May 15, 2023

Compass targets July start for 312 Bellevue units atop parking garage

Rendering by Encore Architects [enlarge]

The old garage, with new retail and a brick facade, will be completely unrecognizable after the addition.

One of the more unusual apartment projects in Bellevue history could start in July, according to recent SEPA filings with the city. Atop an ugly old parking garage at 10850 N.E. Eighth St., a new five-story apartment building is planned. It'll have about 312 units. The entire hybrid complex will rise to about 85 feet, well below the downtown zoning maximum.

Encore Architects is designing the project, dubbed Plaza Center Residential for now. Compass Construction is the builder, and Pastakia + Associates is the developer for the owners of US Bank Plaza and Plaza Center, which flank the garage. KBS and Keppel, of Singapore, bought the half-block office complex in 2017. The addition was announced two years ago.

The city issued a SEPA determination of non-significance last week for the downtown project. The appeal period ends May 25. If it indeed starts in July, completion is expected by April 2025.

Encore's design hasn't changed much. A C-shaped building footprint will create a deep, south-facing courtyard. Two small cabin-style amenity buildings are planned for the courtyard, along with landscaping, barbecue areas, etc. That corresponds roughly to the fourth level of the existing garage. And the 41-year-old garage will get a new facade facing Eighth, mostly hiding the cars within.

The garage and apartment facades will also differ greatly, with different color schemes, a beltline terrace to separate them and undulating window bays for the apartments

In addition, the ground floor of the old garage will get about 3,200 square feet of new retail/commercial space. The mostly brick-face makeover for the garage, along with new awnings and landscaping, should make that traditionally traffic-choked stretch of Eighth a little more pedestrian-friendly.

Unit types and sizes aren't specified, but most apartments look to be generously sized one- and two-bedrooms. The new construction will total some 244,095 square feet.

Public pedestrian connectors will flank the project, east and west, with separation from the old office towers. Office workers will still maintain access to the garage, of course, but with its capacity reduced by some 300 stalls down to 877 stalls. (It also has some underground levels.) The entire complex is a short walk south to the future Bellevue Downtown Station, which should open in 2025 — nicely matching the construction schedule.

The team also includes KPFF, civil; Weisman Design Group, landscape architect; GeoEngineers, geotechnical; AEI Consultants, SEPA consultant; Bush, Roed & Hitchings, surveyor; and CKC Structural Engineers. The latter firm will devise new supports in the garage for the additional structure above.