November 28, 2022

123 Bellevue units planned near Spring District

Rendering by NBBJ [enlarge]

In NBBJ’s master plan for Alexandria, the separate Pine Forest apartment building (red) has the L-shape on the south end of the entire development.

Pine Forest Properties began planning well over a decade ago, after the future light-rail route was established, to redevelop its old Bellevue business park just west of the Spring District. CollinsWoerman helped it prepare a master use development plan, later approved by the city. And at the end of last year, it sold about 5 acres to Alexandria Real Estate Equities for over $77 million. (Alexandria gets to employ the majority benefit of that MDP.)

South of Alexandria's land, that leaves about 1.3 acres in Pine Forest's hands, at 1215 120th Ave. N.E., on the corner of Northeast 12th Street. There, to replace an old 1980s office building, Weber Thompson is planning a seven-story apartment project with 123 units.

Units look to run from around 516 square feet for a one-bedroom to 963 square feet for a two-bedroom. About 2,000 square feet of retail/commercial space is indicated for the building's northeast corner, next to the lobby. One level of partly underground parking would have 93 stalls, plus a tenant bike room.

The L-shaped building footprint would orient its second-floor landscaped terrace to the west, facing 12th. The entire property will be bounded and separated from Alexandria's by new shared streets to the west and north. Pine Forest's parking entry will be from the north street.

Amenities would include a gym and seventh-floor terrace. Some units would also have private terraces. The proposal hasn't yet entered design review. The plan hasn't changed much since it emerged some four years ago. Rafn was then attached as the contractor; today, that role and others are subject to change.

Pine Forest is the commercial investment and development arm for residential homebuilder The Burnsteads. Both its south site and Alexandria's property to the north are now covered with the old Twelfth Place Business Park. That was developed in the early 1980s by a related family company.

Pine Forest also still owns 3.4 acres north of Alexandria's property. That vacant land has been leased for years to Sound Transit for construction staging. Alexandria intends to buy that, too, since it's included in its master plan from NBBJ. For that, life-science buildings and apartments are planned. Alexandria is working with Clarion Partners, Weber Thompson, Gables Residential and Runberg Architecture Group on its north development.

All the land covered by the city-approved MDP, owned by the two parties, spans about 10 acres. Light rail service should begin at the Spring District by 2024.