[Skian]

I have a personal shopper at Nordies

[mhays]

I like cities so it's only Downtown.

[mikeji]

from today's DJC:

Expedia will move its headquarters to the Tower 333 office building in downtown Bellevue in November of 2008, a company spokeswoman said.

[MrVandelay]

^^^^^^ wow thats cool, these buildings are starting to fill up before completion.

[destroybananas]

Another case of the "if you build it, they will come!"

[Skian]

The Bellevue Cadillac car lot (NE corner of 10th & 106th) has been fenced off for a week or two, does this mean that the start of the BELCARRA APARTMENTS is coming??

[MrVandelay]

Downtown Bellevue Skyline Update
http://a0.vox.com/6a00d09e6a8333be2b00d414466e00685e-pi
Full Size (http://a1.vox.com/6a00d09e6a8333be2b00d414466e01685e-pi)

Avalon Meydenbauer, Bellevue
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/771216649_296187f6a4.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1025/771216421_ffff7dcf4a.jpg?v=0


One Main, Bellevue
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/771216469_6a50132328.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/771216781_97400fbcee.jpg?v=0

[bgwah]

Cool pictures, especially the first one! Bellevue's skyline is looking much better and more filled in.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

Great Pics!!! The first one is awesome!! Bellevue is lookin' great. :cheers:

[mhays]

Love the pics, especially the skyline. Gotta wonder -- that gap is closing pretty quickly with the quartet of 20-story residentials underway; from how many angles will there be zero gaps a year from now?

[mSeattle]

Bellevue, is that you??? Wow! :righton:

[James Bond Agent 007]

I was in downtown Bellevue on Saturday and I must say I really am starting to like the exterior surface treatment of the Avalon Meydenbauer. 'Bout time they stopped using dryvit surfaces for apartments like that. This one has real masonry!

[Skian]

Advanta (Microsoft's Eastgate complex) got it's 3rd tower crane today.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^^^

That's really good to hear. :tup:

[MrVandelay]

The Bravern project got their 4th Tower Crane today, yes thats right, FOURTH! The City Centre Tower crane got extended Higher, and Tower 333 Outside Skin is starting to go up! :banana:

[Alcon]

Went there a few days. Man, it's been a few years and Bellevue has a skyline! Good damn.

After I was done downtown, I walked over to Clyde Hill to remind myself why I'm obligated to hate any place with three-digit streets.

[destroybananas]

why?

[mhays]

I'm suspcious of three-digit streets too. But Downtown Bellevue gets an exception.

[Fulham]

clyde hill doesnt have any 3 digit streets...(and almost no 3 digit avenues) =)

[Fiat Lux]

Break Bellevue and the eastside off into Cascade County, make Bellevue the county seat, and reset the street grid. Poof, no more 3 digit streets in downtown Bellevue.

Awesome pics MrVandelay!

[destroybananas]

^whatever...

[testdrive]

Just got back from Bellevue, Bellevue Towers both of them are starting the 16th floors. Hines Tower has glass on the 1st 5 floors on part of the west side and it looks like they have only one more floor of steel to place, City Center II looks like they have 4 more floors to pour on the interior shaft. The Bravern has started the pour for the interior shaft for the 1st residential tower and it looks like the same will be true of the 2nd tower soon. Ashwood Commons is finally above ground, Ten20 is finishing the 9th floor and tower 2 of Washington Sq will be starting the last floor. I was wondering the lot across the street, a parking lot, north side of Washington Sq. is fenced off now is there something going to be going in there?

[Skian]

That fenced off lot across NE 10th from Washington Square is to be the Belcarra Appartments, a low rise complex (around 7 stories).

[mikeybb555]

Beautiful Bellevue Skyline Photo!!!

It is growing faster than we can take pictures of it. Here are some photos that have the window siding on Tower 333.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mikeybb555/IMG_3593.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mikeybb555/IMG_3592.jpg

[destroybananas]

I'm loving that!

[James Bond Agent 007]

They're building a new REI in Issaquah next to the Safeway, where Long's Drugs used to be.

Just in case you wanted to know.

[testdrive]

Oh, forgot to mention but I noticed at the Microsoft buildings off of I-90 a 4th crane was going up.

[NW Mike]

Great location for a REI. Close to I-90 just incase you forget something on the way out of town.

[NW Mike]

By the way have anyone seen the new neon BLUE light down the side of the new Overlake ER expansion?...Its sweet! I love night lighting on buildings.

[destroybananas]

I did last night on my way back from Seattle. It fits in pretty good I think.

[Skian]

Demolition has begun on the BELCARRA APARTMENT site in Bellevue, NE of the intersection of 10th & 106th. They are tearing down the sales center that was built for the previously planned Boca development.

[SeattleHusky82]

Here's the latest downtown bellevue quarterly report. Several new projects in this edition, check it out.

http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/pdf/PCD/COB_MajorProjects.pdf

[destroybananas]

wow Bellevue plaza is going to be huge! 800 residential units!

[bgwah]

wow Bellevue plaza is going to be huge! 800 residential units!

Too bad they won't be in taller towers. They're only 20 or so stories from what I remember.

Does anybody remember anything about the Legacy Bellevue Tower (#30)? I don't.

Anyway, looks like a lot of these residential buildings will be completed in 2008 or 2009, so hopefully a lot of people will have moved in in time for the next census. :)

[blackc5]

I have to admit, I don't follow Bellevue as closely as Seattle. I was curious about how pre-sales are going at the various condo buildings going up. Are they selling as well as downtown Seattle condo buildings have been?

It seems like there is a significant amount of new inventory coming, especially on the high-end. Think it is being absorbed at the rate developers are hoping for?

[SeattleHusky82]

I have to admit, I don't follow Bellevue as closely as Seattle. I was curious about how pre-sales are going at the various condo buildings going up. Are they selling as well as downtown Seattle condo buildings have been?

It seems like there is a significant amount of new inventory coming, especially on the high-end. Think it is being absorbed at the rate developers are hoping for?

There's a lot of housing going up in downtown Bellevue but unlike Seattle, most of the new projects are rentals rather than condos. The two major luxury condo developments that are on sale right now, Washington Square and Bellevue Towers, are both selling well. Washington Square is over 75% sold out. Bellevue Towers has sold nearly 80% of its units in the North tower, the South tower goes on sale this fall.

The Bravern will start sales later this year and it'll be interesting to see if there's still buyers out there who are willing to shell out that kind of money to live in downtown Bellevue. A couple midrises, Vida and One Main, will start sales later this year also.

bgwah, I don't have any info on the Legacy Tower but the address listed is the site of the Sea Garden restaurant at the NE corner of 106th and NE 2nd. It is being developed by Legacy Partners who is a national apartment builder similar to Avalon and Hanover so this is most likely another apartment tower.

[Skian]

bgwah, I don't have any info on the Legacy Tower but the address listed is the site of the Sea Garden restaurant at the NE corner of 106th and NE 2nd. It is being developed by Legacy Partners who is a national apartment builder similar to Avalon and Hanover so this is most likely another apartment tower.

Explains the drilling crew I saw working in the Sea Garden parking lot earlier in the week .

[MrVandelay]

Explains the drilling crew I saw working in the Sea Garden parking lot earlier in the week .

Yep, I saw that too

[horatio_the_hermit]

We need more office towers. Washington Square had best get its act together and throw up a 450 footer.

[bgwah]

We need more office towers. Washington Square had best get its act together and throw up a 450 footer.

Too bad City Center shortened its height. :(

Has anybody ever e-mailed any of the city councilmen (or some government official) and asked about the height limits in downtown Bellevue? Like what they chose 450 feet and if there is any chance it will be raised?

[mikeybb555]

Story at www.downtownbellevue.net

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mikeybb555/Picture1-1.png

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mikeybb555/IMG_3647_2-1.jpg

"The location previously used as Cadillac's spare parking lot in Downtown Bellevue at 1032 106th Ave NE has been fenced off and will be used to house a six-story 320 apartment complex. Belcarra Apartments, as it will be named is owned by Bre Properties, and will include over 15,000 square feet of retail space.

According to representative's at Bre properties, the projected completion date is August 2009."

[destroybananas]

oh god those are so boring

[SeattleHusky82]

I think it'll fit in well with the nearby Palazzo and the other new projects going up in the area.

[bgwah]

I'm not crazy about it. Whatever happened to the four towers that were around 20 stories?

[mhays]

I like it. It's fine to mix lowrise density with highrise density. Also, I vaguely think this is only half of the site of the former four-tower proposal. (Which, bgwah, gave way to this version probably three years ago.)

[Skian]

The previous developer was Boca and they sold it off in two parcels. Vue-Hanover is being built on the Eastern parcel.

[mikeybb555]

I'm curious to see some of these apartment buildings complete and see what they price out at.

[mhays]

The ones building today are the optimists. They must be assuming increases of at least 7% per year or so.

So Bosa (not Boca) sold half the site. The Belcarra half is 320 units.

DJC 11/27/00: Bosa's earlier proposal was three 25-story towers and 610 units. After that, Madison Homes came in with a four-tower, 23-story, 820-unit proposal.

I don't know how many units the Hanover tower includes, but the total number will be of similar magnitude to Bosa's proposal, maybe 500 units.

[Skian]

So Bosa (not Boca) sold half the site. The Belcarra half is 320 units.

Sorry, my bad............. :shrug:

[destroybananas]

you're going to be banned for that one skian lol

[MrVandelay]

Bellevue Galleria to Add a floor, Eliminate Movie Theatre, and Add Office Space
http://www.downtownbellevue.net/2007/08/bellevue-galleria-to-add-floor.html

Cushman & Wakefield, the representing real estate company for the Bellevue Galleria, has posted marketing material with some major implications. The first thing to jump off the page at you will be what looks like the elimination of the Bellevue Galleria's movie theater. Secondly the addition of a fourth level appears to be in the plans as well. It is unclear if the Galleria will be built higher, or if the ceilings on the third floor currently are high enough to accommodate another level. Regardless, the fourth level's ceiling will possess a skylight allowing in the daylight.

The site at 106th Ave NE calls for "126,284 RSF Available of Quality Office Space". Those of you who were looking for some great new retail tenants will be disappointed to find out that the fate of Bellevue Galleria's top three floors will most likely end up converted to office space. The plans for the building show that the exterior will acquire new glass windows on areas in which will be converted to office space.

When taking a look at the plans for the makeover it appears that Yama, a restaurant, which opened recently in December 2006, does not exist in the future plans of the Galleria.

All retail on the ground floor seems to have stayed untouched. L.A. Fitness, though occupying portions of floors 1, 2, and 3 appears to also remain untouched.

This will be quite a change for the Bellevue Galleria, which originally opened with a vision of being Downtown Bellevue's go to area for nightlife. It seems the owners of the Galleria might have been awaiting leases to expire to continue on with their grand scheme of transitioning a portion of the building to office space. This would explain many of the empty retail spaces in the recent months.

[bgwah]

:(

They may as well just tear it down and replace it with a high-rise then! Anyways, I'm sure Kemper is very happy.

[MrVandelay]

I attended this event, it was very nice, a great new place Lexus has!! I just wish I had won the new Lexus or Trip to Cancun that was being given away :rolleyes:

Lexus of Bellevue Grand Opening Party

http://www.downtownbellevue.net/2007/08/lexus-of-bellevue-grand-opening-party.html

Lexus of Bellevue's new facility officially opened their doors Thursday evening with their grand opening party. The new Lexus dealership, which lies at Main Street and 116th Ave, threw a party in true Lexus fashion. The 275,000-square-foot dealership was morphed into a top-notch catered function.

The event was expected to host 4,000 people, which the venue held with grace. The party played host to many amenities including live music, El Gaucho and Sea Star catered food, cocktails, and an exciting raffle. The raffle, which included many exciting gifts such as shopping sprees, art, and dinner packages, was surely outdone by the Lexus ES350 (sticker priced at $44,000) that was raffled off at the end of the night. The money raised from the party's raffle will benefit the Overlake Service League.

This "who's who" Bellevue event with guests such as former Bellevue Mayor, and ex Mariners stars, spanned almost five hours and was topped off with a fireworks display. Applause to O'Brien (owner) and his team for putting on a truly spectacular Bellevue event that surely will not be forgotten

[James Bond Agent 007]

They're painting the zango.com building in Eastgate (former King County BALD/DDES building) charcoal black. Looks much better so far - I always hated that puke green color.

[horatio_the_hermit]

There was a new rendering for the PACE in todays Bellevue Reporter. It looks a lot better and bigger than the original Its also a lot more expensive. 160 million now.

[UrbanSteroid]

Here it is.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z40/buddyrough69/PACE_final_2010_900.jpg

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^^

very nice.

[MrVandelay]

^^^ great rendering of PACE... Almost a perfect post except your tag line :)

[mhays]

Not very attractive I think.

The tagline is fine. You do know that voting republican corresponds with low SAT scores, right? In terms of state averages.

[bgwah]

I think the top of the building could look better.

[mikeybb555]

The building looks elegantly and artistically designed. Great for a theatre!

I can't wait for this project to be complete, Bellevue is starving for entertainment, and currently lacks the venues.

[NW Mike]

That is great looking. Maybe some architectural lighting on the roof line when they are done could add some zip. Some abstract color or neon like Overlake hospital.

[destroybananas]

it's ok

[James Bond Agent 007]

OK I changed the name of this thread to emphasize its original purpose.

[testdrive]

A couple of weeks ago a second crane went up for Casino Snoqualmie.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Carry on.

[MrVandelay]

Posting back into this thread.

The only thing I wish was visible from this angle is Lincoln Square and Eddie Bauer Tower

Link to image without markup (http://a6.vox.com/6a00d09e6a8333be2b00e3989d538e0001-pi)

http://a7.vox.com/6a00d09e6a8333be2b00e3989d76e70005-pi

[Skian]

Kemper Developement has started removing the brick siding along the NE side of Bellevue Square. The 2nd story "Pottery Barn" Addition is moving forward!

[SeattleHusky82]

Since we're making this the main downtown Bellevue thread, can we start a separate "eastside" thread? I don't like how there's random projects from Issaquah, Sammamish, Eastgate, and other places outside downtown being mentioned, it wastes my time cause I really have no interest in projects outside of downtown and I'm sure other readers share the same sentiment.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^ I agree. :yes:

[SeattleHusky82]

Time for another vote. lol

[James Bond Agent 007]

No please, not another thread . . .

If you wanted a separate thread for downtown Bellevue, you should have voted for #1 or #2 in the other thread.

Since #3 got the most votes in the other thread, the plurality of NW forumers have stated they want everything to be discussed in this thread. End of story.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^^

LOl. Bond, laying down the law.

[PDXPaul]

:whip: :whip:

[destroybananas]

I'm voting for another thread for downtown Bellevue. There are plenty of projects within that area that justify the need for another thread.

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
Too late! You had a chance to vote in the other thread, but you didn't. The option to put everything in this thread won, and there will be no more discussion.

There is always the thread in City Compilations. THAT will be THE downtown Bellevue thread.

:whip:

[NW Mike]

News on GOOGLE in Kirkland
Story by the Seattle Times
Google has signed a lease for a three-building office campus that's under construction in Kirkland, not too far from the company's offices near the city's main post office.

"The greater Seattle area is of great significance to us as a base for recruiting, as a home to our current employees, and we're looking forward to having a greater number of future employees there, as well as having customers, partners and of course users in the area," spokesman Jon Murchinson said. "So, as we are a rapidly growing company, we're taking advantage of this opportunity to acquire more space in Kirkland."

The deal ends years of suspense — in tech and commercial real-estate circles, at least — about where the search giant would choose to expand in the Puget Sound region. That is, until they start speculating about if and where Google will expand on the Seattle side of Lake Washington.

In May, Google expanded its base in Fremont, adding room for 240 engineers in addition to a 30-person sales office.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company earlier considered buildings in Bellevue and even the Safeco tower near the University of Washington.

Google entered this market in Kirkland in 2004 with a few engineers and now employs about 400 who are sprawling into an adjacent building. They include veterans of Microsoft and Amazon.com as well as recruits who opt to live in the Northwest.

The company is notoriously secretive about growth plans. But one of the local engineering bosses, Shiva Shivakumar, told me in June that its Seattle-area offices should employ several thousand people within a few years.

In Kirkland, construction has started on the campus at 747 Sixth Street South.

As approved, the site has three buildings totaling 180,000 square feet and 640 parking spaces.

But that's not all.

Sources who tipped me off to the Google deal mentioned that another Silicon Valley biggie is shopping for space on the Eastside, specifically downtown Bellevue.

Yahoo is looking to open a large office — around 120,000 square feet, the source said — giving the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company its first major presence in Seattle. The company now has a very small sales office, as well as server facilities in Eastern Washington.

A Yahoo spokeswoman wouldn't confirm or deny this but made it clear the company is interested in places with a lot of tech talent.

"We're always looking to diversify our real-estate portfolio and we want to be where the most talented people are," Helena Maus said. "I wouldn't say much more."

I will, though. If a Yahoo deal pans out, it would give the region a search trifecta, with all three top players in the area. Then it wouldn't matter quite so much, from an economic-development perspective at least, who wins the battle for online-ad dominance.

[destroybananas]

That'll be interesting

[mikeji]

i saw some survey crews are doing some work around Euro Tower this morning. Are they finally starting construction now? That site has been fenced up without any activities for quite a while now.

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
Wow that would be nice! But I'm not so sure survey crews mean much, yet.

[mhays]

They're definitely a good sign.

[destroybananas]

I thought I saw a sign stating the sales office was going to open soon.

[Skian]

The sales office has been open for a couple of months now. It is in the First Mutual Bank Building at the corner of NE 4th and 108th Ave NE.

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

Construction?!?!?!? Really?!?!?!?

[SeattleHusky82]

I emailed them and was told that they are going to break ground in October and finish by late 2008. I'm referring to European Tower btw.

In others news, digging has started at Belcarra and demolition of existing structures has started at Metro 112.

[testdrive]

I noticed today they have taken down the crane for tower 1 at Washington Sq.
They are moving pretty fast on City Center II, they are on the 17 and 18th floors with steel work.

[MrVandelay]

^^^^ yeah they took the boom down Sunday, and the rest of the crane down Monday.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Speaking of CCII, I noticed today that they've got some of the glass curtainwall stored on the 4th floor. It looks like it'll be another week or two until they're actually able to start installing it - I guess some of the glass arrived early.

But you can see it from the ground level . . . and it's definitely green. :banana:

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

Yea!!! :banana:

[destroybananas]

what's metro 112?

[MrVandelay]

Speaking of CCII, I noticed today that they've got some of the glass curtainwall stored on the 4th floor. It looks like it'll be another week or two until they're actually able to start installing it - I guess some of the glass arrived early.

But you can see it from the ground level . . . and it's definitely green. :banana:

on the East side of City Center I towards the top you will see one or two miscolored glass panes, definitely a greenish/grey that stands out from the redish glass of city center I. I was told that these were samples for the new City Center II tower.

[destroybananas]

It's taller than I thought it would be, I'm liking it.

[AJphx]

All of the towers seem to be filling up fast, how much office space is still available? In regards to Yahoo, is there still enough space or new towers for them to locate their office there?

Bellevue is really turning into a tech center. It would be cool to have Yahoo there too.

[destroybananas]

^well it's nothing new for Bellevue, it's always been considered the tech center for the Eastside

[mhays]

It's remarkable how well these towers are leasing.

--Eddie Bauer Tauer went 40% to Eddie Bauer before construction, then during construction 60% went to Microsoft.

--Tower 333 leased most of its space to Expedia during construction.

--Bravern I and II leased entirely to Microsoft during construction.

Along with the Symetra lease that's a large part of two existing buildings, that's probably around 1,800,000 sf.

Of course Microsoft is also the 100% tenant at the project along I-90, and they're building buildings in Redmond. They've also been buying other firm's Redmond buildings -- Safeco's and Eddie Bauer's come to mind. So basically the other Eastside tenants are flowing into Downtown Bellevue, while Microsoft is taking an ever-larger percentage of non-Downtown space. (PS, Microsoft buildings are often not in brokerage tallies, so the large volume of space this represents isn't always obvious.)

With Google taking the project in Kirkland and Yahoo still looking, things look great for the Eastside office market.

[AJphx]

well I see City Centre Plaza hasn't been leased yet. Maybe that will become the Yahoo Tower. :yes:

[James Bond Agent 007]

Yahoo! A new tower!

:frog:

[Black Box]

^Are you a writer of *jokes* for Laffy Taffy? Go Bellevue, go Bellevue, go.

[UrbanSteroid]

^Are you a writer of *jokes* for Laffy Taffy? Go Bellevue, go Bellevue, go.

:haha: nice

well I see City Centre Plaza hasn't been leased yet. Maybe that will become the Yahoo Tower.

That would be awesome if Yahoo decided to make that much of a presence here. I just wish we had some figures to go off. Get to it Seattle Times, we want more info :whip:

[James Bond Agent 007]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003857991_marriott29.html

Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Bellevue has room for more rooms
By Bibeka Shrestha
Seattle Times business reporter

Bellevue, get ready for another Marriott.

HEI Hotels & Resorts, a Connecticut-based hotel developer, said Tuesday it plans to build a 14-floor, 378-room Marriott hotel in downtown Bellevue by 2010.

HEI's first hotel project in Washington state will be on a one-acre site on the southeast quadrant on 110th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Third Place. It will have 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, fitness facility, indoor pool and a parking garage.

Lately, hoteliers have been flying into Bellevue on the tails of corporate giants such as Microsoft and Expedia that are expanding operations on the Eastside.

A Marriott Residence hotel is under construction near Interstate 405 at the Wilburton interchange, and it's been less than two years since two Marriott hotels opened in the area. A 251-room Courtyard hotel in downtown Bellevue and Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Kirkland debuted in December 2005.

Marriott is just one of the many hotel chains attracted to the area.

Three hotel projects are in the works in Bellevue, said Robert Derrick, economic development director for the city. Besides the Marriott Residence, a boutique hotel under construction in Eastgate will be completed by fall. Hyatt Regency Bellevue in the central business district is doubling its size with a new tower. Each hotel takes about 18 months to build, Derrick said.

Steve Gilbert, Bellevue's economic development manager, said the Bel-Red corridor and the Crossroads and Overlake areas on the east side of Bellevue hold potential for more hotels.

"I don't think we've come close to the bottom," Gilbert said. "We've got additional capacity here in Bellevue."

Russell Urban, senior vice president of development at HEI, said his company has been planning the Bellevue hotel development since last November.

"We're enthusiastic about it because Bellevue is such a dynamic and high-growth commercial market," Urban said.

HEI is also looking for opportunities in Seattle, including a potential project in South Lake Union, Urban said.

The planned Marriott hotel is designed for business travelers.

With Microsoft taking over about 1.4 million square feet of office space in Bellevue, Eddie Bauer moving its headquarters to downtown Bellevue and Expedia moving in, too, there's a demand for more meeting space, Gilbert said.

"Business leads to business," he said.

All this business might sometimes be a bit of an inconvenience, though.

Gilbert said a board meeting of his was pushed out of the Hyatt Regency Bellevue earlier this week. A news conference with President Bush took precedence.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/08/28/2003857791.gif