February 2, 2022

Absher takes over stalled apartment project in Kent

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge]

The project was recently wrapped in Tyvek after sitting idle for about six months.

Construction crews last June walked off the Alexan Gateway apartment jobsite on Kent's West Hill after Katerra filed for bankruptcy. That project on 6.5 acres at 23000 Military Road S. was being built for Trammell Crow Residential.

The site sat mostly quiet for about six months before Absher Construction signs began appearing on chain-link fencing as 2021 came to a close. Now, Mark Hoyt of Trammell Crow Residential says “it's a good assumption” that Absher has taken over construction of the 285-unit apartment complex. Hoyt is Seattle area managing director for Dallas-based Trammell Crow Residential.

TCR's website for the project still shows an anticipated completion date of December, with initial units becoming available in September. That site apparently hasn't been updated for some time.

Hoyt said he didn't know when the project will be finished, but offered: “TCR has built over 250,000 apartments in our history and we're going to finish it.”

A representative from Absher didn't respond to a request for more information by deadline.

Alexan Gateway Kent will consist of three four-story buildings with elevator service and surface parking. Units will average 867 square feet and will be market rate.

When the site was abandoned, the buildings were apparently topped out, but were left with exposed wood and unfilled door and window openings. Since the Absher signs popped up, the buildings have been covered with Tyvek wrap and screened scaffolding has been erected facing Military Road South. Crews have also temporarily closed up the door and window openings with plastic sheeting.

Early documents filed with the city of Kent listed Katerra Construction and Katerra Architecture as leading the project team.