Sep 29, 2016

Realogics Sotheby's International Realty

Photo courtesy RSIR

Dean Jones of Realogics

On Monday, RSIR and Tiger Oak Media welcomed the inaugural flight of Xiamen Airlines to Sea-Tac International Airport with the second edition of its Mandarin-language magazine Seattle Luxury Living. Dean Jones, president and CEO of RSIR, said that Vancouver's new 15 percent tax on foreign buyers is steering Chinese customers from Canada to Seattle. “Puget Sound's relative affordability and close proximity to China have helped to make our region an increasingly preferred market for savvy Chinese,” he said. The Vancouver tax went into effect on Aug. 2. Said Jones the Chinese real estate website Juwai.com has reported that in August real estate inquiries for Vancouver fell 86 percent while they rose 146 percent for Seattle.

Columbia Asia

Columbia Asia, an affiliate of local health care company Columbia Pacific Management, announced its expansion to Africa with the recent opening of a 5,300-square-foot medical clinic in Nairobi. The clinic specializes in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology and dental care. This is also the launch of a new brand: Columbia Africa. Columbia Asia has 27 hospitals and one clinic in India, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, all intended to serve those countries' rising middle class. Columbia Asia has 10,000 employees serving more than 2.5 million patients a year. In a statement, Columbia Asia CEO John Northen said, “Africa has become a growing market for us. Kenya is the economic, commercial and logistical hub for all of East Africa, with Nairobi as a major center of growth and foreign investment, so the city was a great fit for our first Columbia Africa facility.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

At the recent Built Green Conference in Bothell, Berkshire agents Tim Bower, Sunny Tumber, Paul Poirier, Mark Leingang and Ken Arkills accepted a Green Genius award for their work with Green Canopy Homes. The latter has been an active homebuilder in neighborhoods including Fremont, Mount Baker and Ballard.

Sep 22, 2016

Tarragon

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Lakeland Commons in Auburn.

Tarragon recently started two projects: 234 apartments in Frederickson and a 3.7-acre retail development in Auburn. The first phase of Sawyer Trail apartments is set for completion next summer, with 234 units in 11 buildings on a 25-acre site. Outdoor event space, pool deck, field house and fitness center, walking trails and playgrounds are included. No start date has been announced for the second phase, which will add 335 units. Here is the team: architect Milbrandt, structural engineer CT Engineering, civil engineer Barghausen Consulting Engineering and landscape architect Bradley Design Group.

This is the second phase of retail space at Lakeland Commons in Auburn. Three buildings will contain 17,400 square feet, plus there will be mini-storage in a separate three-story 100,000-square-foot building. Mackenzie is the architect, landscape architect and structural engineer. Apex is the civil engineer. No tenants have been announced. Justin Holmes and Josh Parnell of First Western Properties are the leasing agents.

Urban Land Institute

On Wednesday, Oct. 12, ULI will host a panel discussion at MG2's office, 1101 Second Ave., on “District Energy: What's stopping us from sharing in the sharing economy?” Topics will include sharing energy, reducing carbon footprints, ground-source heat pumps, solar, sewer heat recovery, wind power and micro-hydro power. One local example is Mack Urban's Cyrene Apartments, which will get energy Enwave Seattle, formerly Seattle Steam. The ULI panel will be moderated by Dave Cook (Aspect Consulting) and Lavina Sadhwani (Seneca Group), with Seattle City Council member Mike O'Brien, John Gaines (Freehold), Jim Leask (GeoTility) and Sairia Rhodes (Van Ness Feldman). Details and registration at (206) 224-4500 or uli.org.

Colliers International

In a recent update for apartment investors, Dylan Simon of Colliers said the boom will keep going in Seattle thanks to the continuing growth in wages and jobs. Simon says: “Given the region's diversified and growing job sectors, high lifestyle desirability and room for economic expansion, job and wage growth will continue to keep the Seattle apartment market vibrant and growing for the foreseeable future.”