Just west of Scriber Lake Park, a big change could be coming to a quiet corner of Lynnwood: Blackfish Capital is floating plans for a seven-story, 173-unit affordable apartment building that would hug the edge of the city’s signature wetlands.
The project, called Apollo Scriber Lake, would stack mostly one- and two-bedroom units on a roughly 1.2-acre site and, according to the developer, target households earning about 60% of the area median income. The application is now in Lynnwood’s project-development review pipeline and would merge two parcels near 198th Street SW into a single site that backs right up to the park.
Blackfish filed plans in late 2025 and is marketing the proposal as a much-needed affordable housing boost in a transit-friendly pocket of the city, Puget Sound Business Journal reported. The outlet also flagged the building’s size and its perch next to Scriber Lake Park as likely flashpoints once neighbors and park regulars start weighing in.
What the developer says
On its project materials, Blackfish describes Apollo Scriber Lake as a transit-oriented development featuring 173 below-market units in a mix of one- and two-bedroom layouts. Amenities on the drawing board include a community room, package rooms and secure bicycle storage, according to Blackfish Capital. The firm also highlights electric-vehicle charging and dedicated bike storage as part of the package.
The developer’s documents say all units would be aimed at households earning no more than 60% of the area median income, positioning the entire building in the “affordable” category rather than mixing in market-rate homes.
Where it would sit
City records show the project as PDR-25-0009. The plan would fold 5707 and 5723 198th St. SW into a single 1.21-acre lot, with a boundary-line adjustment needed before any construction could start, according to the city’s public land use notice. City of Lynnwood staff note that the public comment period on the application has already closed, and that the project will still require additional permits, including construction permits, as review continues.
Design, size and schedule
The building would clock in at roughly 141,416 square feet, with units ranging from about 381 to 728 square feet, according to the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Plans currently call for bike parking for 87 bicycles.
Parking for cars would be a mix of structured and surface spaces: 54 stalls in a structured garage and 63 surface stalls, the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce reports. The developer is eyeing a construction start late in the year and estimates about a 22-month build, assuming the project clears the city’s approval hurdles.
Money and transit
The city has already lined up some help to make the project pencil out. The Washington Department of Commerce awarded $900,000 in Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program funding tied to the Apollo Scriber Lake proposal, according to the Lynnwood Times.
On the transportation front, the site sits within walking distance of the Lynnwood City Center light-rail station, which opened in August 2024. Supporters say that proximity can justify lower parking counts and nudge residents toward transit. Sound Transit has noted that the 1 Line extension brought light rail service into Snohomish County last year, making projects like this prime candidates for car-light living.
Public questions to watch
Locals who love Scriber Lake’s quiet boardwalks may have some pointed questions about how a seven-story complex right next door will mesh with the wetlands. Residents and environmental advocates are expected to home in on stormwater, habitat impacts and soil stability, given the area’s peat soils and sensitive ecosystem.
The city has already been grappling with those issues in its own park work. In describing recent boardwalk and restoration projects at Scriber Lake, the City of Lynnwood has repeatedly emphasized wetland protections. That same mindset could shape the environmental review for Apollo Scriber Lake under the State Environmental Policy Act, and it is likely to be a recurring theme as the project moves through hearings.
Next steps
For now, the real action is in the paperwork. The project-development review decision, the boundary-line adjustment and the follow-up construction permits will dictate whether and when demolition and site work get a green light. If approvals and land deals fall into place, Blackfish has signaled that construction could start late this year, with residents moving in roughly two years after groundbreaking, according to the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.
