Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at Marquee

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on January 20, 2026, to celebrate the launch of nine new EV charging stations at Marquee Apartments. This project marks the first EV charging initiative successfully completed by United Hub in 2025. United Hub carried out these community-serving projects with sponsorship from the Washington State Department of Commerce WAEVCP program and support from local electric utilities. Primary funding was provided under the Climate Commitment Act.   

(Photo by Everett Community everettcommunity.org)

United Hub’s EV charging project was guided by the vision of President Winston Lee to enhance clean energy infrastructure and promote the adoption of electric vehicles. The primary beneficiaries are communities that the private sector often does not adequately support. These projects provide an important amenity, upgrade energy infrastructure, strengthen community resources, and help residents adapt to economic changes. 

United Hub was awarded the WAEVP grants in late 2024 to undertake a small number of sites. In mid 2025, United Hub found ways to spread out and increase its resources in order to place EV chargers at a larger number of sites. Since then, the organization has worked diligently to overcome budgetary, technical, and timeline challenges to ensure project success. United Hub has installed 9 EV chargers at Marquee Apartments and has projects in the pipeline for 75 more. 

In Everett, the projects advanced under the leadership of the City of Everett Office of Economic Development, which connected United Hub with several developers. Thomas Boydell, United Hub’s Senior Project Manager, helped lead discussions with the developers and chose to move forward with four sites under the community-focused Skotdal Real Estate. 

Skotdal Real Estate’s professional team and commitment to community partnership were essential to the success of the projects. After completing site assessments and plans with Skotdal Real Estate, United Hub completed the review process with the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP), and contracted with two leading local businesses: PortFi for the equipment and software, and Andrew’s Electric for installation services.

The project process included evaluating electrical capacity, planning for load, coordinating with the utility provider, and navigating permitting to ensure compliance with current codes and support for future demand. Challenges overcome included the cost of materials, gaps in cellular coverage for connectivity, long-term maintenance planning, and retrofitting new monitoring equipment into existing buildings.

The State’s WAEVCP program manager, Mara MacDonell, partnered with United Hub to provide strong support and guidance at every stage of the project. 

(Photo by Everett Community everettcommunity.org)

During the ceremony, Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett, spoke about sustainability and praised the new EV charging stations for the benefits they bring to the community, noting that this project exemplifies what true community partnerships can achieve. Craig Skotdal, the site host, shared residents’ appreciation for the EV stations and expressed gratitude for the partnerships. Sharon Huang, United Hub’s Project Manager, highlighted the contributions of all involved, thanked the project partners, and looks forward to successful joint efforts in the coming years of operations.

(Photo by Everett Community everettcommunity.org)

United Hub has established a three-tier support system for EV charging station operations, committing to the WAEVCP's operational requirement of 97% uptime. In the event of weak cellular connectivity or any warranty or maintenance issues, United Hub is confident in its ability to respond quickly and resolve problems.

Before the new stations were put into service, acceptance tests were performed, and Andrew’s Electric also conducted successful system checks. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, two different models of electric vehicles were connected to the chargers and powered up successfully. The EV chargers are now fully operational and ready for use by residents for years to come. 

(Photo by Everett Community everettcommunity.org)