In Seattle Southside, development is positively transforming neighborhoods and waterfronts, transportation initiatives are connecting communities, retail growth is expanding shopping options, and prime commercial and residential real estate sites offer investors and developers profitable opportunities.
SeaTac/Airport Station Area
The SeaTac/Airport Station Area will be the new vibrant
city center in SeaTac, with high quality, pedestrian friendly developments.
The station area will include a mix of commercial, residential and
civic uses that both support and encourage high capacity transit
use. The City of SeaTac envisions the SeaTac/Airport Station Area
as a true city center, including a vibrant entertainment district,
with a variety of entertainment venues, restaurants, shops, parks
and plazas, where residents and visitors will find attractive and
inviting places to live, work and play. This 82 acre station area
is a short pedestrian bridge walk from Sea-Tac International Airport
and the terminus station of Sound Transit’s Airport Link light rail
service, which begins service to downtown Seattle in December 2009.
SeaTac is actively pursuing redevelopment of this station area by
a comprehensive implementation strategy that will require significant
public investment.
Contact
Jeff Robinson - Economic Development Manager, City of SeaTac, 206-973-4816 or jrobinson@cityofseatac.com.
Tukwila International Boulevard Station Area
The South 154th Street Station Area will be a vibrant, mixed use residential neighborhood that connects people of various backgrounds. The station area will be pedestrian-oriented, visually pleasing, easily accessible and integrated with high capacity transit. The City of SeaTac envisions the South 154th Street Station Area to be a regional example of transit oriented development that generates and encourages transit use. The station area will accommodate future growth by providing high quality residential and mixed use developments with good access to employment centers. These attributes create a good place for families, an interesting place for visitors, a profitable place for businesses and a special gathering place to celebrate cultural diversity. Sound Transit’s light rail is to begin service from this station to downtown Seattle in June of 2009 and to the Sea-Tac International Airport in December 2009. The City of SeaTac is actively pursuing private investment and redevelopment of this station area by a comprehensive implementation strategy that will require significant public investment.
Contact
Jeff Robinson - Economic Development Manager, City of SeaTac, 206-973-4816 or jrobinson@cityofseatac.com.
Tukwila Village
Set in a transit friendly neighborhood, Tukwila Village is a six acre, mixed-use project designed to be a welcoming place where all residents can gather and connect with each other. This development may include a library, a neighborhood police resource center, retail, restaurants, public meeting space, an outdoor plaza, office, residential, and live/work space. The City owns the land and recently issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to find an innovative developer. Submissions are due March 31, 2008. Tukwila Village is located at the intersection of Tukwila International Boulevard and South 144th Street. More information is available at: www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/tukwilavillage.html.
Contact
Derek Speck - Economic Development Administrator,
City of Tukwila, 206-433-1832
dspeck@ci.tukwila.wa.us.
Tukwila Urban Center Plan
The City is transforming the Southcenter area into a new downtown for the region. The new Southcenter plan will enable a core area between Westfield Southcenter and the Sounder commuter rail station to become a vibrant, walkable neighborhood with mixed-use buildings of residential and office over retail. Westfield Southcenter will kick-off this transformation by adding new pedestrian and transit amenities when it opens its 400,000 square foot expansion this summer. Over the next ten years, this transit-oriented development may see construction of new office buildings and 1,500 new housing units. The City is currently drafting a master plan with design guidelines and completing the environmental impact review in advance for the anticipated development. The plan is scheduled for adoption in late 2008. Tukwila’s Southcenter area is bordered by I-5, I-405, West Valley Highway, and South 180th Street. The pedestrian core of the Southcenter area lies between the Westfield Southcenter shopping center and the commuter rail station.
Contact
Derek Speck - Economic Development Administrator, City of Tukwila, 206-433-1832 or dspeck@ci.tukwila.wa.us.
Tukwila South
Tukwila South is a proposed 500 acre master planned development owned by La Pianta, LLC. With a picturesque location along the river, gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier, and perhaps the most convenient location in the Puget Sound, this site can be the next great headquarters location for major companies looking to relocate or expand. Of the 500 acres, approximately 350 are developable of which 60 acres are currently developed with light industrial and warehouse uses. Approximately half of the property is in unincorporated King County.
The property owner is working with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers on permitting. The City and property owner are
currently negotiating a development agreement to provide for annexation,
zoning, and road and infrastructure financing. The site is located
between I-5 and the Green River and between South 180th Street and
South 200th Street.
Contact
Lisa Verner - Tukwila South Project Manager, City of Tukwila, 206-431-3662 or Verner@ci.tukwila.wa.us.
Des Moines Creek Business Park
The future Des Moines Creek Business Park, an 89-acre site owned by the Port in the City of Des Moines, is located 1 block east of International Boulevard/Pacific Highway South (SR99) and north of South 216th Street in Des Moines. The vision for the site, shared by the Port and the City, foresees a thriving center for trade-related activity that generates long-term revenue for both entities and takes full advantage of its proximity to the airport. The “gateway” project anticipates having light industrial, logistics, research and development and office uses along with retail. Since 2005, the Port and the City have worked in tandem to prepare the property for redevelopment. An initial development agreement, a conceptual master plan and an environmental impact statement are complete, and an agreement for the vacation of interior rights-of-way and the sale of deeded streets is in place. The developer selection process, which began last November and is nearing completion, will ultimately lead to the execution of a long-term ground lease between a master developer and the Port before the end of this year with site development beginning in 2009.
Contact
Mark Griffin - Real Estate Manager, Port of Seattle,
206-835-5729 or 206-728-3726,
griffin.m@portseattle.org.
Grant Fredricks - Planning, Building & Public Works Director,
City of Des Moines, 206-870-6568 or gfredricks@desmoineswa.gov.
Waterview Crossing
Pacific Ridge is a 165 acre neighborhood between Pacific Highway South and I-5, and South 216th Street and Kent-Des Moines Road. Comprised of 254 parcels, mobile homes, older multi-family buildings and the highest crime rates in the City, the neighborhood was targeted for redevelopment in early 2000 with a new neighborhood plan, a planned action EIS intended to support 5500 additional residents, 6900 new jobs and 3 million square feet of new construction by 2020, and a $19 million investment in Pacific Highway South. In November 2007, the City entered into a development agreement for an 11-acre master planned development at the northern edge of Pacific Ridge. Starting with a 219-unit low income senior housing project near South 216th, it will also include a 320 room hotel, 155,000 square feet of office/retail, 89 townhomes and almost 1100 other residential units as currently envisioned. The 1.9 million square foot project is being developed by Sunway Services, Inc., and Rushforth Taylor Construction, both from Tacoma. More information is available at: www.sunway.net and www.waterviewcrossing.com.
Contact
Matthew Chan - President, Sunway Services, Inc.,
253-460-6888 or matthew@sunway.net.
Jason Sullivan - Land Use Planner, City of Des Moines, 206-870-6551
or JSullivan@desmoineswa.gov.
Highline Community College
Highline Community College, founded in 1961, has
a distinguished 50-year history of providing members of its diverse
and multifaceted community with superior education programs and services.
Highline was the first community college in King County. The college
serves approximately 10,000 students and 350,000 alumni, making it
one of the state’s largest institution of higher education. Highline
offers a wide range of academic transfer and professional-technical
education programs, with online, day, evening and weekend classes,
and takes a multi-cultural approach to education for the success
of all its students and the prosperity of its surrounding communities.
Highline Community College meets the needs of Seattle Southside residents
and business community through innovative and quality education programs,
including a creative partnership with Central Washington University
as well as the establishment of Highline’s Small Business Development
Center and the Highline Center for Extended Learning. Highline is
a Center of Excellence for International Trade, Transportation and
Logistics for the state of Washington.
To learn more about Highline, visit www.highline.edu or
call 206-878-3710.
Des Moines Marina and Covenant Beach Park Historic District
The City’s full service Marina, built in the late 1960’s, offers wet and dry moorage for 840 recreational vessels in open or covered slips for boats up to 50 feet, and 1500 feet of dock space for guest moorage for boats up to 65 feet long. The Marina includes a popular 670-foot public fishing pier. We have wet and dry moorage for 840 recreational vessels and a sling launch for trailer boaters. The Des Moines Marina is located on the east side of East Passage Puget Sound, directly across from Pt. Robinson on Maury Island. Des Moines also owns and operates the Redondo Boat Launch, a concrete ramp launch a few miles to the south. Permanent wet open or covered moorage slip sizes range from 20-50 feet. Upland, the Marina has 105 dry sheds for boats up to 20 long. The Marina fuel dock offers gasoline, diesel, propane, lubricants, drinking water, and a free waste pump-out station at the fuel dock. Other amenities include shore power, cable television, showers and restrooms. A privately-operated boat repair yard can handle virtually all maintenance and repair needs.
Next door is Des Moines Beach Park that sits astride Des Moines Creek in the nationally-registered Covenant Beach Park Historic District. The Auditorium, Dining Hall, Picnic Shelter, Restroom, and Sun Home Lodge are now or planned to undergo major renovation to make the Park a venue for regional as well as local cultural and recreational events and activities beginning in 2009.
Contact
Joe Dusenbury - Harbormaster, City of Des Moines
Marina, 206-870-6534
or jdusenbury@desmoineswa.gov.
Patrice Thorell - Parks, Recreation & Senior Services Director,
City of Des Moines,
206-870-6529 or pthorell@desmoineswa.gov.
Burien Town Square
Burien Town Square, developed by Urban Partners LLC, is now under construction and selling in downtown Burien. Burien Town Square will feature condominium homes above street-level retail with a mix of restaurants, coffee shops, shopping and services. The square also includes the new Burien City Hall and a new King County Public Library. The heart of the square is a one-acre city park with water features, grassy lawns for picnicking, and a public plaza for seasonal events like lunchtime concerts and the weekly Burien Farmer’s Market. Homes range from alcove one-bedroom condominiums starting in the low $200s, to two-bedroom + den townhomes with private courtyard entrances and decks overlooking the new city park, from the $600s. Homes have a large deck or courtyard patio, and many homes have beautiful views of Mt. Rainier. Fine interior finishes come in three color schemes with a variety of upgrade options. Burien Town Square’s location is central to downtown Burien’s amenities, with local shops, restaurants and amenities right outside the front door.
Contact
Sarah Heath - Marketing Manager, Miller Condominium Marketing Group, 206-838-7037, or Sarah@mcmcondos.com.
Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA)
The Port’s and Burien’s goal, owing to NERA’s proximity to the third runway, is to transition this largely residential neighborhood north of the airport to an area that supports a mix of airport-compatible retail, commercial and light industrial uses. The Port and Burien are nearing completion on a comprehensive, unifying redevelopment strategy for the area.
Contact
Mark Griffin - Real Estate Manager, Port of Seattle, 206-835-5729 or 206-728-3726, or griffin.m@portseattle.org.
55-Acres Site/Future “North SeaTac Commerce Center”
The City of SeaTac and the Port of Seattle have been collaborating on how best to improve access to as well as develop the 55 acres immediately north of the airport and SR-518. While pursuing the economic development possibilities of the site, a key focus will be protecting the residential character of the surrounding neighborhood. The City and the Port will continue the traffic analysis and planning work together over the next year.
Contact
Melinda Miller - Real Estate Development Manager, Port of Seattle, 206-728-3264, or miller.m@portseattle.org.
