Aug 22, 2019

Zillow Offers adds new markets

Zillow continues to roll out its Zillow Offers arm. The company announced this week that Miami, Fort Lauderdale and other parts of South Florida have been added to its online home-sales platform, which is based in Phoenix.

Zillow's Jeremy Wacksman said in a statement, “We're on a mission to transform real estate by creating a seamless experience through Zillow Offers — no more open houses or worrying about when your home will sell.”

Offers launched last year in Phoenix, and has added a dozen-plus markets since then. The Seattle-based company expects to expand into 26 markets by mid-2020, though Seattle is not among them. In its recent second quarter report, Zillow said that the Offers platform accounted for about half of its roughly $600 million in revenues.

Aug 15, 2019

Pike-Pine corridor walking tour

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AIA Seattle will host a walking tour and Urban Design Forum featuring the work of Graham Baba Architects and others along the trendy Pike-Pine corridor. And, appropriately, it'll be led by Jim Graham himself. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the courtyard of ChopHouse Row (a Graham Baba project). Details and registration: aiaseattle.org.

NAIOP DealMakers gathering

Sept. 10 marks the next DealMakers networking event, to be led by Marc Gearhart of Ryan Companies. The event takes place at 5 p.m. at DLR Group's headquarters (51 University St., Suite 600). Details and registration: naiopwa.org.

New wine bar in SLU

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The new 400 Fairview building in South Lake Union has a new tenant, which opens for business today: Associated Vintners Tasting Room & Wine Bar. The announcement came from Pembroke Real Estate of Boston, which led last year's $338 million sale from Skanska to the new ownership group.

The wine bar joins other food and beverage tenants in the market hall. It'll feature brands also owned by local company Precept Wine. Those include Browne Family Vineyards, Gruet, Waterbrook Winery, Canoe Ridge Vineyard and Cavatappi Winery.

Andrew Browne of Precept said in a statement, “Being in the heart of South Lake Union surrounded by local, innovative businesses was important for us.”

Precept last year opened Browne Family Vineyards' Tasting Room at Hudson Pacific Properties' King Street Crossing complex in Pioneer Square. Other tenants in the 400 Fairview market hall include Bar Harbor, Caffe Ladro, Juicy Cafe, Kai Market, mBar, Meat & Bread, Trophy Cupcakes, Urban Optix and Verde & Co.

Ziemba jumps to JLL

Jones Lang LaSalle that it has hired Sam Ziemba as senior vice president. He'll join the Eastside office. He makes the move from Colliers. JLL's Chris Hughes said in a statement, “Sam is a great addition to the team. His experience representing corporations and institutional clients along with local and regional owners is both dynamic and far reaching.”

Greystar plans upgrades to Shorewood on M.I.

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Two years ago, Greystar paid $210 million to a local group for the 645-unit Shorewood Apartments on Mercer Island, one of that city's first and oldest apartment complexes. It was developed on 44 acres in 1949 by Charles Clise, of the local real estate dynasty. Now the Charleston, South Carolina-based Greystar has announced a major new upgrade effort now underway for the 41 buildings at 3209 Shorewood Drive. The cost wasn't divulged.

Greystar's Karyn Grindstaff said in a statement, “We consider this project a wonderful reinvestment in the property.” The company recently renovated the community clubhouse and is now upgrading the apartments and sports pavilion.

Shorewood is close to Interstate 90, but also around six minutes by bike, or a 20-minute walk, to the park-and-ride lot, where Mercer Island Station will open to light rail service in 2023.