Mayor Marchione gave a fascinating and thorough presentation to City Council of "The State of the City" last night. With all the changes going on around town he felt it was time to summarize "Who We Are" and Where Are We Going. Below is a summary of some of his talking points.
Redmond currently has a resident population of 56,000 with a growth management target of 78,000 some day. Redmond has more jobs than people at 79,000. Most of them are skilled computer science jobs (48%) including some skilled machinists. Some day the city expects to harbor jobs for 119,000 workers.
Redmond is composed of 10 neighborhoods, 40 acres of parks, and 40 miles of trails (and more trails if you count the myriad of informal trails between developments). Redmond is a young town and getting younger with an average peak age between 20-34. The largest group is between 5-44 years. Redmond is 45% 'other than Caucasian' with 1/3 of residents speaking a language other than English in their homes. Over 80% of our residents have an education higher than high school and the most prevalent household size grouping is two/household.
Redmond has won several awards from national publications for quality of life. In 2012 the city won Money Magazine's Top Five "Best Places to Live" for cities under 300,000. Redmond was also awarded best place for young people, young professionals and best place to raise a family.
According to the video tape applause as heard on www.redmond.gov of John's speech to One Redmond a few months back, the business community is supportive of the Cleveland - Redmond Way couplet reversal. John said work will begin first quarter of 2016 to change Clevelend Street to 2-way with 3 lanes and change Redmond Way to 2-way with 4 lanes. The second phase of the Downtown Park development will begin in the summer of this year and next. John said it will be congested there owing to using the park development as a staging area for Cleveland Street improvements.
The "Redmond Central Connector" spine that parallels Cleveland Street should be mostly developed with trails and art from the Red Robin to the Trestle Bridge over Redmond Way -- in time for a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for September, 2013. A Sound Transit Station is planned for the south side of the Connector in 2025 but it is not yet funded.
Besides all the high rises and cranes you see underway the city has permits in review for an additional 437 residential units and 7,000 SF of retail. It appeared John's slide show showed four or five additional buildings in the permitting plans. A significant stormwater vault is planned along 85th Street across from Kentucky Fried Chicken. It will clean stormwater before draining into the Sammamish River.
5,000 new homes and 25,000 new jobs are expected in the Overlake Urban Center within the next 20 years. A critical access ramp into the neighborhood from SR520 will relieve congestion brought on by high job densities. Light rail service is planned by 2023. Two parks are planned for the Overlake neighborhood. One park will be built over a huge stormwater vault in the Sears parking lot. Vault construction is 2-3 years out.
Marchione credited the council for their participation in regional matters...in particular the Sound Cities Association (SCA). Pat Vache', Hank Margeson, Kim Allen, John Stilin, and the Mayor are all on one or two SCA committees. The Mayor is also on four other regional committees (ARCH, NORCOM, EPSCA, and RPEC).
John concluded that it appears Redmond is weathering the 2008-2012 recession with assessed property values back to 2008 levels. He said "growth is marching to the vision for the city" even though it's a little shocking at times.
Reported by Bob Yoder
Redmond currently has a resident population of 56,000 with a growth management target of 78,000 some day. Redmond has more jobs than people at 79,000. Most of them are skilled computer science jobs (48%) including some skilled machinists. Some day the city expects to harbor jobs for 119,000 workers.
Redmond is composed of 10 neighborhoods, 40 acres of parks, and 40 miles of trails (and more trails if you count the myriad of informal trails between developments). Redmond is a young town and getting younger with an average peak age between 20-34. The largest group is between 5-44 years. Redmond is 45% 'other than Caucasian' with 1/3 of residents speaking a language other than English in their homes. Over 80% of our residents have an education higher than high school and the most prevalent household size grouping is two/household.
Redmond has won several awards from national publications for quality of life. In 2012 the city won Money Magazine's Top Five "Best Places to Live" for cities under 300,000. Redmond was also awarded best place for young people, young professionals and best place to raise a family.
According to the video tape applause as heard on www.redmond.gov of John's speech to One Redmond a few months back, the business community is supportive of the Cleveland - Redmond Way couplet reversal. John said work will begin first quarter of 2016 to change Clevelend Street to 2-way with 3 lanes and change Redmond Way to 2-way with 4 lanes. The second phase of the Downtown Park development will begin in the summer of this year and next. John said it will be congested there owing to using the park development as a staging area for Cleveland Street improvements.
The "Redmond Central Connector" spine that parallels Cleveland Street should be mostly developed with trails and art from the Red Robin to the Trestle Bridge over Redmond Way -- in time for a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for September, 2013. A Sound Transit Station is planned for the south side of the Connector in 2025 but it is not yet funded.
Besides all the high rises and cranes you see underway the city has permits in review for an additional 437 residential units and 7,000 SF of retail. It appeared John's slide show showed four or five additional buildings in the permitting plans. A significant stormwater vault is planned along 85th Street across from Kentucky Fried Chicken. It will clean stormwater before draining into the Sammamish River.
5,000 new homes and 25,000 new jobs are expected in the Overlake Urban Center within the next 20 years. A critical access ramp into the neighborhood from SR520 will relieve congestion brought on by high job densities. Light rail service is planned by 2023. Two parks are planned for the Overlake neighborhood. One park will be built over a huge stormwater vault in the Sears parking lot. Vault construction is 2-3 years out.
Marchione credited the council for their participation in regional matters...in particular the Sound Cities Association (SCA). Pat Vache', Hank Margeson, Kim Allen, John Stilin, and the Mayor are all on one or two SCA committees. The Mayor is also on four other regional committees (ARCH, NORCOM, EPSCA, and RPEC).
John concluded that it appears Redmond is weathering the 2008-2012 recession with assessed property values back to 2008 levels. He said "growth is marching to the vision for the city" even though it's a little shocking at times.
Reported by Bob Yoder
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