MOHAI sought to relocate from its longtime Montlake facility to the historic Naval Reserve Armory at Lake Union Park, a complex undertaking that required balancing historic preservation, museum operations, public funding, and stakeholder interests. The project involved navigating extensive entitlement and approval processes, securing financing through historic tax credits, negotiating agreements with the City of Seattle, and ensuring the museum’s collections could be safely preserved and expanded through a separate research and conservation facility.

As an early strategic advisor and development manager, we helped guide MOHAI through the planning, entitlement, financing, and development process. Our team coordinated approvals, secured historic tax credit financing, negotiated key agreements with public agencies, and managed project implementation to support the transformation of the Armory into a modern museum. Simultaneously, we assisted with the site selection, acquisition, and development of the Research and Conservation Center to provide long-term stewardship for MOHAI’s extensive collection.