June 18, 2026

Arbory begins leasing its 82 Madison Valley units, with PCC to follow

Photo by Brian Miller [enlarge]

Planning began in 2016; the land sale finally came in 2023.

It was about two and a half years ago when builder Redhawk Group began the difficult shoring for an apartment project at 2925 E. Madison St.

The site slopes down steeply on its east side. The irregular wedge-shaped property had been the longtime home to City People's Garden Store. Developer Velmeir acquired the land in mid-2023, not long before construction began. City People's closed earlier that same year.

Last week came the temporary certificate of occupancy for the 82-unit Arbory, which was designed by Studio Meng Strazzara. It presents three and four stories along Madison.

Velmeir began planning the project a decade ago, and endured considerable opposition from neighbors. It took two trips to the city Hearing Examiner before the MUP was secured. PCC was an announced tenant when construction finally did begin. That grocer hopes to open by this fall.

The Arbory leasing website has been live for at least two months now. Featured monthly rents include $4,795 for a large townhouse-style unit with two bedrooms; that has 1,160 square feet. A top-floor one-bed with 665 square feet goes for $2,595. Up to six weeks of free rent is now being offered as an incentive to new residents.

Leasing website photo [enlarge]

A top-floor one-bed with 665 square feet goes for $2,595.

Amenities include air conditioning in many units, a package room, roof deck and barbecue … and the PCC downstairs, of course.

PCC confirmed its plans in April to take the main retail bay, with about 26,920 square feet. On the building's pointy northeast prow, Brynn Estelle Telkamp of BeRetail represents the 1,600 square feet that seem destined for use as a coffee shop.

Parking for shoppers and tenants has about 140 stalls on two underground levels. Some have EV charging. Tenants have about 32 bike stalls.

The Arbory team also included HAL Real Estate, financial partner; Banner Bank, construction lender; Thrive, the new property manager; Navix, civil engineer; Quantum Consulting Engineers, structural; Lisa Wiggins Design, interiors; Thomas Rengstorf & Associates, landscape architect; Barghausen Consulting Engineers, surveyor; GeoEngineers, geotechnical; and Emerald City Engineers, MEP.