Friday, December 5, 2008

2/4/09, UPDATED: Will Redmond Town Center partner with the City on flood protections and salmon preservation?

2nd in a series of opinions on Redmond Town Center.

UPDATED 2/4/2009  You'll find a post 2 days ago trying to understand the relationship between Redmond Town Center and the City. Talk from some neighbors and my review of several city council meetings reveal the city was negotiating with Redmond Town Center for Bear Creek buffer land. It appeared from these talks the city was frustrated with Redmond Town Center and their owner, Macerich REIT.  Its since been learned, the relationship is back on track with hopefully no strings attached by Macerich.

According to Mayor John Marchione: "...Regarding the (Redmond) blog, the City has a very good relationship with Redmond Town Center. We are working together to transfer land buffering Bear Creek to City control. Earlier in the year we approached Macerich for permission to perform survey work on the land in anticipation of the project. There was a delay as attorney’s work on language. But the delay was weeks, not months or years.....  Read More >>

The land purchased we discussed, rather obliquely, is not related to the Bear Creek relocation at all. In my eleven months, the relationship with Macerich is going swimmingly (yes, pun intended). We want to continue to work with Macerich and our other business partners to make Redmond a great city to live, work, shop, and play. Together we can protect and enhance the environment and add to our open spaces for everyone to enjoy."
12-3

By "swimmingly", John could be referring to the severe December floods at RTC property over the last two years. The next flood is bound to be much worse after four new lanes on SR520 lanes are expanded into the creek flood-zone. Redmond needs the Bear Creek buffers restored to safeguard Redmond Town Center merchants and SR520. Macerich REIT built the Center on a 100-year flood plain.

link from the Consent Agenda of 2/3/09. about the city's buffer aquisition plan.

Macerich partners with the City to promote the Winter Lights Festival to make Redmond a great city to live and and attract customers to RTC. Macerich REIT should further our partnership to protect and enhance our environment by contributing to our open space. Endangered, wild salmon need protections as much as RTC needs 1) flood hazard protections and 2) a "green" amenity to attract customers. Marcerich REIT could benefit tremendously by being socially responsible to our neighborhoods by dedicating their idle buffer land to public open space. A Win! Win!
 
INFORMATION ON THE 10th ANNUAL WINTER FESTIVAL
Sunday, December 7, 2008 TIME: 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Event begins at Redmond City Hall Campus

Gather at City Hall Plaza for fun activities and a festive tree lighting, followed by a winter walk along the Sammamish River past diverse music and light displays, ending at Redmond Town Center. At Redmond Town Center, enjoy tastes of complimentary holiday treats, kids crafts, and entertainment from our community and around the world.

December 7, 5-8pm, Redmond Town Center
Food and Beverages
Enjoy complimentary tastes of food and beverages
representing the diversity of our community


Seasonal Songs - NW Boychoir
Hispanic Dance - Joyas Mesteas
Caribbean Steel Drums - Islanders Steel Drum Band
Holiday Carols - Silverbells Carolers
Zydeco Accordion - Murl Allen Sanders
Multicultural International Vocalist - Gina Sala
Taiko Drummers - Kaze Daiko Taiko Ensemble
Kids Row
FREE Arts and Crafts hosted by faith communities of Redmond

Parking: Shuttle parking between RTC, City Hall, and Senior Center.

HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING PROGRAMS AT REDMOND TOWN CENTER

Home Team Harvest - Saturday, December 6
Redmond Town Center welcomes KING 5 News as they hold their annual HomeTeam Harvest to collect food donations for people in need. Community members can donate non-perishable food items on-site. SE Corner of Redmond Town Center near Red Robin Sat, Dec 6.
425-867-0808

Friends of Youth, Nov. 28 -Dec. 24Light up the holiday season for youth without homes or families. Just grab a tag and return a new, unwrapped gift or gift card.
Redmond Town Center, Center Street Plaza, 16595 NE 74th St
Nov 28- Dec 24
425-869-6490 x309, http://www.friendsofyouth.org/

It's a Wrap, Dec. 11
To make the holidays brighter for under served and economically challenged women, Redmond Town Center is hosting this great event. Volunteers will wrap new holiday gifts for women in our community who might not be receiving gifts this season. Volunteer to wrap a few gifts.
Dec 11 from 6-8pm
425-702-0303 Call Redmond Town Center for reservations and information.

----------------------outside of Redmond Town Center----------------------------------------
HOPELINK IS COLLECTING GIFTS AND FOOD AT THEIR HOPELINK OFFICE.
December to 22nd. 425-869-6024, http://www.hope-link.org/

OVERLAKE CHURCH IS HOSTING "WORLD VISION EXPERIENCE" FOR CHILDREN AND AIDS, December 11-16. 425-702-0303
Distributed to: Neighborhood Associations, LWSD PTSA'S, neighborhing cities and associations,
city commissions, advisory committees, RTC tenants; RTC Tenant and Redmond Resident Howard Frazier, CC: Steve Chaffee, Senior Property Manager of Macerich-RTC, Christine Henning, Marketing Manager of Macerich-RTC and Chamber member, Mayor/Council, Citizen Gary.

4 comments:

  1. Howard Frazier -

    This comment is to flag you and your fellow RTC Marcrich tenants & associates of this new post. I'll look for you around town. Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Bob,

    How's it going? I've been regularly coming back to your website and telling friends about it in the area. I was really interested in your post about Macerich and the RTC, especially because I did a two year floodplain study years back while in Oregon as a senior project and am bug-eyed at the lack of foresight that goes into planning these things out sometimes.

    Also, I wanted to let you know that we recently changed our name from Coffee.net to ChefSeattle.com, so I was hoping you wouldn't mind updating your blogroll with our new address. The old domain was a bit confusing to people, so we changed names and also revamped the site to make it more user-friendly.

    Thanks Bob and hope all is going well for you!

    -- Grant Yuan
    www.ChefSeattle.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I miss not getting ur email updates but I bookmark and glad to find this article on Town Ctr. Since they removed the movie theatre the place is different. I can't drop my kids off to shop around & see a movie. All the good stores r gone - A&F, Limited Too, Express, and Cowchip. No students at Cold Stone anymore. That new theatre is a joke. $30 for an airline seat with a button to call a personal attendant for $7 popcorn and $ wine (while they obsure your viedw). Not 2 family friendly. RTC forgot how many families and students used to come here.
    --Pam

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is certainly clear, the rumor about RTC's sour relationship with the City goes back to the days of the Ives Admininistration AND ENDS THERE. Mayor John Marchione is a good businessman as well as a strong financial and public administrator. He will do well for us in any city negotiation, with or without the public trying to help.

    ReplyDelete

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