Downtown Seattle Area Condo Blog & Active Condos for Sale

Many of you have heard about the new grocery store that is planned to open early this spring on 3rd and Pike, but have been unsure of it’s exact location.  It is a little hidden and can be easily unnoticed when walking down Pike Street.  Therefore, while taking pictures of another building for our newsletter on this beautiful day, I snapped a quick photo for those of you who are still wondering.  It’s just south of the Starbucks on the corner across the street from Walgreens and Ross.

Although the Eastside isn’t our primary focus, condos and high-rise towers are. Therefore, we couldn’t help but to share these impressive photos of Bellevue Tower we received from Nyhus. Even though nobody from our team was able to make it, an Account Executive with Nyhus provided us with a couple of highlights from the event.

More than 40 people attended the topping out event yesterday, including buyers, Mayor Degginger and members of the development team.

When our guests arrived at the 43^rd floor, Scott Eaton, Principal with Gerding Edlen Development, developer of Bellevue Towers, thanked everyone for coming. In his welcome, Eaton recognized the development team for their leadership in bringing this project to life and he thanked the future residents in attendance, who he said are the early adopters of a new lifestyle option–living in downtown Bellevue. It is a lifestyle Eaton predicted will only become more popular as downtown Bellevue continues to grow. Eaton said Eastside community leaders showed they had great vision when they recognized the opportunity to create a great residential neighborhood, expanding upon the city’s success in focusing on office and retail uses for so many years. He talked about the comprehensive, community visioning process for downtown a few years ago, which led to the establishment of an entertainment district well as zoning changes allowing for ambitious, creative new developments, all of which is furthering Bellevue’s emergence as a real city.

Eaton then introduced Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger, who he thanked for helping to steward Bellevue’s success. Mayor Degginger talked about the excitement that is being generated by all the development happening in Bellevue, and he credited Bellevue Towers’ future homeowners for being a part of the city’s downtown transformation.

Then, on a signal from Eaton, the north tower crane operator flew in the final bucket of concrete, which the project team released into the forms for the final slab on the top floor and glasses were raised for a champagne toast. Many guests lingered; taking in the view, chatting with their neighbors and members of the project team, and signing their names in the fresh concrete. Following the topping out ceremony, guests were treated to a special tour to see interior finishes going into some of the units that will be ready for occupancy in November 2008.

Photos

…guests gathering on the top floor of the South Tower for the event.

…bucket of concrete being flown in by the north tower crane operator.

Gerding Edlen Development Principal Scott Eaton recognizing the development team and thanking the future Bellevue Towers homeowners, who he called the early adopters of a new lifestyle option, that of living in downtown Bellevue, which he predicted would only grow in popularity as Bellevue grows.

Mayor Grant Degginger making a short speech about the bright future for downtown Bellevue, which continues to attract investment, jobs and residents, making it a thriving city.

Bellevue Towers will be home to 540 eco-luxury residences, a Purple Café and Wine Bar and other restaurants.  Other amenities include a 25,000 square foot urban garden, a private screening room, a large dining room with terrace and kitchen, a fitness center, a spa and sun deck, and a library and great room that open to an expansive outdoor terrace and fireplace.  Additionally, each building will have its own 24-hour concierge service.  Bellevue Towers is seeking LEED Gold certification for environmental sustainability and is the tallest residential-only development in the region.  It is also the only local project to be developed by the national leader in green buildings, Gerding Edlen Development.  More information is available online at www.BellevueTowers.com.

Condo Only, NWMLS Area 701 (Belltown & Downtown Seattle)

Our weekly and monthly updates are now more informative, and easier than ever to sign-up for. You can either subscribe by clicking here, or view your favorite condo blog profile on the left and click the sign-up button. Here’s a screen shot of this week’s email:

Celebrated on the 2nd Sunday in May, Mother’s Day was partly inspired by a social activist after the American Civil War. Julia Ward Howe wrote a Mother’s Day Proclamation in efforts to unite women together who were against the war. This year, Americans will spend an estimated $3.51 billion on dining and going out to celebrate their mum. For those of us lucky enough to live in Seattle, the most difficult part of Mother’s Day is choosing the restaurant and/or place to share that time together. So…

Ideas for planning your Mother’s Day:

• Best Mother’s Day Brunch
• Mother’s Day Planner by Citysearch

Here’s an article from the Seattle Times on other ways to make the day special if you missed an opportunity to make reservations or you’re needed an idea that fits a lighter budget:

Beyond Brunch - A family comes clean to make Mothers Day meaningful

“Moms like flowers.” And just in case I was thinking I’d be off the hook with a simple bouquet from our own garden, she made it clearer: “Flowers growing outdoors. Moms like picnics.”

Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe:

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts,
Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:
“We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: “Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Gallery recently sold the last of their penthouses. They also told us that there has been a significant increase of interest over the last couple of weeks from people coming into their sales center. The sales representative at Trio also had an excited tone over the phone when telling me they’ve averaged more than a sale a week since April with an expected offer today. Olive 8 sold 2 of their larger units in the last week, and the Parc has sold 10 units in the last 16 days. The sales manager for the Discovery Center (ENSO, Veer Lofts, and Rollin Street) and Four Seasons was unavailable for comment.

The last few weeks of sales ratios also show in increase in sales activity for resale condos. We’re excited to see some of those buyers who were sitting on the fence to finally start making some movement. Recent data showing the future of Seattle’s urban housing shortage due to rising construction costs and developers credit crunch may be the motivator.

Condo Only, NWMLS Area 701 (Belltown & Downtown Seattle)

Seattle’s population is growing exponentially, a colleague of mine recently sold his car to conserve oil, architects are required to meet certain environmental requirements, and the Metro has been reporting delays in their schedules due to overcrowded buses.  However, councilman Richard McIver was quoted in the Seattle P.I. saying, “I’m still not convinced that streetcars aren’t just a fad.  McIver went even further to say that he would rather have money spent on Mercer Street.

Although the additional 4 lines proposed for Seattle’s streetcar equates to an estimated $599 million, the P.I. also reported that there would be an estimated 10.7 million riders per year.  At $1.50 a pop, that would equal roughly $84 million in revenue each year.  At that rate, the additional lines would have paid for themselves within 7 years.  The P.I. didn’t report an estimate for how many riders would ride the First Hill/Capitol Hill line, so the numbers above should even yield a faster pay-off.

Based on information posted a few days ago from statistics by Dean Jones at Urban Condominiums, King 5 also reported on how the credit crunch and rising construction costs is likely to reverse the market’s current buyer’s market trend. Watch the video below:

This page will be updated with each building’s current status regarding the permit process, approved financing, available presales, construction and occupancy. To be updated of future status changes, click here to subscribe to our monthly newsletter and you’ll automatically be notified of future blog updates. In the meantime you can revisit this page my clicking the New Construction link on the left side of the page under Seattle Condo Profiles.

Proposed for 2009

1521 Second		Alex
ENSO		ESCALA
Rollin Street

Proposed for 2010

Art House		Smith Tower

Proposed for 2011

1 Hotel		1915 Second
AVA		Icon
Insignia

Proposed for 2012

2nd & Virginia		Candela
Civic Center		Denny & Yale
Heron Tower		Insignia
The Martin		Stewart + Minor
Western/Lenora

Proposed for 2013

2nd & Virginia		Denny & Yale
Pagoda Tower		Trophy Tower