Explorer Community School students win $1500 grant award

Explorer Community School in Redmond wins a greenhouse, grants and prizes

Five elementary schools in the greater Puget Sound, including Explorer Community School, have been awarded greenhouses, $1,500 in funding and other benefits from an alliance supporting education, nutrition and Washington agriculture.

A partnership of the International Greenhouse Company (IGC), the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) and Seattle television station KING 5 was joined this year by PCC Natural Markets to conduct the Kids Are Growing Contest.

Students at Explorer Community School were informed of their winning efforts at a school assembly on Tuesday, April 14.

“The competition is part of our efforts to educate the public on potatoes—their nutrition, value to the state and what it takes to grow them,” said Karen Bonaudi, Potato Commission Assistant Executive Director.

“PCC is so proud to participate in a contest that strives to improve childhood nutrition and education in our schools, a cause that is right in line with the mission of our Kid Picks program,” said Tom Monahan, Marketing Manager with PCC Natural Markets.

Each school receives a greenhouse from the IGC, a $1,000 grant along with educational materials from the WSPC and a $500 gift from PCC Natural Markets.

PCC Press Release: About PCC Natural Markets: Headquartered in Seattle, WA, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retailer, with annual sales of $133 million and an active membership of nearly 45,000. PCC operates nine locations in the Fremont, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Seward Park, Kirkland, Issaquah, Redmond and Edmonds neighborhoods. www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

Savvy builder is proving that "Green sells".

Sometime within the next 2-3 years a mixed-use "residential-business" complex could well be built in SE Redmond adjacent Marymoor Park and the Sammamish Trail. (6089 - 6213 East Lake Sammamish Park.) "Marymoor Park Place" will be 2 buildings, 4 stories tall, with business use on the 1st floor and 50 multi-family residential units on floors 2-4. 10% of the units will be "affordable". A photo and vicinity map of the triangular project site is found here. The triangular site is south of Les Schwab.

But the Peter Chee landowners/developers have a few hurtles to overcome before they can build:

1. They are asking the City to change the zoning for that area from Manufacturing Park (MP) to Business Park (BP). This zoning change is precedent setting for the city.
   
2. In April 2007, the Council voted 5-2 against the Chee's proposal for R-18 zoning. Council's reasons were a) economic diversity loss, b) use incompatibility, c) housing was not needed.
   
3. Council and Planning Commission must approve both the zoning change and the mixed-use project.
   

The Chee family are savvy developers. To sell their program, the Chees are taking full advantage of the city's "Residential Green Permitting Program" and community recognition for the values of sustainable living. They are focusing on a sustainable site, as follows:

1. "Hardscapes" (impervious surfaces) are reduced by building underground parking.
   
2. Drought tolerant plants will be used. Leyland Cyprus will buffer noise from the manufacturing zone.
   
3. Solar PV panels will be installed on the roofs - 30% power will be conserved.
   30-40% energy consumption will be saved by using LEEDS approved light fixtures and occupancy sensors.
   
4. Over 90% of construction debris will be recycled. Extra insulation and laminate windows will reduce sound and energy waste. Less toxic and volatile glues and paints will improve air quality.
   
5. The Chee's property will achieve a LEED'S Gold Award for sustainability -- one level higher than City Hall's Silver rating.

Taking advantage of their proximity to the Lake Sammamish Park Trail, the Chees expect residents to bike to work and play. The Chees plan for locked storage of bicycles to encourage trip reduction.

MP will have to be rezoned to BP to make the project work. Manufacturing (MP) is not attractive in Redmond. Rents are two times less expensive in Kent and Auburn. The Chee's BP zoning will allow for a wide variety of choices for businesses and bring new jobs into Redmond. The Chee's Marymoor Park Place will be right at the Gateway into SW Redmond. They say their BP mixed-use buildings will be more attractive for our Gateway that manufacturing. Who could doubt that?

The Chee's project seems a no-brainer. The City and it's leadership has changed since Council's decision two years ago. Existing manufacturers in Redmond have had plenty of time to lobby for preservation of Manufacturing zones. But, land costs are high in Redmond. Rezoning to BP is a compromise where almost everyone wins. The Chee family appear model citizens and developers who have a lot of pride in their work. We are fortunate to have them.

See how Council and Planning Commission voted two years ago.