July 24, 2014

Touchstone preparing to start NorthEdge complex in Fremont

Touchstone image [enlarge]

Touchstone Corp. is getting ready to start construction on a four-story, 210,000-square-foot office project across the street from Gas Works Park.

A-P Hurd of Touchstone said work will begin in a couple of weeks on NorthEdge, which will fill the block bounded by North 34th Street, Densmore Avenue North, North Northlake Way and Woodlawn Avenue North.

The project website shows two buildings connected by a walkway and courtyard with views of Lake Union. Floor plans on the website show spaces for both traditional office users and tech companies.

The website says NorthEdge is “shovel ready,” with a master use permit and financing in place.

The project is a build-to-suit, according to the website, but Hurd would not say whether Touchstone has a tenant or not.

The broker on the project, Greg Inglin of Colliers International, did not return a phone call requesting comment.

Perkins+Will is the architect and Lease Crutcher Lewis is the general contractor.

A press release from Washington State Department of Ecology said Touchstone will remove contaminated soil from the site as part of the excavation for the garage.

The cleanup work is part of a 2007 legal agreement between Touchstone and Ecology. Cleanup will include work on two parcels and the street in between. NorthEdge is one block north of a site that was once used as a fuel terminal and transit fueling station.

Ecology is taking comments on the cleanup through Aug. 25. Comments can be submitted to Maura O'Brien, Department of Ecology site manager, by email at Maura.Obrien@ecy.wa.gov, or by mail to Department of Ecology, 3190 160th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, WA 98008-5452, or by phone at (425) 649-7249.