By Margaret Bull Last year Kirkland City Council meetings were jammed packed with people objecting to the Parkplace Developer’s plans to build 8 story buildings in Kirkland. Where have all those people gone? You can still be involved in shaping the development of Parkplace. Monday night the Design Review Board meets to discuss what building C will look like. Once or twice a month they hold meetings... [Read more]
Last week the Moss Bay Neighborhood Association hosted another excellent agenda which included presentations about the new Metropolitan Market coming to Houghton (news: The store will have a lower level which opens on to a courtyard with outdoor seating; Spring opening target: April!), the search for a new City Manager, KDOG and the Planning Department. I only caught the first act, but now the minutes... [Read more]
At the November 16 Moss Bay Neighborhood Association meeting, the architect of Hector’s and The Waterfront Market redevelopment on Lake Street gave a presentation on the project which included some new renderings. “Rick Chesmore of Chesmore/Buck Architects was our next guest. Rick described the Hector’s Property remodel and expansion that is currently underway. Originally proposed... [Read more]
Sound Transit Notice: Kirkland Transit Center Transit Center Construction Set to Start, 3rd Street to Close. Construction is ready to begin on the Kirkland Transit Center project in downtown Kirkland. Bayley Construction has been selected as the contractor for the project and URS Corp will provide construction management services. Bayley Construction has mobilized on site and a portion... [Read more]
MultiFamily Executive Magazine (MFE) chose Merrill Gardens at Kirkland as the winner of the Grand Award for Senior Living at the annual MFE and Developer Awards in Las Vegas recently. At the ceremony, awards were presented to recognize exceptional projects and programs across 16 categories. The Merrill Gardens at Kirkland retirement community was selected as Project of the Year for senior housing... [Read more]
Redacted version of Sterbank Report now available from City of Kirkland UPDATED: As of October 14, 2009, the total amount billed by attorney Bob Sterbank, of Kenyon Disend PLLC, for the Bank of America report was $8,993.47. The City of Kirkland has just released what is being called the “Bank of America Project Review” which tasked an outside attorney, Bob C. Sterbank, to review the... [Read more]
Renderings submitted to DRB 09/21/2009 by Touchstone Corporation The Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board has produced a Final Decision and Order... [Read more]
Hector's, Juanita Townhomes and Kirkland Parkplace: The City of Kirkland Planning Department has posted a Summary of Kirkland Development Activity on their website. The summary is titled, “Major Development... [Read more]
If the layout and design materials shown in the plans are approved (and built), Hector’s rooftop will be the place to be in town. A view of the lake, covered dining, outdoor fireplace, lounge chairs… sounds fantastic. The images shown here are from the plans submitted to the Design Review Board for their October 5th meeting. Similar outdoor dining areas and fireplaces as examples. Rendering... [Read more]
The Kirkland City Council will hold a Special Study Session on the Shoreline Master Program Thursday, October 22nd at 6:00 PM in the Peter Kirk Room of City Hall. The Council is considering changes to regulations of waterfront property owned by the City and private property owners. To learn more about is subject, please download the Shoreline Master Program from the Council packet (17.6 MB). Read More →
Seattle Times columnist, Brier Dudley reports that Google is continuing to hire and plans to move into the formerly mothballed Kirkland site by the end of the third quarter. “The campus — one of the company’s largest outside of its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. — was mothballed after Google abruptly froze its plans last November and began trying to sublease two of the three... [Read more]
Second story 6,350 sq ft rooftop deck planned for Hectors According to documents available of the City’s Design Review Board (DRB) website, the McLeod mixed-use development which was approved last year will not be built as planned. The slow economy has caused the developer to reconsider the project and make significant design changes. The approved 5 story office/retail complex is not considered... [Read more]
The Waterfront Market building on Lake Street S. is having its facade washed down to the original brick. The creme-colored paint which has been on the building for decades will soon be long gone. The new look is a part of Stewart McLeod’s restoration of the building which currently houses Tully’s and Ben & Jerry’s. In 2008, McLeod received approval from the City to build a multi-use... [Read more]
The Kirkland City Council made some sweeping changes to downtown zoning at a public hearing conducted at their March 3, 2009 City Council meeting. The result of these actions is a down-zoning of properties located in the downtown core. The new rules restrict property owners’ rights with stricter requirements in massing, height, stepbacks, sidewalk widths and use limitations. Ambiguities in the... [Read more]
The back room of The Grape Choice was filled to capacity as over forty business owners and representatives gathered this morning to start a dialog on how to improve communication and cooperation among businesses in downtown Kirkland. The standing-room-only crowd assembled as the result of this letter sent by Paula Heddle, owner of Barkz the dog stop. Paula’s letter urged like-minded business... [Read more]
UPDATE: Kirkland Citizens for Responsible Development has submitted a copy of their letter dated December 5, 2008 which outlined their compromise position regarding Touchstone’s PAR. You may download it here. Firm has history of opposing developments adjacent to Emerald Building Davidson Serles & Associates has filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against... [Read more]
Two separate appeals of Private Amendment Requests (PARs) granted to developers late last year have been filed. A reliable source has confirmed the efforts to stop the re-development of Kirkland Parkplace and the development of the planned Costco Gas Station. Both PARs were approved by the Planning Commission and later by the Kirkland City Council. The two appeals are unrelated and filed by different... [Read more]
After almost two years and countless hours of working with City staff, community leaders, the Planning Commission, the DRB, Councilmembers, neighborhoods and local businesses, Touchstone Development was granted approval of their Private Amendment Request (PAR) to build a mixed-use office, retail, hotel complex at Kirkland Parkplace. Very few foresaw the 7 to 0 vote by the City Council. Despite reservations... [Read more]
The following letter from The Cascade Land Conservancy was received by Kirkland Views: Opportunity to Shape the Future of Kirkland Council to consider zoning changes for Parkplace The Kirkland City Council will consider potential zoning changes for Parkplace in downtown Kirkland at 7 pm December 16th at City Hall. Please send a letter to the Council regarding the proposed changes and attend... [Read more]
SRM Development, The City of Kirkland and CiViK have reached agreement on a modified plan Documents just received from the City of Kirkland shed light on rumors that there has been progress in settlement talks surrounding the SRM Development v. City of Kirkland/CiViK lawsuit. It appears that an agreement has been reached between the parties and it is now pending approval of the Kirkland City... [Read more]
The Planning Commission held the final public hearing on the Touchstone Parkplace PAR on Thursday night in Council Chambers at City Hall. The room was packed with thoughtful, impassioned people, many of whom were sporting “Green Light” buttons or “See the Blue Sky” stickers. The unofficial tally of of speakers who took advantage of the opportunity to address the Commission... [Read more]
The Kirkland Planning Commission will conduct two public hearings to consider the Public Amendment Requests (PARs) for Parkplace, Altom and Orni. These are the final scheduled public hearings prior to these PARs are sent to the City Council. 7:00 PM WEDNESDAY, 10/22/08: HEARING ON ORNI AND ALTOM PARs 6:00 PM THURSDAY, 10/23/08: HEARING ON TOUCHSTONE (PARKPLACE) PAR The public hearings will... [Read more]
Today, the City of Kirkland Planning Department released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the City of Kirkland Downtown Area Planned Action Ordinance (PAO) prepared in accordance with the State Environmental Policy Act. The Proposed Action being considered includes three private amendment requests to amend the City’s Comprehensive Pan map and text and the City’s Zoning... [Read more]
Touchstone and Citizens for Responsible Development have submitted 200-word rebuttals to each other’s arguments which have been amended to their respective Point and Counterpoints. You can read them here: Point/Counterpoint: Touchstone on Kirkland Parkplace Traffic Point/Counterpoint: CRD on Kirkland Parkplace Traffic The entire three-part series is available at our Kirkland Parkplace... [Read more]
SEATTLE—October 7, 2008— The permit has been finalized for Park Place North, a 62,000 s.f. commercial construction project in Kirkland’s Norkirk neighborhood, immediately north of the Park Place development. Designed to LEED® Silver standard, Park Place North will be unique in its sustainable features and access to natural light. Seattle-based Caron Architecture created the design for Park... [Read more]
Touchstone and Citizens for Responsible Development have submitted 200-word rebuttals to each other’s arguments which have been amended to their respective Point and Counterpoints. You can read them here: Point/Counterpoint: Touchstone on Kirkland Parkplace Parking Point/Counterpoint: CRD on Kirkland Parkplace Parking Read More →
It seems like everyone wants to get their view heard about the proposed downtown building moratorium. The Downtown Commercial Property Owners Group has now penned a letter to the Council. The City Council will consider the issue tonight at City Hall. Someone should set up a concessions stand just outside. They’d make a mint. Kirkland Views received the following email addressed to... [Read more]
Kirkland Views received the following email originally sent by the Chamber of Commerce: Dear Friends of Kirkland, Please join the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce in opposing the proposed Downtown development moratorium that is being considered this Tuesday and recommend using the current and proven outreach processes that are in place. Please call, write and email members of the Kirkland City... [Read more]
On Tuesday, September 16th, the Kirkland City Council will consider a building moratorium for downtown during a study session in which they will discuss zoning and the design review process. With the possible exceptions of Parkplace and the Bank of America project (which is heading to Superior Court), a moratorium would stop most all development downtown. The City of Kirkland finds itself in an unenviable... [Read more]
By a vote of 4 to 3, the Kirkland City Council decided to end the Bank of America appeal and send the project back to the Design Review Board… unless SRM Development decides they have a better chance in Superior Court. SRM presented their final modified proposal to the Council followed by CiViK’s presentation of their argument. The Council briefly deliberated but the lines had been drawn... [Read more]
