March 27, 2017

The Publix complex getting retail tenants

Image by Graham Baba [enlarge]

The Publix at 504 Fifth Ave. S. has 125 apartments and retail.

The Publix, at 504 Fifth Ave. S., opened to residents last fall and the units are now 87 percent leased. But the commercial space has remained empty thus far.

That's about to change as two new restaurants are expected to open there this year.

Dough Zone Dumpling House announced last fall it would lease 2,800 square feet facing Fifth, and the restaurant is expected to open this year. Dough Zone currently has franchise locations in Bellevue, Issaquah and Redmond.

The parent company also has franchises of Din Tai Fung in Bellevue, University Village and Pacific Place.

Din Tai Fung was established in Taiwan in 1958 to sell cooking oil, and in 1972 expanded into restaurants. It now has franchise locations in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Thailand, as well as the United States.

Seattle Magazine reported Board & Vellum is designing Dough Zone's space. The company couldn't be reached to verify the rest of the team.

JLL's Erika and Anne Marie Koehler are the retail leasing agents for The Publix, which was developed by Spectrum Development Solutions for the Moriguchi family, the owners of Uwajimaya. The architects were Clark Design Group and Graham Baba. The contractor was Marpac Construction.

Though the Koehlers and Moriguchis declined to comment on a second pending lease, a liquor license application notice has been posted by Great State Burger. That notice indicates Great State will take 1,100 square feet on the corner of Fifth and South Weller Street.

Like Dough Zone, it would face the Chinatown-ID entrance to the transit tunnel and Vulcan Real Estate's Union Station office complex.

Earlier this month, a representative from construction manager Brass Tacks Northwest briefed the International Special Review District Board about Great State.

Established last year, Great State currently has locations off Westlake in Amazon's Doppler Building and near Laurelhurst. Great State is part of Huxley Wallace Collective, whose other restaurants include Saint Helens, Vestal, Cantine and Quality Athletics. Chef Josh Henderson, formerly of the Skillet Group, founded Huxley Wallace four years ago.

Great State's menu emphasizes grass-fed beef and healthy American diner fare. The website Eater reported last year that six to eight new Great State locations were planned. The new ID location would be its third.

The Publix has a renovated six-story building constructed in 1928 and a new addition to the south. It has 125 apartments above about 12,000 square feet of commercial space.