Kemper Development Company recently submitted updated plans to the City of Bellevue for their mixed-use development at The Bellevue Collection. The project will be located at the southeast corner of Bellevue Square at 401 Bellevue Way Northeast.

The mixed-use project, “The Bellevue”, will now include three towers. Each tower will be made up of up to 24 stories, with 154 residential units, 150 hotel rooms, and 1,780 underground parking stalls.

The three towers will be staggered in height to mediate between the low lying park and downtown core. There is a stepped roof on each tower that is oriented towards the park, taking advantage of the southern sun exposure into the units and views to the southwest. The visual elements of the park are elevated as gardens on the roof, advancing the vision of being a city in a park.

The project will complement the existing Bellevue Square shopping center and expand the Bellevue Collection experience with three floors of retail, a hotel offering refined residential-inspired experiences, a wellness/spa resort, residential units, and six below-grade parking.

The retail component will include public spaces that will connect to the existing shopping center and a proposed pedestrian bridge to Lincoln Square South. A series of spaces will be created that prioritize non-motorized connectivity and elevates the pedestrian experience.

Originally, plans included four towers with 234 residential units, 157 hotel rooms, and 265,795 square feet of retail space. Each tower was to be made up to 25 stories high and would vary in height.

The project will total about 1.75 million square feet, versus the 1.8 million square feet that was originally planned for. The number of luxury residences has been reduced, as well some hotel space. There will still be restaurant and retail space, totaling 281,830 square feet, which is about a 16,000 square foot increase.

The site that “The Bellevue” is proposed on, is currently a parking area in front of Macy’s Department Store. The space is 3.6 acres in total. KPF is the lead designer, and Mithun of Seattle is the executive architect.

Kemper Development Company currently has 5.5 million square feet of space that makes up The Bellevue Collection along Bellevue Way Northeast.

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The independently owned coffee shop, Fonté Coffee Roaster, is opening a new location in Downtown Bellevue. It will be located at the Civica Commons building, which also houses Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, and a Wells Fargo Branch.

The menu features traditional coffee options like espresso, mocha, latte, cappuccino and more, as well as Turkish latte, desert rose latte, and an Aztec mocha. Cold brew, nitro cold brew, French press and drip coffee are also available, along with a selection of teas. All coffee is roasted at their roaster in Georgetown.

Grab & Go items are served daily and made in-house. The menu includes options like bacon, egg & cheese sandwich, breakfast burrito, egg bite muffins, and a honey brie ham sandwich.

This will be the coffee shop’s second location to open in Bellevue. The other Fonté Coffee Roaster is located at Hyatt Regency Bellevue at 10500 Northeast 8th Street. There are also three other locations in Seattle.

We originally reported this information in December 2021. At that time, the coffee shop was slated to open in January 2022. The space was originally Starbucks. The address is 225 10th Avenue Northeast. The 1,680 square foot space was remodeled.

Fonté Coffee Roaster was founded in 1992. Paul Odom, founder and owner, following his passion and started the coffee shop, according to their website. The name is Italian for source. The company prides itself on high quality and sustainability.

Civic Commons, the location of the soon to be coffee shop, was developed in 2001 by Schnitzer West. The property owner and manager is Unico Properties. It is a two-building office development with tenant amenities like concierge service, valet-ready parking, a fitness center with lockers and towel service, and bike storage.

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According to City of Bellevue permits, Shake Shack will be opening a new location in Downtown Bellevue. It will be situated at Bellevue Square. The address is 575 Bellevue Way.

According the city permits, Shake Shack will have a walk-up window, as well as outdoor patio seating. The fast casual eatery serves hamburgers, chicken burgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs and a variety of French fries, shakes, and frozen custard.

This is the first location that Shake Shack will be opening in Bellevue. There are currently four other locations open in Kirkland, Seattle and Tacoma.

Shake Shack at Bellevue Square is slated to open in 2024, as reported by Puget Sound Business Journal.

This location was previously Blue C. Sushi. The restaurant closed all of its locations in January 2019. Employees reportedly received an email announcing the closures and termination of all positions at the restaurant. The company that owned the sushi eatery said that there were unexpected financial circumstances that contributed to the closing.

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With so much happening in the Bellevue condo and housing market, we caught up with real estate expert, Jason Foss of Real Residential, to learn more. Specializing in the acquisition, management and representation of distinctive urban properties, Foss has over 16 years of experience. We take a deeper look into the impact that Amazon employees being back in the office will have on the housing market in Bellevue, as well as more inventory becoming available, and the trajectory for pricing of condos for the near future.

With Amazon employees back in the office as of early May, do you think this will have an impact on the housing and condo market in Bellevue?

I think Amazon’s drive to return to the office will positively impact all aspects on the downtown Bellevue economy, including the housing market. I am seeing anecdotal evidence that being required to work at the office 3 days a week has spurred some buyers to look for city homes, although so far, the effect seems to be concentrated on smaller, more affordable condos (while sometimes still maintaining a primary home elsewhere which was purchased during the pandemic).

I anticipate that this second-home focus may be the case for a while (along with people deciding to rent an apartment as an alternative buying in the short term), while people evaluate if the return to the office is sustainable and what their own longer term plans are. As buyers get more confident that the work from the office trend is here to stay, they will be more likely to purchase condos – and purchase larger condos – as a primary residence.

Earlier in the year there was significantly reduced inventory in Bellevue, but now we’re starting to see more inventory come online. What does the future hold?

To put current inventory in perspective, as of the end of April we had 41 condos on the market in West Bellevue. If we look back over the past 5 years, we had 40 or more condos on the market in 24 out of the last 60 months. So from that perspective we currently have a fairly normal level of inventory, historically speaking.

If we look at months of inventory (which tells us at the current pace of sales, how long it would take to sell all of the properties on the market right now) we were sitting at about 2.2 months at the end of April. That is also within a pretty typical range: We have had 3 or more months of inventory 6 times in the past 5 years, and one or fewer months of inventory 5 times over that same period.

I will say, however, that I do anticipate that we are heading into a period of elevation. Seasonally, we usually see sales slow down (and inventory rise as some properties sit unsold) but that is generally the case in any year (setting aside the COVID weirdness).

The bigger effect will be from the completion of Avenue Bellevue this fall along with Mari next year. Although Avenue Bellevue has sold well (especially considering the COVID challenge which hurt condo presales) many unsold homes will be delivered to the market by the end of the year. Meanwhile Mari just got started selling and may be impacted by an abbreviated sales period (most project begin pre-selling a year or more prior to completion).

Add it all up, and as I mentioned before, there will be plenty of options to choose from at the very high end of the market, while more affordable options will likely remain much scarcer.

We’re seeing significant reduced pricing in new construction in Seattle condo projects. What are you seeing or anticipate seeing in the near future?

The downtown Seattle condo market is different from Bellevue in many ways. It is characterized by multiple new buildings having been delivered as COVID was hitting, which created the most difficult sales environment for condos we have seen since the Great Recession.

Having said that, condos have continued to sell and the price reductions seen currently are driven as much by higher interest rates as the number of homes remaining to sell. Also in some cases it is related to a final push to close out sales in a particular building.
Usually when a project gets down to the last 10% of units, those are properties that for whatever reason have not appealed to the market, and often end up discounted as part of a sales closeout.

As for downtown Bellevue, we only have two large projects completing in the next 12 months and they will deliver into a more benign economic environment compared to when the Seattle projects completed. With that said, we are facing headwinds from interest rates and the number of condos in those two projects is still relatively large compared to the size of the downtown Bellevue condo market.

My guess is that there will be demand for the condos in those buildings which are the most affordable and most compelling (best floor plans, best views, etc.). As with most projects, there will be condos (and likely certain stacks of condos with less favorable attributes) which will end up being discounted through the course of the project sellout.

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The Bellevue Downtown Association has announced the highly anticipated return of its outdoor summer concert series, Bellevue Beats & Bites. Now in its 23rd year, the series promises to deliver a season of live music, delectable bites, and a brand new addition: a Thursday evening beer and wine garden. From June 7 to August 25, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Downtown Bellevue.

This year’s lineup includes 34 regional musicians, ensuring there is something for every musical taste. From Hawaiian melodies by Elias Kauhane to the gritty blues and rock tunes of Kim & Brian, and the captivating Afro-Cuban sounds of Mambo Cadillac, concert-goers will be treated to a diverse collection of artists and genres.

The concert series will take place at multiple gathering spaces throughout Downtown Bellevue, including Bellevue Connection Compass Plaza, Bellevue Square Fountain Court, The Spring District, Key Center, Skyline Tower, Bellevue Downtown Park Plaza, and Bellevue City Hall Plaza.

In addition to the lunchtime performances, Bellevue Beats & Bites introduces a new Thursday beer and wine garden this year. Taking place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., attendees can enjoy a rotating selection of alcoholic beverages while indulging in the flavors of various food trucks.

Food lovers will be delighted by the presence of popular food trucks on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the concert series. Attendees can savor delicious treats from renowned vendors such as Paparepas Venezuelan Food, The People’s Burger, and Pie Bar Pie Truck, among others. The BDA also encourages concert-goers to explore the traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants in Downtown Bellevue, which are conveniently located near the event venues.

Mike Ogliore, BDA’s VP of Events and Operations, expressed his excitement about this year’s Bellevue Beats & Bites, stating, “Bellevue Beats and Bites offers a moment to step away from the noise of the workday into a relaxing and lively atmosphere. The expanded Thursday happy hours allow us to amplify these talented local and regional musicians during an inviting time of day and benefit a variety of nonprofit partners in the area.”

For those seeking more information about the event, including the full lineup and participating venues, please visit Bellevue Downtown Association’s website.

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We reported in late April that detectives from the Bellevue Police Department were investigating an armed robbery that occurred in the early morning of April 26th at the 7-Eleven convenience store. The 7-Eleven is located on Bellevue Way Southeast.

According to a statement released by the Bellevue Police Department, the incident took place just before 3:00 am when three suspects entered the store. Robbing the 7-Eleven at gunpoint. Three suspects entered the store and one fired a shot inside the store and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. The two other suspects remained in the vehicle. No one was injured during the robbery.

Detectives recently sent criminal charges to the King County Prosecutor’s Office in connection with the robbery. It involved five teenagers, three 15-year-olds, a 16-year old, and a 17-year old.

The five are accused of leaving Bellevue and encountering Bothell police, where they allegedly fired at officers and were captured in Shoreline. Officers recovered two handguns and other evidence at the scene.

The charges the Bellevue detectives sent to the prosecutor include Robbery in the first degree, Aiming or discharging firearms, and Malicious Mischief in the third degree, according to the Bellevue Police blog.

Bellevue detectives are working with other police departments investigating similar robberies that occurred in other cities that same night.

The five juveniles were booked into the King County Juvenile Detention Center and were later released.

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The final public meeting for Bellevue 2044 Environmental Impact statement will be held on June 1st at from 6pm to 8pm. The meeting will be held at Bellevue City Hall on 110th Avenue. 

Bellevue’s Comprehensive Plan is intended to provide goals, policies, and strategies to ensure the city is livable, welcoming and vibrant. It will help to make sure that the city maintains a high quality of life as the community grows over the next 20 years. 

The Plan looks ahead at challenges Bellevue needs to address and the opportunities to ensure that all people can thrive.

Any interested person is invited to comment on the City of Bellevue’s Comprehensive Plan Update and Wilburton Vision Implementation Draft Environmental Impact (DEIS). The in-person meeting will include an open house portion where attendees can ask questions and visit the project team members, as well as an opportunity to submit formal comments verbally or in writing. 

For those who wish to give verbal comment at the meeting need to indicate so in the registration form. 

There have been two meetings prior to the one being held on June 1st. To register for the event, visit the website.

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The new art installation at Bellevue Downtown Park has reached completion. The 23-foot art installation has been named “Piloti”.

The art piece is made up of 6,665 individual pieces and 180,000 rivets. Created by Marc Fornes/THEVERYMANY, the art piece is intended to reflect Bellevue’s innovative technology sector, love of natural forms, and its creative community of thinkers and makers.

It is located at the park entrance on Northeast 4th Street and Bellevue Way Northeast. The new permanent art installation is situated at the park’s grand entry. This particular spot was chosen because it is a key location on the Grand Connection, which is a pedestrian-oriented corridor to traverse downtown, from Meydenbauer Bay Park to the Wilburton neighborhood.

The remodel at this location was originally completed in May 2021. The plaza links to the canal and promenade to the west, as well as a formal garden to the south. The water feature creates a strong visual identity from the busy intersection.

A celebration will be held on June 24th to celebrate Bellevue Park’s new Gateway entrance along the Grand Connection.

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Sharmila Rathinam and Sunita Shastri founded the non-profit organization, Eat Happy Now in June 2022. Their mission is “Solving for hunger by rescuing healthy food going to landfill and delivering it real time to those in need, through nonprofit partners.”

Eat Happy Now connects the supply and demand for surplus food through technology by using their food/grocery delivery app.

In just over five months of launching this organization, they have rescued over 15,000 pounds of food, and delivered it to over 12,500 meals to people who are food insecure. The company caters to every possible homeless shelter and food bank in Bellevue, as well as other cities on the Eastside and North Seattle.

Founders, Rathinam and Shastri believe that every human has a right to access healthy food and that it should not be a privilege. They strive to fix the disconnect that has created a high percentage of produce that is wasted (40%). ReFED, a company that identifies comprehensive food waste recycling solutions for businesses of all sizes in the US, estimates that reducing food waste by just 20% nationally, will help to recover 1.8 billion meals a year.

Eat Happy Now is in great need of food donors in the Bellevue area, as well as volunteers to help with their mission.

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Benchmark Resorts & Hotels, the independent lifestyle division of Pyramid Global Hospitality, will open InterContinental® Bellevue at The Avenue this October. The first Pacific Northwest hotel by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, it is owned by Fortress Development and is a striking new hospitality and residential development located in downtown Bellevue, Washington.

InterContinental® Bellevue features two towers housing 365 luxury condominiums, a 208-room InterContinental Hotel, 85,000 square feet of high-end retail space, and celebrity chef-led dining. Set in Bellevue’s thriving technology hub with views of Lake Washington, the neighboring Seattle skyline and the snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains, the development offers a unique blend of luxury living, world-class hospitality, and retail therapy, all in one place.

The complex is the vision of Fortress Development CEO Andy Lakha. He commented, “Bellevue has evolved into a dynamic center for innovation and deserves a hotel and residential development that mirrors its bright future.”

A local team of specialists from Pyramid Global Hospitality are managing the complex, led by seasoned hotelier and General Manager Haje Thurau. He remarked, “Incredible forces of design and ingenuity have gifted Bellevue this beautiful new development that matches the vibrancy of the city. Come October, we look forward to welcoming travelers with the signature service that defines a stay with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.”

The leadership team led by Thurau is well represented by Bellevue region residents and includes Director of Sales and Marketing Matt King, Director of Finance Jeff Sprague, Chief Engineer Jason Kane, Director of Residential Services Linda Waldon, Director of Human Resources Tanya Morseberger and Senior Purchasing Manager Jerry Storer.
InterContinental® Bellevue at The Avenue, set on the corner of NE 8th Street and Bellevue Way, is poised to redefine the downtown Bellevue neighborhood, offering locals and visitors alike an elevated experience of luxury and sophistication. Key details about the complex follow:

Guest Accommodations
The hotel will feature 190 contemporary luxury rooms, ranging from 306 to 380 square feet, 17 suites and panorama suites, ranging from 420 to 600 square feet, and a 1,500-square-foot two-bedroom Presidential Suite.

Dining
Three celebrity chefs will make InterContinental® Bellevue at The Avenue home to their restaurant concepts, building on Bellevue’s rising culinary star power. Chef Joshua Skenes, the first and only American chef to garner three Michelin stars cooking entirely over open fire, will bring his fresh take on fine dining to the complex, leveraging the bounties of Washington’s mountains, forests, lakes and ocean waters. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto will introduce a world-class Asian fusion restaurant experience inspired by the culinary traditions of his native Japan. And a first-of-its-kind Italian ramen shop will be an elegant marriage of Japanese and Italian culture and cuisine brought to InterContinental® Bellevue at The Avenue by Chef Robbie Felice, previously nominated for James Beard’s prestigious Rising Star Chef of the Year award.

Meetings and Events
Bellevue draws some of the world’s best and brightest technology specialists, and its growing tech movement will find ample space for gathering at InterContinental® Bellevue at The Avenue. On the third floor and fourth floor of the Avenue Center connected through a sky bridge to the hotel, guests will find over 12,000 square feet of meeting space with nine function rooms. These include a 4,250-square-foot grand ballroom, a 2,400-square-foot junior ballroom, two 400-square-foot meeting rooms, and two exclusive board rooms of 350 square feet each.

Avenue Bellevue, the two-tower luxury condo project is currently under construction. The mixed-use development is located at the corner of Northeast 8th Street and Bellevue Way. It will feature 141 “Estate Homes” in the South Tower and 224 “Residences” in the West Tower. The South Tower will include the Pacific Northwest’s first-ever InterContinental Hotel, with 208 hotel rooms, event space, restaurants and bar, gym and spa, and concierge team.

Avenue was designed in partnership by Seattle-based, award-winning architecture firms Weber Thompson and CollinsWoerman, as well as Hirsch Bedner Associates, the largest hospitality firm in the world.

Avenue Bellevue, the two-tower luxury condo project is currently under construction. The mixed-use development is located at the corner of Northeast 8th Street and Bellevue Way. It will feature 141 “Estate Homes” in the South Tower and 224 “Residences” in the West Tower. The South Tower will include the Pacific Northwest’s first-ever InterContinental Hotel, with 208 hotel rooms, event space, restaurants and bar, gym and spa, and concierge team.

“We are creating something that will set a new standard for hospitality and residential design in the region. As a Bellevue resident for more than 20 years, I am deeply committed to the future success of the community—and Avenue Bellevue is the most important project of my life,” said Andy Lakha, CEO and Principal of Avenue Bellevue, LLC and Fortress Development. “I am proud to have Silverstein back this dream project in my own backyard; it is quintessential affirmation of the development and the hard work of many years as we continue construction and add Avenue to the skyline and fabric to the heart of downtown Bellevue.”

Avenue was designed in partnership by Seattle-based, award-winning architecture firms Weber Thompson and CollinsWoerman, as well as Hirsch Bedner Associates, the largest hospitality firm in the world.

The post InterContinental Hotel in Bellevue to Open October 2023 first appeared on Downtown Bellevue Network.

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Iranian-Canadian architect, Hossein Amanat, recently applied to the City of Bellevue for a multifamily residential project. Bosa Development is planning to build this new development at 102 Bellevue Way Northeast.

The project is referred to as “Bosa Development – Cosmos”. It features three new residential towers of 27-stories. Each tower includes ground floor retail, above and below-grade parking, and a through-block pedestrian connection.

Cosmos is proposed to be located just north of the existing Orange Theory Fitness building.

The first phase to the north will contain one 27-story residential tower with ground level retail and above-grade and below-grade parking. The second phase will contain the two 27-story residential towers connected at the south with ground-level retail and below-grade parking.

The through block pedestrian connection is proposed to be enhanced with public gathering spaces.

Amanat Architect also designed Bosa Development’s luxury condominium tower on Bellevue Way Northeast, One88. The condo tower features 21-stories that are composed of one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences and penthouse residences. There are 47 units in total. This development is located just north of the newly proposed three residential tower development.

Bosa Development purchased 102 Bellevue Way Northeast for $127.5 million in October 2021. The purchase was also inclusive of 44 Bellevue Way Northeast. Current businesses located on this property include Garlic Crush, Cafe Bollywood, Starbucks, and FedEx.

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The dessert bakery and party destination, Trophy Cupcakes, now offers Afternoon Tea. Nestled within the heart of The Bravern, this weekend-exclusive tea experience promises a delightful array of sweet and savory treats, accompanied by an exquisite selection of hand-blended Trophy Teas.

The Afternoon Tea experience features an assortment of custard tartlets, delectable eclairs, croque monsieur croissants, classic scones with jam, captivating finger sandwiches, and an array of colorful macarons, among other delights. The menu caters to both sweet and savory preferences. The hand-blended Trophy Teas include glitter, floral notes, and even color-changing magic. With six distinct blends to choose from.

Afternoon Tea takes place under whimsical pink disco balls that are suspended above the colorful Party Platform which is adorned with teal velvet banquets, elegant gold bistro tables, and bespoke “Trophy Garden Party” wallpaper designed by talented local artist Anne Marie Jackson.

Expressing her excitement about the new venture, Jennifer Shea, the founder and CEO of Trophy Cupcakes, shared her vision for the Afternoon Tea experience. “I have always loved afternoon tea, and ever since we opened 16 years ago, it has been a dream of mine to create one with a ‘Trophy twist’,” she stated. “Expect lots of glitter, savory bites that resemble sweets, bedazzled scones, and color-changing tea…this isn’t your grandmother’s afternoon tea.”

A vegetarian version of the experience is available upon request.

Reservations can now be made through OpenTable, and the cost is $78 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. The Afternoon Tea experience is open to guests aged 12 and above.

For further information and to make a reservation, please visit the Trophy Cupcakes website.

Cafe Trophy opened at The Shops at The Bravern in 2016. The address is 700 110th Avenue Northeast, Suite 195. This particular location is a mix of a bakery, cafe, and champagne bar, offering sweet delights.

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For the fourth summer in a row, Bellevue is featuring their “Al Fresco” outdoor dining program. Originally created to support local businesses during COVID-19, the project has become a well-loved and highly anticipated extension of summer activity downtown.

The Al Fresco program provides expanded dining spaces for local restaurants and eateries in the Old Bellevue area. There are 40-plus restaurants that offer outdoor dining across the city. This year’s on-street expansion includes 520 Bar & Grill, Browne Family Vineyards, Bis on Main, Fern Thai on Main, and Rouge Cocktail Lounge.

“Since launching the outdoor dining program in the summer of 2020, we’ve received positive feedback every year,” said City Manager Brad Miyake. “People love the vitality it adds to our already beautiful ‘City Where You Want to Be.’ Not only does this program provide businesses an opportunity to cultivate that vibrant atmosphere, it also enables them to expand their capacity to serve more customers during the bustling summer months.”

The 2023 Al Fresco outdoor dining program will run through mid-September. For those interested in dining outside, visit a map of participating locations. It is recommended to contact the business to confirm, as restaurants will be launching their outdoor dining spaces gradually over the next several weeks.

“We’ve seen great growth in this program since 2020,” said Jesse Canedo, Bellevue’s chief economic development officer. “From having just a handful of restaurants participate that first year, we’ll now have six “streateries,” including two new spaces, and dozens more sidewalk cafés, providing patrons with an extensive array of wonderful options to experience Bellevue ‘al fresco’ throughout the city.”

Thanks to the city’s collaborative efforts with the Bellevue Downtown Association and Old Bellevue Merchants Association, this year’s program continues the evolution of the program into a permanent experience for residents and visitors.

To participate in the program, businesses apply for a paid permit with the City of Bellevue each year. The city is reviewing this process to improve accessibility and reduce participation barriers for the future. For those interested in being part of the program, resources can be found at Outdoor Dining.

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Bellevue City Council has unanimously voted to support seven affordable housing projects on the Eastside and fund four other projects through its Housing Stability Program. The projects will create or preserve over 800 units of affordable housing through the 2022 Housing Trust Fund, with a total investment of $7.6 million recommended by the Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH).

ARCH is a coalition of cities, including Bellevue, which funds the 2022 Housing Trust Fund. The recommended investment will include $2.43 million from Bellevue for this funding round. The projects range from supportive housing for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities to affordable senior independent living and transit-oriented development adjacent to future light rail. The funding will also help in preserving existing affordable housing.

Bellevue’s Housing Stability Program provides housing services primarily for vulnerable and underserved populations. ARCH presented funding recommendations for three projects, including Plymouth Crossing, LifeWire’s Hope Starts Here, and a 235-unit transit-oriented development in the Spring District, which will reserve 40 units for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The funding recommendation for these projects is $6.8 million.

The City Council’s decision to fund these projects came during Affordable Housing Week, which was proclaimed by the council in early May. Affordable Housing Week aims to raise awareness of the need for affordable housing in Bellevue and the region.

The Bellevue Homes project and the Spring District 120th Street Affordable Housing Development are two ARCH projects in Bellevue that will create over 250 affordable units.

Final action on the legislation to fund both programs is expected in June.

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Real estate developer, Bosa Development, recently applied for approval from the City of Bellevue to construct a new sales center space. It will be located at 10465 Northeast 2nd Street, at the base of their condo tower, One88.

The plans entail a sales center that is made up of 5,289 square feet. The interior space will be newly constructed with new finishes, lighting, doors and fixtures.

In March 2023, new activity surfaced regarding the Park Row property when Amanat Architect submitted a building application for a new construction of a three-level underground parkade. It is planned to be 115,682 square feet.

Plans for the residential development include a mixed-use residential building with 143 units within a 22-story tower and retail space. The current strip mall located on the site will be demolished.

The strip mall is situated above Bellevue Downtown Park and has stores that are currently open like Sugar ’n Flakes, Julep Nail Salon, and Bellevue Museum Quality Framing. The address of the lot is 201 Bellevue Way Northeast.

Bosa Development purchased the property in 2019 for $36 million from Park Row LLC. The site is located directly across the street from their newly constructed luxury tower, One88.

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On April 26th, the KCLS Board of Trustees approved changes to charging late fees on library books. Since May 9th, the library no longer charges fines on overdue items.

Since 2022, the KCLS Board of Trustees have been analyzing the impact of late fines. After gathering and reviewing information for six months, they found that late fines generate little revenue, making up less than 1% of KCLS’ operating budget.

Other relevant findings included the fact that late fines worsen inequality and discourage library use, late fine revenue continues to decrease over time, collecting fines from patrons also has costs, and a majority of peer libraries have eliminated fines.

According to KCLS Executive Director, Lisa Rosenbaum, “Those most impacted by late fines already faced the greatest challenges in an accessing the library. When fines become a thing of the past, libraries can become a bigger part of everyone’s future.”

According to KCLS, replacement fees are different from late fines. If library materials are more than 60 days overdue, they are considered lost. Replacement fees will continue to be charged for lost, damaged or missing items as a requirement by state law.

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Keppel-KBS previously submitted a Design Review application to the City of Bellevue, seeking approval of their mixed-use development. The property is located at 10850 Northeast 8th Street.

Plans for the Bellevue Plaza Apartments include the construction of two, five story structures, made up of 244,095 gross square feet additions over an existing parking garage. There will be a total of 312 residential units, along with about 3,900 square feet of commercial and retail space.

The site is 2.18 acres. The existing parking garage will be retained in its current design to provide parking for this proposal and the adjacent office towers.

The parking garage will be screened by the addition of residential lobbies and active uses at the ground floor along Northeast 8th Street.

Located next to the parking garage is US Bank Plaza and Plaza Center. Keppel-KBS purchased US Bank Plaza, Plaza Center, and the parking garage in 2017 for $240 million.

The post Mixed-Use Project on NE 8th St Receives Design Review Approval first appeared on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The post Mixed-Use Project on NE 8th St Receives Design Review Approval appeared first on Downtown Bellevue Network.

Holland Partner Group has submitted a new proposal to the City of Bellevue for the John L Scott building at 11040 Main Street. The architect for their proposed project is Weber Thompson.

According to the permit for “Holland Bellevue Main”, the proposal includes a residential mid-rise podium project with one level of blow grade parking. There will be retail space at ground level along Main Street.

The location is west of Broadstone Bellevue Gateway, which consists of three buildings being constructed in one phase. The development will feature a 22-story independent living tower, and two 7-story multifamily buildings. It will also feature an outdoor public plaza and public pedestrian through block connection.

Holland Partner Group is a fully-integrated real estate investment company with two decades of experience. This is their first project in the Downtown Bellevue area.

Wallace Properties had originally proposed a high-rise development project at this site, with VIA as the architect.

We reached out to John L. Scott who said that they will be moving their headquarters to …

The post New Residential Mid-Rise Proposed on Main Street first appeared on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The post New Residential Mid-Rise Proposed on Main Street appeared first on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The Bellevue Club recently submitted an application to the City of Bellevue for two residential towers. The architecture group assigned to the project is local firm, Dahlin, who confirmed that they are designing the “Bellevue Club Towers”.

The residential development will be located at 11200 Southeast Sixth Street. The building will be accessed from Southeast Sixth Street and 114th Avenue Southeast through an easement on neighboring property.

Each tower will be 240 feet tall and 60 feet apart. There are 262 planned residential units.

The project is planned to be built on the existing parking lot. According to the pre-development services application, the towers will each be 16-stories on top of a podium that is made up of six-stories. The square footage will be approximately 980,000 square feet.

“Bellevue Club Towers” will have club and resident parking within the six-story podium, as well as club and residential amenities, and a wellness spa. Residents will have a personal fitness center overlooking downtown, an activity lawn, two pools, and a pedestrian promenade for outdoor events. 87,000 square feet of amenity space is planned in total.

Bill Thurston, Bellevue Club President and founder, discussed that they are trying to build a stronger club, according to an interview with Puget Sound Business Journal. The Bellevue Club’s application states that the expansion of the Eastside’s premier athletic and social club will make it “the premier place to be in the Pacific Northwest.”

Regarding the PSBJ interview with Thurston, when asked about timing for “Bellevue Club Towers”, he explained that it would take two years to determine feasibility of the project, making construction years off.

The post Bellevue Club Submits Application for Two 16-Story Residential Towers first appeared on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The post Bellevue Club Submits Application for Two 16-Story Residential Towers appeared first on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The Board of Directors of Performing Arts Center Eastside recently appointed Lora Unger as the Center’s new Executive Director. She began her position on May 1st, 2023.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lora to PACE as our new Executive Director,” said Board Chair Eric Stelter. “We were all impressed by Lora’s unique combination of high-level executive, artistic and fundraising experience with her entrepreneurial approach as a performing arts programmer and community builder. Her innovative spirit, strategic focus and commitment to Bellevue will prove invaluable as we join with the community in building a new cultural center that will profoundly contribute to the future of Bellevue and the entire Eastside.”

Unger had previously been serving as CEO of the Pasadena Symphony Association since 2014. During her tenure, she transformed the PSA into of the most artistically successful and institutionally relevant cultural organizations in Southern California reaching audiences of over 50,000 annually. PSA experienced exponential growth and increased its relevance under her leadership. Unger established popular performance residencies in four prominent Southern California venues and led the design and construction of a dynamic 5,000 seat outdoor performance venue at the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

According to the press release, the PACE board praised Unger for her remarkable accomplishments as CEO of the Pasadena Symphony. Hatch added, “Now she brings her deep experience in fundraising, institution and community building, financial management and programming, along with her exceptional people skills to her role as PACE’s Executive Director. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Unger also served as the General Manager of the Jacksonville Symphony, where she was responsible for its classical, popular, opera, musical theater, and family programming. She also oversaw the successful facility renovation of Modesto’s historic State Theater where she presented independent film, concerts and community events as well as a robust program of facility rentals.

“I am thrilled to be joining PACE as its new Executive Director,” Lora Unger said of her appointment. “I felt an immediate connection to the mission of PACE, to the members of the Board and to the spirit of Bellevue. I see enormous opportunities for PACE as a world class performing arts center in the heart of Bellevue, to contribute invaluably to the future of the community through its cultural, educational and engagement programs.”

Unger continued, “I’m also confident in the role it will play as a catalyst for economic growth and connecting communities. The Board has done truly significant work over the past two years to prepare the organization to play these important new roles for the Eastside’s many communities.  The time has arrived to bring this dream of a performing arts center to Bellevue. I’m honored and delighted to be joining PACE at this watershed moment in its history and to make Bellevue my new home.”

PACE features a group of engaged community leaders, responding to the Eastside’s population growth, emergence of industry-leading technology companies and its international community. They had a bold vision of a world class 2,000+ seat multi-purpose performing arts center that would serve as a dynamic cultural heart for the Eastside’s communities. The Board is guiding PACE towards its achievement of this goal.

This new cultural and community Center that will present the world’s finest in the performing arts alongside the flagship performing art groups of the Pacific Northwest, while also playing an active role as an educational and civic resource addressing the evolving needs of this rapidly growing region.

The post Performing Arts Center Eastside Hires New Executive Director first appeared on Downtown Bellevue Network.

The post Performing Arts Center Eastside Hires New Executive Director appeared first on Downtown Bellevue Network.