OPINION: "Group Health Overlake Master Plan" could morph Overlake Neighborhood into a "glitzy urban center."

This is "the heart and soul" of Overlake urban center -- President Richard Cole

UPDATED OPINION:  Hold onto your hats.  Redmond residents are in for a ride of their life once "Group Health Overlake Master Plan" gets underway.  The ride could last for years - the roads dusty?   Patience with the flag men.  Will  "Avoid Overlake" tweet?   But, the potential for this district!  Oh, My!  All you have to do is live long enough. 

The mayor has many names for Overlake -- "a neighborhood," "a village," an "urban center" and the "glitzy part of Redmond."  Whichever name you choose Overlake is sure to be Redmond's urban mecca 20 years from now, leaving our current downtown, the "Old Redmond."

Last week, Redmond city planners presented council with an overview of the 28-acre "Group Health Overlake Master Plan."   Notice of Hearing.  A Hearing is scheduled for October 18th at 7:30 PM in City Hall.   Send your comments for the record to Associate Planner Denis Lisk by October 18. Email:  dwlisk@redmond.gov.   Or call 556-2400. City council  must approve this plan.

The development plan started years ago when Group Health closed their Redmond hospital, located at 15670 NE 85th Street - between 152th Ave and 156 Ave, two blocks north of NE 24th Street.

Group Health and the City of Redmond agreed on a long range development plan for the parcel.   Five types of projects will have to be permitted.  Phase One will develop 1.38 million square feet of office, hotel, and retail.  Most of the construction phase is on the north and east of the parcel, along 156th AVE and includes:

• 12-story, 180 room hotel and conference center (NE corner with underground parking).
• 4 - 10 story commercial office parks (north and SE corner) with landscaped courts and plazas.
• 25,000 s.f. ground floor retail  (on the west along 152nd Ave. -  might be included in this phase)
• 2.6 acre grassy park with pathway up the middle of the site.

Phase Two includes 1400 multi-family residential units in the NW and SW parcel areas.  Development progress depends on transportation infrastructure.  An SR 520 access ramp is crucial.  NE 26th Street construction and grid build-out is needed along with Sound Transit.


Group Health is in the background - trees are scattered between parking areas.

 TREES:  The site is located on hill rising from west to east and covered with 1050 trees scattered throughout the parking areas.  Enormous amounts of earth-moving, grading and clearing are necessary to make a "hardscape" suitable for building.   Underground parking garages will compound the work.  Large earth-moving equipment and trucks traveling local roads may be expected for several years at a time.  Read More >>


The equivalent of a 10 acre forest will be cleared in phases, totaling 965 "significant trees" and 65 "Landmark" trees.  Every last one.  City council must approve two "Exceptions" for 100% tree removal.  Planner Dennis Lisk writes:

"There is no requirement in the Zoning code for a similar tree buffer to apply to the Group Health property as was done for Microsoft andor Nintendo campuses."  

Even trees retained or planted in the park aren't required, according to Development Manager Judd Black.  Group Health is negotiating for increased building height allowances and reduced impact fees before they will allow park development beyond hydro-seeding.  "Double-dipping" was alluded to by several councilmembers and talks continue.

The removed trees will be replaced  3:1 (and 6:1 for landmarks) off site, on park land, new parks, open space, and private native growth easements.  Of course the trees will be smaller saplings.  A total of 3,345 trees and 31,220 shrubs will be planted to reforest the unamed off-site open spaces.  A list of proposed replacement sites is available at the permit center.  1,000 will be planted right away to "jump-start the project.   

Mr. Lisk said "temporary stormwater vaults are allowed on project sites for five years until the regional stormswater trunk line is complete."

President Richard Cole calls the Group Health site "the heart and soul we are going to build Overlake Village around".  Overlake is destined to be much more than this 28-acre master plan, providing light rail can access the Urban Center.  

Mike Hubbard is the owner-representative for Group Health.  Contact:  m.hubbard@capstone-partners.com
The arborist contact is: Jim@urbanforestryservices.com
Your best contact for the Record is Dennis Lisk:  dwlisk@redmond.gov  425-556-2400

Group Health is the green square left of 156th Ave NE and right of 520, north of 24th St.

View Larger Map

Notice of Hearing

Report and Opinion by Bob Yoder
Photo by Yoder