Bellevue Downtown Association Announcements

Congratulations 2009 Place Makers

The Bellevue Downtown Association announced the winners of the 2009 Place Making Awards at the organization’s 36th Annual Celebration on January 28, 2010 at Meydenbauer Center.

The Place Making Awards recognize achievements from the previous year, as well as extraordinary contributions toward creating a thriving downtown.

Commute Champion: Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Bellevue
Maintaining an accessible downtown is critical for the local and regional economy. Several downtown employers play a major role in boosting non-drive-alone rates and transit ridership by covering all or a portion of transportation costs for their employees. An effective commute benefits program can reduce individual travel expenses and help an employer with recruitment and retention. Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Bellevue’s commute benefits program has resulted in more than 50% of the hotel’s employees choosing to commute daily using transit.

Community Service: YWCA Angeline’s Eastside Women’s Center and The Sophia Way
These two programs provide essential services to homeless women in East King County. The YWCA’s daytime program provides hot meals, showers, laundry facilities and a variety of services, such as visits with a nurse, legal aid, and employment counseling. The Sophia Way, operated by the Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council, offers women an overnight shelter, a life skills program and access to social services. Both programs are housed at Bellevue First Congregational Church in Downtown Bellevue.

BDA Champion: Jill Ostrem
The BDA Champion Award recognizes Jill Ostrem for her two-year term (2008 and 2009) as Chair of the Bellevue Downtown Association Board of Directors. She is highly-respected for her successful leadership and management style, advocacy on behalf of downtown, and valuable service to the downtown community. Ostrem, a vice president for Group Health, began her term as Chair the same year Group Health opened its Bellevue medical center.

Skyline Award: Elements Too
Elements Too, with 23 and 13-story towers, brings 274 apartment homes and 48,000 square feet of retail space to downtown. A collaborative effort between developer John Su and architect Jim Cutler of Cutler/Anderson, the project design emphasizes clean modern lines and creates a cantilevered silhouette, evoking a uniquely Pacific Northwest look and feel. It creates an eye-catching gateway to downtown and complements the 989 Elements tower next door.

Residential Development: Ten20
At the heart of downtown’s Ashwood neighborhood, Ten20 has added 129 residences, 4,700 square feet of retail space, including the Grand Cru Wine Bar and Shop, a new outdoor public plaza and space for a 200 to 300 seat black box theater. Ten20 completes a prominent, central corner along the increasingly residential NE 10th Street. The project was developed by The Hanover Company and designed by CollinsWoerman.

Hotel Expansion: Hyatt Regency Bellevue
The $185 million Olympic Tower expansion at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue raised Bellevue’s “power rank” as a major conference and destination city. It added 351 guest rooms and more than 30,000 square feet of ballroom space, plus several conference suites and a 120-seat auditorium. The grand opening event in October coincided with the Bellevue Collection’s 2009 Fashion Week. Kemper Development Company developed the expansion. Sclater Partners Architects was the architect and GLY Construction was the general contractor.

Office Development: City Center Plaza
City Center Plaza brought over 580,000 square feet of rentable space and a two and a half acre urban landscaped plaza to the office core of Downtown Bellevue. Reaching 26 stories, the building’s curving facades ensure maximum views for tenants, and the color palette provides a visual counterpoint to Northwest’s winter-gray days. Microsoft has fully leased the office space, and El Gaucho chose a large portion of the the retail base for its Eastside expansion. City Center Plaza, built to LEED Gold standards, was designed by NBBJ and developed by Wright Runstad & Company for Beacon Capital

Downtown Employer: Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft has been a significant and stabilizing force for the Downtown Bellevue economy and office market as the company completed its move-in of nearly 6,000 employees in about 1.6 million square feet of space at The Bravern Office Commons, City Center Plaza and Lincoln Square.

Place Maker of the Year: The Bravern
The Bravern’s opening was among the biggest in the Pacific Northwest in the past 10 years. The Bravern Office Commons added 750,000 square-feet of space, fully leased by Microsoft. The Shops at The Bravern brought more than 300,000 square-feet of retail space and the Northwest’s first Neiman Marcus, along with other top luxury global and local retailers and five-star services. Restaurants include John Howie Steak, Artisanal Brasserie and Artisanal Table, and the Eastside debut of Wild Ginger. Opening in 2010, the Residences will offer 455 condominium homes. The Bravern was developed by Schnitzer West and designed by Callison and NBBJ. Skanska and PCL Construction were general contractors. DCI Engineers performed the structural engineering.

2009 Haute Picks

The Best of Downtown Bellevue Haute Picks Award Winners!

Best Boutique: La Ree Boutique

Best Casual Business Meeting Spot: 520 Bar & Grill

Best Cocktail: The Parlor Collection – Apple Martini

Best Coffee House: Starbucks Coffee Company

Best Haircut: Salon Tewl

Best Happy Hour: Pearl Bar & Dining

Best Lunch Under $10: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Best Massage: Massage Center of Bellevue

Best Place for a First Date: The Parlor Collection

Best Place for a Mani/Pedi: Gene Juarez Salon & Spa

Best Place to See and Be Seen: Pearl Bar & Dining

Best Power Lunch: Daniel’s Broiler

Best Romantic Dinner: Bis on Main

Best Seafood Restaurant: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Best Steakhouse: Daniel's Broiler

Best Sweet Tooth Fix: Oh! Chocolate

Best Uniquely Bellevue Experience: "Snowflake Lane"

Best Wine List: 0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar

Best Workout Spot: Elite Fitness

The Place Making Awards were awarded in seven categories this year and honor major accomplishments, significant events and individual contributions in Downtown Bellevue from 2008.

Civic Partner: Bellevue Parks & Community Services Department
A new category for 2008, the Civic Partner of the Year Award recognizes the significant set of actions, spirit of support and consistent level of service demonstrated by the Bellevue Parks & Community Services Department. For the community and the BDA, the Downtown Park is home each year to the Symetra Bellevue Family 4th and the Group Health Ice Arena. These major events and experiences would not be possible without a strong, healthy partnership with the City and its staff.

Community Treasure: Bellevue Regional Library
The Community Treasure Award recognizes an institution or landmark that has delivered exceptional value and service to the community. Bellevue Regional Library has served the community in its present form for 15 years. It receives close to a million visits per year, and has over 1.4 million items in circulation. Bellevue Regional Library is a home for knowledge and inspiration, and it is a public facility that is even more popular, relevant and vital in its service today as it was on opening day in 1993.

Commute Champion: Symetra Financial
Maintaining an accessible downtown is essential for the continued success and growth of a community. It is anticipated that 63,000 employees will work in Downtown Bellevue by 2020; and to keep things moving, a City of Bellevue target calls for half commuting without driving alone in a motor vehicle. The Commute Champion Award recognizes the business that exemplifies a strong commitment to achieving this goal. Symetra Financial has made an outstanding “commute benefits program” an integral part of its corporate culture. In 2008, Symetra achieved a 58% non-drive alone commute rate, exceeding the City’s 2020 goal by 9%, meaning over half of their employees share a ride or use transit on a daily basis.

Lease of the Year: Microsoft Lease at City Center Plaza
The Lease of the Year Award honors the people and companies who have negotiated a landmark leasing transaction in Downtown Bellevue. The Microsoft lease at City Center Plaza further solidified Downtown as a desirable place to work and live. In May 2008 Microsoft announced that it would lease one of the largest office projects under construction in Downtown Bellevue, City Center Plaza. Throughout this next year, Microsoft will move about 2,000 employees to City Center Plaza, taking up 25 of the building’s 26 floors. This move builds on existing leases at Lincoln Square and The Bravern Office Commons, now making Microsoft recipient of the Lease of Year Award three years in a row.

Move of the Year: Expedia Inc.
Another new category for 2008, the Move of the Year Award was created to honor a company who places an emphasis on connecting people with place and community, and making long-term investments in both. Expedia, the world’s leading online travel company, moved its corporate headquarters, along with 1,700 employees, to Downtown Bellevue in November 2008. The Expedia move has extended beyond a one-time action given the company’s ongoing commitment to the downtown community and its future success.

Skyline Award: Bellevue Towers
Great skylines are symbols of progress, as well as markers of time, taste and a city’s trajectory. The 2008 Skyline Award recognizes Bellevue Towers – an ambitious 42 and 43 story luxury condominium project designed by architects at MulvannyG2 and GBD Architects. Bellevue Towers is the tallest residential high-rise development in the Pacific Northwest. The developers have also risen to new heights in sustainable practices that make the building healthier to live in, reduce operating costs and follow best practices in water reclamation and energy conservation. The steps are part of the project’s goal to achieve a LEED Gold certification – a first for a large-scale residential project in Bellevue.

John Boespflug City Builder Award: Suzanne Baugh
John Boespflug was an attorney and an exemplary Place Maker, and he served as Bellevue Downtown Association Chair in both 1988 and 1998. After Boespflug’s untimely passing in 1999, the BDA dedicated this award to honor significant individual contributions toward advancing Downtown Bellevue as the economic and cultural heart of the Eastside region. Suzanne Baugh, a Bellevue resident and BDA Board Chair in 2002 and 2003, is recognized for her ongoing leadership as a stalwart champion and advocate for Downtown Bellevue and the BDA.

2008 Haute Picks

Best Boutique: RAG mens style

Best Cocktail: Joeys "Super Nova"

Best Coffee Spot: Starbucks Coffee Company

Best Casual Business Meeting Spot: 520 Bar & Grill

Best Haircut: Salon Bellezza

Best Happy Hour: Daniel's Broiler

Best Lunch Under $10: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Best Massage: Massage Center of Bellevue

Best Place for a First Date: The Parlor Billiards & Spirits

Best Place for a Mani/Pedi: Jennifer's Nails

Best Place to See and Be Seen: Joeys

Best Power Lunch: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Best Romantic Dinner: Bis on Main

Best Seafood Restaurant: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Best Steakhouse: Daniel's Broiler

Best Sweet Tooth Fix: Oh! Chocolate

Best Uniquely Bellevue Experience: "Snowflake Lane"

Best Wine List: 0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar

Best Wine Retailer: Pete's Wines

Best Workout Spot: Elite Fitness

View the Bellevue Downtown Association's "2007 Year in Review," a tri-fold printed piece handed to each guest at the 34th Annual Celebration. Additional copies of the Year in Review are available in the BDA office.

Congratulations to all BDA members for delivering another outstanding year!

Lease of the Year: The Microsoft Lease at The Bravern Office Commons and Advanta Office Commons

Street of the Year: Main Street in Old Bellevue

Community Treasure: Overlake Hospital Medical Center

Place Maker: Meydenbauer Center

Commute Champion: PACCAR Inc

John Boespflug City Builder Award: John Valaas, retiring First Mutual Bank CEO and BDA Board Member

Magic Season casts holiday cheer for 11th year

The Bellevue Magic Season arrives the day after Thanksgiving with its festive collection of holiday favorites and a few bright surprises.

The Group Health Ice Arena greets skaters for an 11th year when it opens at 11 a.m., Friday, November 23. The region’s only all-weather, open-air ice arena will extend the skating season through the New Year to January 6. Nestled alongside the waterfall in the Bellevue Downtown Park, the ice arena again features a heated viewing area, refreshments and a series of special skating events. This Magic Season also bears the added gift of brand-new rental skates.

Also beginning November 23, the grandeur of Snowflake Lane will captivate crowds of holiday shoppers at The Bellevue Collection with a nightly sidewalk celebration of drummers, carolers and lights. Garden d’Lights returns November 24 with its luminous nighttime tour of flora, fauna and 500,000 dazzling lights at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. Sound Transit Design in Light also returns to the heart of Downtown Bellevue with lighting displays along the NE 6th Street Pedestrian Corridor.

The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center will kick-off a special holiday series of performances on November 24 with Ballet Bellevue’s The Snowman. Other seasonal performances include The Nutcracker, Miracle on 34th Street and the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary Concert.

Directions and more details for each event are available at http://www.magicseason.com.

Get the dish on Downtown Dining

The 2007 Restaurant Guide will hit the streets on August 29 in the Fall Issue of Bellevue Downtown magazine.

Dedicated to the culinary artists and restaurateurs cooking up success in Downtown Bellevue, this issue will feature the definitive updated list of dining spots in our neighborhood. You’ll find fresh ideas, like the recipe for Trader Vic’s Hawaiian Chicken Salad and Signature Scorpion Cocktail.

Also featured is a preview of The Bellevue Collection’s Fashion Week, an extravaganza of style and fun with events each day September 14-22. Plus, check out the magazine’s complete fall calendar of local events. As usual, the Restaurant Guide and Fall Issue of Bellevue Downtown will be available online.

Walk Downtown Bellevue leaps ahead

Even though Walk Downtown Bellevue officially launched June 26th, hundreds of willing walkers continue to sign up. And that's great news as long as our stock of starter kits holds. If you haven't already, be sure to sign-up before August 31.

The campaign idea came together after a brainstorm on marrying the concepts of promoting a walkable downtown and simple steps for advocating better health. Board Members Charlie Hafenbrack and Jill Ostrem recognized the potential and jumped on as champions and sponsors. So far, close to 800 people have stopped by to receive a free starter kit and pedometer.

To help keep people moving, we've added a website with useful tips and a steptracker. Of course, there are prizes too - handed out on the street by the purple-clad Prize Patrol - and every participant is eligible to win Southwest Airlines tickets or a $600 training program from Elite Fitness. Winners will be announced at the September 6 Live at Lunch Concert at Bellevue Galleria.

Register for Walk Downtown Bellevue and pick up one of the few remaining starter kits with a free pedometer at Foot Zone Bellevue (10640 Main Street), Bellevue Downtown Association (500 108th Ave., Suite 210), Bellevue City Hall Service First Desk or any Live at Lunch Concert.

Bellevue Downtown Association Board endorses Roads & Transit plan

After many months of study and dialogue on issues surrounding the proposed Roads & Transit package, including a public debate on the issue, the Bellevue Downtown Association Board of Directors voted June 19, 2007, to endorse the plan. The motion received a strong majority in favor of taking a position and actively supporting the plan. Link to the full announcement.

2007 Haute Picks

Best Bank: Bank of America

Best Casual Business Meeting Spot: 520 Bar & Grill

Best Cup of Coffee: Starbucks Coffee Company

Best Haircut: Salon Bellezza

Best Happy Hour: Daniel’s Broiler

Best Lunch Under $10: Chipotle Mexican Grill

Best Martini: The Parlor Billiards & Spirits

Best Massage: Massage Center of Bellevue

Best Place for a First Date: The Parlor Billiards & Spirits

Best Place to See and Be Seen: Joeys

Best Power Lunch: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Best Romantic Dinner: Bis on Main

Best Seafood Restaurant: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Best Spa Treatment: Gene Juarez

Best Steakhouse: Daniel’s Broiler

Best Sweet Tooth Fix: Oh! Chocolate

Best Uniquely Bellevue Experience: Snowflake Lane

Best Wine List: 0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar

Best Wine Retailer: Pete’s Wines

Best Workout Spot: Elite Fitness

"Hats Off to Downtown Bellevue" and the 2006 Place Makers

The Bellevue Downtown Association announced the winners of the 2006
Place Making Awards at the organization’s 33rd Annual Celebration, presented by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. More than 400 business and community leaders attended the event at Meydenbauer Center.

• Community Treasure Award…Bellevue City Hall
• Public Official of the Year…Ron Kessack, Right of Way Manager, City of Bellevue Transportation Department
• Gutsy Move of the Year Award…The Parlor Billiards & Spirits
• Tradition Builder Award…Group Health for the Group Health Ice Arena
• Deal of the Year Award…Microsoft at Lincoln Square
• Leadership Award…Peter Horvitz, Horvitz Newspapers
• Corporate Citizenship Award…Symetra Financial
• John Boespflug City Builder Award…John Su, Su Development

Supporting sponsors for the 33rd Annual Celebration were Equity Office, GA Creative, Ryan Wenzel Events, DCI Engineers and The Seattle Times. Project sponsors for the evening were The Bellettini, Su Development, Gerding Edlen Development and Wright Runstad.

Featured speaker Kemper Freeman, Jr. underscored the entrepreneurial spirit, calculated risks and collaborative effort behind the successful evolution of Downtown Bellevue as a leading economic and cultural center in the Pacific Northwest.

View the BDA's 2006 Year in Review.

City Launches Wi-Fi Pilot in Downtown Bellevue

The City of Bellevue has launched an outdoor Wi-Fi pilot project with coverage across a 1.5 acre area in downtown Bellevue, from City Hall and Meydenbauer Center along the Pedestrian Corridor, to the Downtown Park and Bellevue Square area. The pilot will evaluate the City's ability to provide remote and mobile wireless Internet for essential City services, as well as access for residents, businesses and visitors. Free public Wi-Fi in the test area should be available in December 2006. Link here to the City's study session background material.

Bellevue Reported as Safest City in the Pacific Northwest

A study released today by Morgan Quitno Press tabs Bellevue as the safest city in the Pacific Northwest. Using FBI city crime data, the study ranks 371 U.S. cities with populations greater than 75,000. Bellevue is 57th. St. Louis is last. Seattle is 262.

Building Boom! Measuring Downtown's Benefit - October 24, 2006

Berk & Associates - Fiscal Implications of Downtown Business Activity (324k download)
BDA CIP Funding Request Letter (142k download)
BDA Great Place Initiative Project Priorities (129k download)

2006 Resident Survey: Downtown Living Receives High Marks

Results from the BDA's first survey of Downtown Bellevue residents reveal their motivations for living downtown and how they perceive livability among several areas of experience as a resident. Download the summary (PDF) of key findings.

Congratulations Downtown Bellevue Place Makers!

The Bellevue Downtown Association honored the place makers who led an extraordinary year success on March 1 at the BDA's 32nd Annual Celebration, sponsored by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. More than 350 business and community leaders attended the event at Meydenbauer Center. In addition, special guest Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, presented an overview of emerging trends driving decisions to invest or live in urban centers like Downtown Bellevue. The BDA also revealed key findings from the first-ever survey of downtown residents.

Place Making Awards
Place Maker Award - Kemper Development Company for The Bellevue Collection
Building Community Award - Bellevue Farmers Market
Transaction of the Year - Schnitzer Northwest for Civica Office Commons
Phoenix Award - Stu Vander Hoek and the Vander Hoek Corporation
Tradition Builder - Jennifer Leavitt, KDC, for Snowflake Lane
Business of the Year - PACCAR, Inc.
Deal of the Year - Eddie Bauer Tower - Ron Smith (KDC), Jim Kinerk (The Broderick Group), Mark Borison (Eddie Bauer), and Patricia Loveall (GVA Kidder Mathews)

Downtown Bellevue Nightlife Guide Debuts

The Spring 2006 Issue of Bellevue Downtown, now available, presents the first guide to the best places in Downtown Bellevue to enjoy an evening on the town. Recent entries like the Parlor Billiards & Spirits and Trader Vic's join perennial favorites like Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar, the Tap House Grill, Melting Pot and Daniel's Broiler - just to name a few. Request a free copy by calling 425-453-1223.

A Big Win for Downtown Bellevue

The defeat of Initiative 912 marked an impressive victory for congestion relief and road safety across the region. It also preserved a major piece of Downtown Bellevue’s plan for improved mobility. As a result, work should move forward on schedule with construction of the critical overpass at NE 10th Street and I-405. For saving this project alone, the Bellevue Downtown Association applauds the remarkable effort of everyone involved in the No on 912 campaign.

Design Charrette Develops District Character Ideas

Creativity flourished during the two-day intensive charrette held recently in downtown Bellevue. Over 50 talented architects, planners, landscape architects and urban designers worked in mixed teams to generate ideas for making downtown Bellevue a more special place.

Utilizing design principles from the Downtown Implementation Plan, the teams wrestled with defining neighborhood character, developed a palette of ideas for enhancing downtown's special places, and envisioned new special places that might appear in Bellevue's future.

These images, captured during the two-day event, speak to the energy, commitment and hard work of the participants. The BDA and the City of Bellevue partnered in staging this event, and wish to express our gratitude for the significant contribution the participants have made to bettering downtown Bellevue's future.

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