September 11, 2025

Wilburton proposal could have 1,043 senior units, possible home for Bastyr

Renderings by Rice Fergus Miller [enlarge]

Rice Fergus Miller filed the plan this month for what’s now dubbed EverGlen Village.

East of the freeway in Bellevue, past the Whole Foods, Wilburton Station and car dealerships, are Evergreen Court and the Glendale Apartments, two neighboring affordable apartment complexes developed over 50 years ago. Both are owned by the nonprofit DASH, aka Downtown Action to Save Housing, which has a dozen other affordable housing properties in east King County.

About five years back, DASH and related senior-housing arm Transforming Age initiated plans for an upzone for those 8-plus acres, which would allow denser mixed-use redevelopment. This past July, DASH acquired a tear-down pair of small office buildings between its two senior-housing communities. (Those also face future demolition.)

Earlier this month came the initial plan, filed by Rice Fergus Miller, for what's now dubbed EverGlen Village, which could total around 1,043 affordable units for seniors. Units would mostly be one- and two-beds.

The city uses the west Evergreen Court address, at 900 124th Ave. N.E., to track the whole project. It's not yet in design review, but new details are emerging in city records. A five-building development might total around 1.2 million square feet. Mass-timber construction is being contemplated, with building heights up to 10 stories.

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A five-building development might total around 1.2 million square feet.

Numbers will surely change. For now, the blue-sky notion includes 350 underground parking stalls; 13,000 square feet of offices; and 80,000 square feet of retail/and or community space.

For the latter, the project website indicates a possible new home for Bastyr University — which is currently attempting to sell its Kenmore campus. Bastyr announced its intention in May; Berkadia is its broker. Whether a successful sale is a precondition for a move to Wilburton remains to be seen.

DASH quietly announced the plan on its blog in June. Funding sources aren't detailed. Its project website mentions the Amazon Housing Equity Fund as a possible backer — but that's by no means guaranteed.

No developer or partner is obviously attached. The project website states, “EverGlen Village and Transforming Age are accepting partnership proposals for premium ground floor-retail space dedicated to fellow nonprofit partners and other stakeholders invested in building a one-of-a-kind community.”

The website certainly describes a very ambitious plan, also to include a possible YMCA location, hydroponic gardening, extensively landscaped walkways and courtyards, plus rooftop solar panels and green roofs. Other names mentioned as possible collaborators include Music Works NW, CIRC Resident Services and SHAG. The latter, aka Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations, affiliated with DASH three years ago.

The project brief says the goal is to create “a vibrant village for older adults that embodies a restful, organic and warm community spirit.” That might include a childcare center, Montessori school, a branch library, community art gallery and various forms of retail.

Says DASH, “Our hub connects residents with diverse programs and opportunities in partnership with leading local organizations, fostering sustainability, stewardship, responsibility, and a profound impact on our environment and community. Together, we cultivate a sense of belonging, resilience, and shared joy — a place that redefines the dream of aging gracefully while being a catalyst for positive change.”

For now, the west Evergreen complex has about 84 units, and the east Glendale totals about 82 units. No demolition plans have been filed.