Mar 20, 2025

New tenants named at 222 Fifth

Photo by Heywood Chan [enlarge]

Gensler, which designed the 222 Fifth Ave. N., life-science building for LPC West, shared some details in January about CoLabs, a developer-sponsored, built-out biotech incubator space on the third floor. This week LPC West put out its own press release, in conjunction with partner Intercontinental Real Estate. Significantly, there are now some tenants: Exo-Immuno Research Institute, Kinea Bio, Celogics and Decycle. LPC West's Uly Rivera said, “The CoLabs space is equipped with a stockroom, a tissue culture room, a Millipore water system, and communal equipment like fume hoods, freezers, incubators, glass wash and other science-critical instruments.” Intercontinental's Nicole Griffin added, “Our mission is to create an empowering space that fuels creativity, collaboration, and long-term growth for every tenant.” CBRE's Marcus Yamamoto and David Abbott represent the space at 222 Fifth, with about 173,000 square feet on offer.

Kidder Mathews

Stutz

Veteran broker Dan Stutz has moved from his perch at CBRE to Kidder Mathews, the latter firm recently announced. KM president Brian Hatcher said in a statement, “Dan has been a fixture in Seattle's office market for years, helping clients adapt to changing conditions and make smart, informed decisions. He's the kind of broker people trust and enjoy working with — straightforward, knowledgeable, and always focused on getting the best results for his clients.” Stutz added, “While each transaction is unique, the focus, dedication and commitment are constant.”

ULI hosts Rainier Square event

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Members of ULI Northwest, or just those who are ULI-curious, are encouraged to register and attend an April 8 networking event at the handsome and fairly new Fonte Bar at Rainier Square. That's on the second level at 401 Union St., with BNBuilders as the gathering's sponsor. The free Tuesday event begins at 8:30 a.m. Details and registration: northwest.uli.org.

Kidder Mathews

Robinson

Having recently departed BioMed Realty's Seattle office, Anwen Robinson has joined Kidder Mathews. Her new company announced the news this week. Its Erin French said in a statement, “Anwen is a fantastic addition — she knows how to run a portfolio with precision while keeping both tenants and clients top of mind. Her depth of experience and leadership style make her a natural fit, and I'm excited to see the impact she'll have in Seattle.” Robinson has been in our market for about four years, and will join Kidder's asset services division as a senior VP.

Mar 19, 2025

MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions

Eshpeter

MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions has promoted Travis Eshpeter to president, Building Services. In his new role, Eshpeter is responsible for further growing the building service business throughout Washington and Oregon while implementing new initiatives to meet future customer needs.

A graduate of Perry Technical Institute in Yakima, Eshpeter started his career at MacDonald-Miller 25 years ago as an HVAC apprentice. Since then, he's risen in the ranks and worked as a HVAC foreman, area operations manager in Everett, director, and most recently vice president, Service Operations.

During his 25 years at MacDonald-Miller, Eshpeter has played a key role in helping build and grow the building services organization throughout the Northwest. In the past few years, he's been a key figure in expanding service field operations to better serve customers throughout Oregon and Washington. Since 2022, he's grown the service organization team by 37 percent, including more than 280 technicians, operators, and customer coordinators. In addition, Eshpeter spearheads the electrification of MacDonald-Miller's fleet of more than 900 trucks and vehicles, a key element of the company's plan to meet Climate Pledge objectives by 2040.

Makers

Gipaya

De Wet

Basile

Yamashita

Makers architecture and urban design recently promoted Dylan Yamashita, Laura Basile, Andres De Wet, and Queenie Gipaya.

Yamashita has been promoted to senior associate. Yamashita is a 10-year employee of Makers and an invaluable member of the firm's federal facilities planning studio. He enjoys taking ownership of large and complex planning and urban design projects for clients including the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and local port districts.

Basile has been promoted to associate 1. Since joining Makers in 2023, Basile has consistently demonstrated creative strategic thinking and a strong commitment to delivering high-quality work. She eagerly embraces complex projects that demand diligence and allow her to utilize her skills in GIS, graphic design, and data and site visualization. She has a background in environmental justice and an MS in Sustainable Architecture and Landscape Design from Politecnico di Milano, Italy.

Andres De Wet has also been promoted to associate 1. De Wet was raised in South Africa and joined Makers in 2023 after completing a Masters of Community Planning at the University of Cincinnati and previously working at ULI Northwest and the University of Washington Tacoma. He has an enthusiasm for federal planning work. De Wet contributes to many project phases including stakeholder involvement, graphic design, and technical writing.

Gipaya has also been promoted to associate 1. Gipaya joined Makers at the beginning of 2023 and has become a vital team member, engaging community members, creating graphics, and building leadership in design activism such as through the Seattle Design Festival. With a knack for graphics and design, she creates appealing and exceptional work on behalf of Makers.

Runberg Architecture Group

Moussa

Matviichuk

Leo

Danison

Dirks

Knight

Sung

Pettis

Runberg has promoted eight staff members: Stefanie Dirks has advanced to senior associate, and Jennifer Danison, Corinne Leo, Maksym Matvichuuk, Amal Moussa, Stephen Pettis, Sue Sung, and Margaret Knight, have all been promoted to associate.

Dirks has consistently demonstrated excellence in her efforts, actively supports client relationships and contributes to workflow planning, has added to the firm's knowledge base, and is an active presence in the local architecture and design community. Dirks holds a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati, as well as a LEED AP Building Design and Construction certification.

Danison is an Iñupiat member of the Kikiktagruk community of northwest Alaska who brings native perspective and influence into her work in the multifamily industry in Seattle. She strives to incorporate indigenous knowledge into all aspects of the design process. Danison received a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington as well as a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida.

Knight received her Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and has been with Runberg since 2022. She is passionate about projects that provide much-needed housing density to the city of Seattle, especially those incorporating affordable housing. A 2021 recipient of AIA Seattle's Young Architect Award, Knight is a former board member of AIA Seattle and is a current board member for Homestead Community Land Trust.

Leo holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech. She has a passion for sustainability and affordable housing projects. An eye for color and design, extensive technical skills in modeling, documentation, and adeptness at understanding building codes have made Leo an excellent resource and role model for junior staff.

Matvichuuk joined Runberg in 2016 while studying architecture as an undergraduate at the University of Washington, where he then went on to complete his Master of Architecture degree in 2020. Matvichuuk believes a design is successful when it integrates into the existing fabric of the city by allowing people to prosper in place, be sheltered, and create long-lasting memories of the home they live in.

Moussa has been with Runberg since 2018. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a Minor in Product Design from the University of Minnesota. In her work, Moussa strives to find a balance between thoughtful, creative design and the real-world constraints of codes, budgets, and scheduling.

Pettis joined Runberg Architecture Group in 2021 after completing his Master of Architecture degree at University of Michigan. He brings elements from his experience working on commercial interiors, industrial, laboratory, and adaptive re-use to his multifamily design approach.

Sung has worked for Runberg since 2016 and specializes in creating visual design narratives. She is interested in designing sustainable, walkable urban spaces. Sung holds a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies from the University of Washington and is a LEED Green Associate.

F5

Seattle-based F5 appointed Angelique Okeke as executive vice president and general counsel. Okeke succeeds Scot Rogers, who is departing after 20 years with the company. Okeke joined F5 in April 2024 as senior vice president and deputy general counsel, corporate and commercial, bringing a wealth of experience in providing strategic counsel to large global organizations. Prior to F5, she spent eight years in senior leadership roles at Nike, most recently serving as global and North America consumer marketplace general counsel. Her earlier career includes legal leadership positions at AWS and Lotame, a data management and identity platform company. In his two decades with the company, Rogers played a central role as F5 navigated business transformations, economic challenges, and key acquisitions, while fostering a strong culture of integrity and inclusivity. F5 is a multicloud application security and delivery company.

True Path Capital Strategies

True Path Capital Strategies has acquired the Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho branches of Premier Wealth Strategies, previously owned by retired financial professional Jon S. Rustad. “We are thrilled to welcome all of the Premier Wealth Strategies clients to our family,” said Joshua W. Tschirgi, founder and president of True Path Capital Strategies. “The acquisition of Premier Wealth Strategies is a significant step in our growth strategy. This partnership aligns with our mission to provide personalized, innovative financial solutions tailored to the needs of our clients.” Rustad expressed confidence in the transition, “Over the past two years, I undertook a search of local wealth management firms to find a partner that would be as dedicated to customer service as my clients have grown accustomed to. After meeting with countless offices, we kept coming back to Joshua Tschirgi and True Path Capital Strategies.” True Path Capital Strategies, founded in 2016, specializes in assisting people of retirement age plan to accumulate, preserve, and then ultimately utilize and distribute their wealth. The company is based in West Linn, Oregon.