Comments on: What will be the future of Kirkland Parkplace? http://www.kirklandviews.com/2008/04/29/hello-world-2/ Kirkland's Blog for News and views on life in the City of Kirkland, Washington Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:26:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: anonymous2 http://www.kirklandviews.com/2008/04/29/hello-world-2/#comment-34 anonymous2 Fri, 09 May 2008 20:42:38 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=5#comment-34 There is currently a STRONG demand for office. Touchstone has no need for retail to attract an office user. Is it a better deal for Touchstone to do mixed use? Sure. Otherwise they would not have pursued it. But don't be naive. They would do just fine with primarily office in accordance with existing zoning. And that is exactly what Kirkland will get if they don't come to the table quickly. The rejection of a fantastic project at the BofA site has no doubt caused them to re-evaluate their options. Were I them, I would abandon the mixed use option immediately and pursue the office option full speed. It costs $25-50,000 for each round with the DRB, Planning Commission, or City Council. That is the cost of preparation of materials and consulting time. Why would you spend the money with 0% certainty of outcome? They are not stupid. Nor should the city be. There is currently a STRONG demand for office. Touchstone has no need for retail to attract an office user.

Is it a better deal for Touchstone to do mixed use? Sure. Otherwise they would not have pursued it.

But don’t be naive. They would do just fine with primarily office in accordance with existing zoning. And that is exactly what Kirkland will get if they don’t come to the table quickly. The rejection of a fantastic project at the BofA site has no doubt caused them to re-evaluate their options. Were I them, I would abandon the mixed use option immediately and pursue the office option full speed.

It costs $25-50,000 for each round with the DRB, Planning Commission, or City Council. That is the cost of preparation of materials and consulting time. Why would you spend the money with 0% certainty of outcome? They are not stupid. Nor should the city be.

]]> By: anonymous2 http://www.kirklandviews.com/2008/04/29/hello-world-2/#comment-17 anonymous2 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:12:52 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=5#comment-17 The developer has two options. 1- proceed with a primarily office development in accordance with current zoning without the extended public process of a Private Ammendment Request, or 2- Do the PAR and create a vibrant mixed use project that anchors the east end of Peter Kirk Park. Clearly, the 2nd option is in the best interest of the community. However, Kirkland is making it so hard to achieve that the developer is simultaneously pursuing option 1. Kirkland needs to work aggressively WITH the developer to capitalize on a remarkable opporunity to enhance the community. Otherwise, we will end up with an office park in the middle of downtown and we will loose a great deal of retail in the process. The developer has two options. 1- proceed with a primarily office development in accordance with current zoning without the extended public process of a Private Ammendment Request, or 2- Do the PAR and create a vibrant mixed use project that anchors the east end of Peter Kirk Park.

Clearly, the 2nd option is in the best interest of the community. However, Kirkland is making it so hard to achieve that the developer is simultaneously pursuing option 1.

Kirkland needs to work aggressively WITH the developer to capitalize on a remarkable opporunity to enhance the community. Otherwise, we will end up with an office park in the middle of downtown and we will loose a great deal of retail in the process.

]]> By: Chris Conrad http://www.kirklandviews.com/2008/04/29/hello-world-2/#comment-14 Chris Conrad Wed, 07 May 2008 20:49:27 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=5#comment-14 The future will be a win/win for both Kirkland and Touchstone. Let them build just plain office buildings like they threaten to do if they don’t get their way. They will cut off their own nose to spite the zoning rules, which they knew about when they purchased the property. It’s a game. If they have offices, the offices will only be valuable if they offer some shops and restaurants for their clients. Do they want all of the workers in the offices to get in their cars for lunch? Let’s be realistic about traffic! The future will be a win/win for both Kirkland and Touchstone. Let them build just plain office buildings like they threaten to do if they don’t get their way. They will cut off their own nose to spite the zoning rules, which they knew about when they purchased the property.

It’s a game. If they have offices, the offices will only be valuable if they offer some shops and restaurants for their clients. Do they want all of the workers in the offices to get in their cars for lunch? Let’s be realistic about traffic!

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