July 24, 2023

Bosa to begin sales effort for 143 Bellevue condos, as start date nears

Rendering by Amanat Architect [enlarge]

This view looks east at Park Row, as if from the neighboring park.

Redevelopment plans go back some four years for the doomed old Park Row strip mall, at 201 Bellevue Way N.E. Bosa Development paid $36 million for the downtown Bellevue property in 2019. A condo proposal emerged from Amanat Architect the following year. That now stands at 22 stories and 143 units.

The city issued a SEPA determination of non-significance this week for the project. The appeal period ends Aug. 3. In Bosa's SEPA application, updated last year, a possible start date this fall is mentioned — but not assured.

Even as a demolition permit is pending for the strip mall, that timeline may only be conjectural. The project yet isn't listed on Bosa's website. And the Park Row complex still looks to be full of tenants — all likely on short-term leases.

But, significantly, at Bosa's previously developed One88 condominium tower (kitty-corner to the Park Row site), Amanat filed a plan in April for a coming new Park Row sales center. The Downtown Bellevue Network blog first reported the news in May. The city hasn't yet approved the sales-center plan, which is to occupy about 5,289 square feet at One88. That's large enough for a model unit. Or two.

Permit applications have been submitted for below-grade and above-ground work. Once ground is broken, a project of that scale would take two-plus years to finish. Or possibly three.

Park Row — a name that may or may not stick — is directly east of Bellevue Downtown Park, guaranteeing unobstructed views for at least some units. It's only steps south of Bellevue Square, on the corner of Northeast Second Street. As ever, Bosa knows how to pick prime locations — no matter what price. (One88 is east of Bellevue Way, and Park Row to the west.)

The Park Row plan includes about 8,465 square feet for restaurant, retail and commercial use. Per the city, to help complement the park, a 4,700-square-foot outdoor plaza will wrap around the north side of Park Row. Outdoor restaurant seating seems likely there.

Building amenities, on two levels, are also massed to the north, beneath an upswept roof. Those are to include a pool and gym.

Units look to run from a one-bedroom with 728 square feet to three-bedrooms with 2,000 square feet. The top two penthouse levels, 21 and 22, have just three units per floor. Those run to over 3,000 square feet. Many if not all units will have balconies.

Residents and commercial visitors will have 217 parking stalls on three underground levels, with the garage entry on Second. There are also a few structured stalls.

Parking and amenities contribute to a total project size of 408,414 square feet. The architect's permit application form includes an estimated project value of $109 million.

Bosa typically builds its own projects, and does its marketing in-house. Its Park Row team also includes PFS Studio, landscape architect; Glotman Simpson, structural engineer; Haladay Parks, mechanical engineer; Glumac, energy modeling; Haley & Aldrich (formerly Hart Crowser), geotechnical; KPFF, civil; Bush, Roed & Hitchings, surveyor; TenW, traffic consultant; Coffman Engineers, code consultant; OTJ, interiors; Lerch Bates, facade access; 4EA Building Science, envelope; and ECNW, pool consultant.

Meanwhile, Bosa and Amanat are also planning 431 condos, in three towers, on a site directly south of One88. That 3-acre parcel, with some pollution from a long-gone gas station, is on the corner of Bellevue Way and Main Street.