BELLEVUE | Projects and Updates! - Page 15

NW Mike · #**281** Posted **Apr 5, 2007, 3:48 PM**

A couple of new photo's 4-4-07

Eddie Bauer Tower almost done on the outside.

Hines 333 on 4-4-07

horatio_the_hermit · #**282** Posted **Apr 5, 2007, 7:03 PM**

Microsoft expanding its presence in Bellevue
By Benjamin J. Romano

Seattle Times technology reporter

Microsoft, which continues to grow at its Redmond campus, said today that it will also expand its presence in Bellevue by occupying nearly 1.34 million square feet of office space under construction there.

The software maker announced at a news conference this morning that it will take about 600,000 square feet in the Advanta Office Commons @ I-90, just west of Interstate 90, and about 740,000 square feet in the Bravern mixed-used complex near Meydenbauer Center in downtown Bellevue. Both are being built by Schnitzer Northwest.

The new space will accommodate 4,000 current and future Microsoft employees. The company said it will begin moving into Advanta at the end of this year and will occupy the Bravern space in late 2008.

Last year, Microsoft made a commitment to lease the top 15 floors of another nearly complete luxury office tower in Bellevue, Lincoln Square. It plans to house its North American sales group in the 300,000-square-foot space.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the company's ongoing expansion of its Redmond campus on both sides of Highway 520.

Microsoft has a huge Puget Sound real-estate portfolio to accommodate more than 33,000 local employees. It owned 8.5 million square feet of space and leased an additional 2.4 million square feet, according to figures updated last summer

phillyskyline · #**283** Posted **Apr 5, 2007, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostwave

Here is the view from my office window at night.

Look at all those parking lots - prime development opportunties! Great to see Bellevue growing.

Hans Gruber · #**284** Posted **Apr 5, 2007, 11:18 PM**

I've got pictures to post. Can somebody give me detailed instructions on how to get them up?

Hans Gruber · #**285** Posted **Apr 5, 2007, 11:26 PM**

I have to chime in on the Bellevue Towers. When completed, these twin towers will be stunning. However, construction has slowed to a snails pace at the towers. The foreman needs to be fired. There goal was one floor per week but has slowed to one floor every 2-2.5 weeks. Hopefully, they pick up the pace.

Meanwhile, Washington Square is cruising. That is a well run development. I can see it all everyday while working out at LA Fitness. The Bellevue Towers are at eye level to the gym.

I was wrong about the tower crane at the Hines Tower in the past. This new crane isn't going anywhere now that it's poured in cement and braced to the elevator shaft.

The Eddie Bauer building is very interesting to look at from all sides. Compared to the old sharp angled identical looking glass towers like the Ranier Plaza. The good news is that the developer who built those 4 glass towers in the 1980's and early 90's is dead. Now, developers from all over the country are building in Bellevue.

It's time the Bellevue City Council bumps the height limits from 450 to 750+ft.

northface · #**286** Posted **Apr 6, 2007, 7:36 AM**

i like the rainier tower and those glass towers....the "original" downtown skyline i actually liked.

Hans Gruber · #**287** Posted **Apr 6, 2007, 8:47 AM**

I remember when the Ranier Tower was built as well. It was a very cool looking building. When they built the City Center building next to the park and ride and the one on the corner of 4th and 108th and the other small tower a bit further down 108th, it gets boring.

Good news, that architect is dead. We need variety in buildings. It would be like having 2 or 3 Columbia Towers in downtown Seattle. The architect who built the Columbia Tower died last year. I love the Columbia Tower. The cheif architect graduated from Washington State. The Columbia Tower was panned as a bad design. Today the building is thought of more as a masterpiece.

I went to more Mariner games in 1982 and 1983 just to look at the Columbia Tower. The floors were facing I-5 as each new level was added up to 76. The Columbia Tower was originally designed to be 1000ft even. The port of Seattle lopped a foot off each floor because of Sea-Tac Airport. For that stupid decision I hope those port people suffer for their castration of a masterpiece.

NW Mike · #**288** Posted **Apr 6, 2007, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hans Gruber

I've got pictures to post. Can somebody give me detailed instructions on how to get them up?

You can go to http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/
or www.Flicker.com
and upload your photo there. There will be a side bar with Links to original image,Select the one for forums and copy it. Post those links in your thread. The link then will show the picture if done right.You can always preview before you post them.
Click on this photo and see the website. Very easy.
Bellevue Towers

mikeji · #**289** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 1:41 AM**

Project updates from City of Bellevue web site:

http://www.bellevuewa.gov/pdf/PCD/COB_MajorProjects.pdf

It mentions a few new projects at the end (projects in the pipeline), notably Bellevue Plaza project, which includes 800 residential units. Anyone has any additional info on these projects?

Thanks,
Mike

mhays · #**290** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 4:01 AM**

That looks like a big step in closing the gap between Old Bellevue and the CBD.

NW Mike · #**291** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 5:48 AM**

I'm very interested in Bellevue Plaza 800 units?...Sounds Huge!

horatio_the_hermit · #**292** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 6:28 PM**

YES!!! new projects, finally!
Bellevue Plaza 800 units. 160k sf retail (Thats a lot of retail). I would assume, from the address, that itll be somewhere near Sports Authority and Kaufmans.

Odegard Bellevue Apartments. No info other than location. looks like thatll be on some of those old single family homes just south of where the meydenbauer inn is set to go.

Damn, i just realized theres a map attached.

A-Loft/ Element Hotel. No info.

Sapphire Hotel. No info.

All this new stuff is going in the southern districts that have seen little growth over the last years. This is terriffic.

horatio_the_hermit · #**293** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 6:37 PM**

That Bellevue Plaza, though not exactly on Bellevue Way, will certainly do quite a bit to add to Kempers miracle mile.

horatio_the_hermit · #**294** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 7:51 PM**

I just checked the City of Bellevue Permit Site. This is what i found.

Bellevue Plaza is going to be comprised of FOUR towers. No info on height.

Element hotel will be only 11 stories.

Odegard is going to have only 50 units. Obviously not a terribly tall building then. However, i did find a small note from the fire dept that reads

"1. If the highest occupied level is greater than 75 feet from the lowest level of Fire Department access the building will be considered a high rise building. Then all of the high rise conditions will be required. (IFC 903.2.10.3)"

i guess that implies otherwise.

Couldnt find anything about Sapphire.

bgwah · #**295** Posted **Apr 8, 2007, 10:15 PM**

Cool find.. I'm still disappointed about Belcarra.

I also noticed Euro Tower I, which I would guess mean more tower(s) in another phase?

Bellevue Plaza sounds nice, though I suspect a bunch of a stubby towers... Why hasn't Bellevue raised their height limit yet?!

edit: I found this

Su Development

Shopping center in Bellevue bought

Developer John Su has added to his list of properties in downtown Bellevue. On Monday, Su bought Bellevue Plaza Shopping Center from the family of Mary Dore and the late Justice Fred Dore for $31.5 million. The 3.4-acre property at 139 106th Ave. N.E. includes a 60,000-square-foot shopping center.

Su has held initial discussions on plans for the property. Bob Wallace, who represented the Dore family in the sale, said he expects the property to be redeveloped for higher use. It is zoned for 200-foot-tall buildings.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...zbriefs02.html

So we're probably looking at four 200 foot buildings. The picture from the Bellevue site does look about 20 stories/200 feet... Meh!