Kirkland Parkplace

UPDATE: At the December 16, 2008 Kirkland City Council meeting, The City Council followed the recommendation of the Planning Commission and approved Touchstone’s Private Amendment Request for an eight story mixed-use redevelopment of Kirkland Parkplace. You may read more about it here.

It would be difficult to over emphasize the significance of Kirkland Parkplace to the City of Kirkland. Commensurate with this understanding, we have published these pages in an attempt to summarize the project. We hope to shed some light on the subject, answer a few questions and provoke some thoughtful discussion along the way.

Parking

• Touchstone’s Point
  • CRD’s Rebuttal
• CRD’s Counterpoint
  • Touchstone’s Rebuttal

Traffic 

• Touchstone’s Point
  • CRD’s Rebuttal
• CRD’s Counterpoint
  • Touchstone’s Rebuttal

Social and Economic Impact

• Touchstone’s Point
  • CRD’s Rebuttal
• CRD’s Counterpoint
  • Touchstone’s Rebuttal

Additional information about Kirkland Parkplace:

1. Process, Economic and Parking Information about Kirkland Parkplace
   
2. Gallery of design renderings
   
3. Questions and Answers
4. Opposition to Parkplace

Kirkland Parkplace is the gateway to downtown and arguably the single most important development site in the City map. The health of the downtown business core is unquestionably affected by the success or failure of Kirkland Parkplace. It is estimated that downtown businesses will benefit from increased revenues of 10 - 20 percent as a result of Parkplace redevelopment. Understandably, both the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and the Kirkland Downtown Association are in favor of the project.

There is a group of Kirkland citizens opposed the development. The reasons for opposition are varied and often differ from individual to individual. Some like Parkplace just as it is and do not want any change. Others have particular issues concerning parts of the project. An umbrella group calling itself, Kirkland Citizens for Responsible Development has also formed.

Because of the scope and complexity of the project, there is some misunderstanding among Kirkland citizens as to exactly what is being planned and how those plans will impact downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. The future of the project is still in the unknown.

TWO PARKPLACE OPTIONS

The owner of Kirkland Parkplace, Touchstone Corportation, has a considerable investment in this project and is interested in proceeding with what can be called their “preferred mixed-use plan”. However, since they are asking for some variances to the City zoning code, they do not know if the City will grant them approval to build their project. As a result, Touchstone has also submitted and “alternative office plan” which does not ask for any variance exceptions from the City and is fully compliant under the existing code.

The down side to the alternative plan is that it is an office park - no retail to speak of, no hotel, no theatre, no expanded grocery store, and limited public spaces and amenities.

Some have called this alternative plan strategy, “a hammer” with which to exert pressure on the City to approve the preferred plan. Other analysis concludes it only prudent for the developer to start now on the alternative plan if the preferred plan might not be approved.

Touchstone purchased the site in 2007 and has no plans to sell. Parkplace will be redeveloped by Touchstone. The only question is, which plan does Kirkland want — the preferred mixed-use plan or the alternative office plan?

The preferred mixed-use plan has the input of the community and was designed in conjunction with the City Planning Commission and DRB. The alternative office plan is a fall-back position in the event the City does not want to proceed with the preferred mixed-use plan.

Simply put, the alternative office plan is to build an office park. It would not be a shopping mall. It would only have a few small retail stores and a few small snack shops. It would not include the number of restaurants or pedestrian-oriented amenities of the preferred mixed-use plan. The smaller alternative office project could not financially support the many “goodies” included in the preferred mixed-use plan.

For further explanation of the economics of this project, please visit Process, economic and parking information about Kirkland Parkplace.

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