington and the US, it made no sense to hold on to one of the last pieces of commercial real estate in Edmonds. 

“It has been a great run,” said Peter Challman, managing member and second-generation owner of Catspaw LLC. “But it’s time to pass the torch to a new building owner.”

Catspaw came to the Port with a plan to sell before their 2029 lease expired and were looking for a building buyer. The buyer would likely be looking for a long-term ground-lease commitment from the Port. Because the Port determines the use of this particular property, the Port made it clear the future building owner needed to be a good fit –  durable, financially stable and one that valued community. 

“We want it to be used and loved by the community,” Williams said. “But Ports are about economic development and that can come from public-private partnerships. This is a great piece of property. It’s on the waterfront.” 

“The process was thorough,” explained Port of Edmonds Acting Executive Director Brandon Baker. “But it needed to be. There is only so much commercial waterfront property in Edmonds. We had to ensure it was the right fit for the community and the Port.”

The transition came at the ideal moment. The Port has a master planning process scheduled for 2026. This particular project jump-started that process to answer a series of future-thinking questions: What is the best use for this space? What kind of future tenant would be good for the community? Would this future tenant be a good financial fit for the Port and the city? Does this future tenant share Port values of access and environmentalism? 

The answer to 1010 Development’s wellness hotel concept was yes.

“We view this partnership with the Applebys as phase one of this master planning,” Williams said. “Private investment in The Landing building allows us to focus on the rest of the master plan… and future infrastructure projects like the seawall and North Portwalk.” 

A good match: The Applebys and the Catspaw group 

The Appleby name may be familiar to some.. The Applebys have participated in Edmonds and Snohomish County civic life for decades. Ryan Appleby went to Stanwood High School, played basketball and went on to be the 3-point record holder for University of Washington’s men’s basketball, graduating in 2008. 

Prior to Catspaw LLC’s involvement, a local Snohomish County group owned the building for decades. Ownership re-formed a few times but nothing about Arnie’s and The Landing changed until the surviving members decided it was time to sell.

The Port expects that financial stability and community presence to remain unchanged with 1010 Development and Ryan Appleby. 

What’s next 

As the ink dries on the deal this week, waterfront walkers won’t see any change for a few years as the project moves through the permit process. Current tenants in the building will remain, as will Arnie’s Restaurant. Appleby shared he just secured a new tenant, Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream.

The proposed boutique hotel is still in its preliminary design stage, but current plans have it maintaining the existing building’s footprint. Proposed public amenities include a full-service restaurant, sauna and spa, social club, event space and first-floor café offering coffee, smoothies, and grab-and-go items.

The project will need to undergo an extensive permitting and approval process, including a design review with opportunities for public input.

“The Edmonds waterfront has historically been a place where people from all over come to enjoy the natural beauty, great dining, and beautiful public spaces,” Appleby said. “Through our new partnership with the Port, we look forward to carrying on that tradition.”