Critical Area Ordinance, Public Comment

 Great Blue Heron / credit John Reinke 
Sammamish River, Redmond, WA.   

Hello Planning Commissioners:

I only caught part of your meeting last night, but it sounds like the State is requiring updates to the Critical Area Ordinance? 

As a college educated biologist -- similar to Mayor Angela Birney -- Critical Areas are important to me.   In the Ives Administration, I made "Species of Local Importance" and "Habitat of Local Importance" comments to the Planning Commission chaired by Mr. Snodgrass.  After much discussion, the commission decided on the Great Blue Heron (GBH) and Riparian habitat in which it lives.   

During Mayor Marchione's first term he proclaimed "Riparian as city Habitat of Importance".  In that Proclamation, he designated Riparian buffer protections for Class I  streams; Riparian is regulated.  (Check with Principle Planner Cathy Beam or the Public Records Dept. to verify.)    

Riparian habitat is the green band of vegetation that grows along our creeks and streams. Riparian habitat is critical for flood and erosion controls, stream water quality, endangered salmon and wildlife habitat and valued as a city asset.  Developers will use riparian as an amenity.  The cultural significance of riparian was unveiled when Lower Bear Creek was relocated and restored onto Indian lands dating back 10,000 years.  

  

The Snodgrass commission decided on the GBH as the city Species of Local Importance, without protections or any regulations.  I think, unless you change things, the GBH species designation is purely symbolic.  What tremendous cultural significance this wader bird brings to our city --  Redmond's LOGO of course, RTC's illuminated heron art, The Redmond & Marymoor rookeries, nature, education, beauty, and visible abundance. You know this!

I'm not sure where you are in the decision-making process.  Our natural environment could be the most significant asset we have in this city. Please continue to protect our critical Riparian habit and make provisions to celebrate the Big Bird.  

Respectfully,  

Bob Yoder 

written comment

meeting video, 4/10/2024

Cathy Beam, Redmond's environmental planner of 30 years announced her retirement at this meeting.  Cathy guided Redmond through the difficult years of  subdivisions, preliminary plats, master plans, public works projects, open space, and business development.  A kind, beloved professional, she will be missed and remembered.   

UPDATED, 2/21/2024 On The Proposed New Redmond Town Center

REDMOND TOWN CENTER REDEVELOPMENT 

Hines will host two neighborhood meetings over the next 12 months. The first meeting will be SOON, in March 6th of 2024 at RTC campus office.  Contact mayor@redmond.gov for times. 

The center's Master Plan review by Council is now underway.  Notably, in addition to the 12-story buildings, three 7-story mixed used residential building are planed.  

 Protecting Redmond’s Aquifer: we’ve positioned all parking above ground to avoid any impact to the aquifer and reduce the carbon impact during construction.

Affordable Housing: At full development, Redmond Town Center will feature up to 200 units of transit-oriented, affordable housing – 2x the minimum contained in the inclusionary zoning ordinance, at 60% of  "Average Median Income."

74th Street: Streetscape improvements on 74th include a transition to a pedestrian-first, engaging open space to enliven the center of the retail core.

Ground Floor Retail: The design includes a net increase of 15,000 – 35,000 square feet of ground floor, pedestrian generating and retail uses, with a portion of that reserved for local, smaller shop retail uses.

Pedestrian and Intersection Improvements: Street and intersection improvements at 166th, 164th, and 76th streets will provide a much more engaging, pedestrian oriented ground plane experience.

Green Roofs: Vegetated green roofs will be included in non-mechanical areas of new building construction to help reduce the urban heat island and help manage stormwater run-off.

Schedule Updates & Opportunities for Feedback:

Neighborhood Meetings:

Hines will host two neighborhood meetings over the next 12 months. The first meeting will be SOON, in March 6th of 2024 at RTC campus office.  Contact info@redmond.gov for times. with another coming in late summer - ~August of 2024. Further details to come here.

Thank you again for participating and sharing your input and questions. We’ll follow up with more updates soon. In the meantime, please visit our Feedback section to respond to our new questions!

-- Hines, 1/12/2024

To find additional blog posts on Redmond Town Center click the "RTC" label. These stories were found at the blog search button. Here are some posts on downtown and the downtown buildings.

UPDATED: Second 8-Story Building Planned for 80th & Leary

Excellent project!    Design Review Board 1 Presentation  Listen to the presentation!

Councilmember Vanessa Kritzer has been a strong advocate for more day-care space in Redmond. The Design Review Board reported day-care space is planned for this project!  Massing of the prominent Redmond Grand apartments on 166th and Redmond way is terrible.  This particular project (west & adjacent to the 8-story "Arco" project) has very creative architecture helping to reduce the massing affect.  Harvey Fairbourne, the new owner of RTC could learn from this exciting new project.

16310 NE 80th ST (& Leary) is a new proposed 85’ tall, 1.18 acre residential apartment building located on 80th Street in downtown Redmond, WA. It is comprised of 8 floors above grade, one level below grade totaling 347,713 sf with 260 parking spaces and 270 residential units. It includes a 5-story wood-framed residential tower above a 3-story concrete podium. Ground level uses include residential lobby/lounge, units and indoor open space that serves the neighborhood, as well as residents. 

Redmond Lights 2023 - Hrailmore Ukrainian Band

Soloist with choir:   1:58 minutes

Chorus with man and boy featured 58 seconds

by Yoder, 12/4/2023

UPDATED: Redmond Lights Festivities, No rain, Good Times!

Saturday, December 2nd 4-8 p.m. Kick-off Event downtown

Yay, it didn't rain!  no wind or cold!  For us, the best part of Redmond Lights were the unannounced musical performances in Redmond Town Center.  

We were fortunate to find a few of them.  By far, our favorite were the Hrailmore Ukrainian carolers!...beautiful people, happy and heartwarming music...singing and dancing in authentic Ukrainian dress.  Watch them perform on their Facebook site here!  And, watch a short performance here!  

The Ukrainian carolers at Redmond Town Center

Underneath the RTC Christmas Tree
Merry Christmas from Bob, Pam and Zoey Yoder!

Four years from now when RTC is fully redeveloped I hope Fairbourne (the RTC owner) will commission performances at the Center every month.  It would be good for the retailers and the community.

-- Bob Yoder, 12/3/2023 

Exciting Changes Coming to Redmond Town Center

 

Exciting changes coming to Redmond Town Center...

... but you'll have to wait until 2027

Timeline

Click to see what's in the works (and give feedback)

UPDATED OPINON 10/26: Seattle Times Spotlights City Of Redmond Planners

 Post and photo by Bob Yoder, 10/22/2023

Under construction, Redmond Square Apartments (aka The Grand) located in the heart of Redmond (Redmond Way and 166th Avenue NE); narrow sidewalks, limited bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and street shadowing, flat facade. Legacy Partners ($3 billion) partnered with a Bejing-based company to build this monolith. They didn't partner with the community as are the Redmond Town Center owners. 

Below are excerpts and highlights from Gregory Scrugg's Seattle Times October 10, 2023 opinion: "Redmond Could be a Model for Re-inventing Suburban Downtowns."  Mr. Scruggs is their outdoors reporter. The story primarily focuses on multimodal transportation in Downtown Redmond, not building design or character.  

"As Redmond has grown to 76,000 residents, a proper downtown has sprouted up around the city center’s handful of pre-World War II buildings. This kind of reinvention is happening around Puget Sound and across the country, a phenomenon called “retrofitting suburbia” in a 2008 book of the same name. Some argue multimodal Redmond is a national model for the trend.

Planners like the city of Redmond’s Jeff Churchill are tasked with a tricky job: figuring out how to revamp an outdated, car-dependent suburban template into a place that’s easier to get around on foot, bike or transit.

“The vision for this area becoming what it’s becoming has transcended multiple mayors and city council members,” Churchill said. “It’s been a very durable vision with a fair amount of buy-in.”

** “We’re going to put all our growth into downtown,” Churchill said. “That’s been the plan since the 1990s.” 

Civic interest in Redmond’s future remains high. On a September weeknight, several dozen people — local residents, civil servants and elected officials — joined advocacy group Move Redmond to see highlights and lowlights of navigating downtown Redmond on foot. 

The existing transit center, where express buses whisk residents to Microsoft’s Overlake campus or further along Highway 520 to Bellevue or Seattle, generally won praise. A curbless shared street between two apartment buildings, also known as a woonerf, elicited interest. A block lacking sidewalks near the new light-rail earned a “thumbs down.”

“Redmond is a suburb but downtown is trying to be a city,” Stevens said. “But it could be so much more.”

For example, Redmond touts itself as the bicycle capital of the Northwest, with its annual Derby Days races and its cycling velodrome at Marymoor Park, but on-street bike infrastructure is lacking. 

“I’m comfortable riding in the street, but I want the kids I see riding on the sidewalk to feel comfortable being out on the street, especially because that’s something cool about Redmond: families are living downtown,” Stevens said.

These were the kinds of insights that Move Redmond Executive Director Kelli Refer hoped to hear. Folks are eager to see what’s next, provided downtown Redmond keeps sticking with the plan.

That kind of steady hand offers lessons for retrofitting suburbs everywhere.

“Redmond is setting itself up to be a national model,” Refer said."

Gregory Scruggs: gscruggs@seattletimes.com; Gregory Scruggs is the outdoors reporter at The Seattle Times.

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** What's coming next... (City of Redmond)

** Redmond 2050 is evaluating higher densities by allowing taller buildings (generally between 10 and 19 stories depending on the Overlake station area). This would accommodate 19,000 to 23,000 new housing based on the development alternative options selected.  (Draft: Future Vision for Redmond:  Urban Centers.)

UPDATED 10/22: Downtown Redmond Light Rail Update

click to enlarge image

The first segment that will open is called the East Link Starter Line. It will only go from Redmond Technology Station to the South Bellevue Station. That is supposed to open in the spring of 2024. The section that will serve Marymoor Village Station and Downtown Redmond Station is supposed to open sometime in 2025. The East Link will cross Lake Washington, maybe sometime in 2025 or later.

 

Four-car trains will run every 8 minutes carrying up to 800 riders, 16 wheelchairs, 12 bicycles and multiple suitcases.  18-minutes from DT Redmond to Bellevue; 42 minutes from Bellevue to Seattle; 45 minutes to stadiums; 72 minutes to Sea-Tac Airport.  

Factoid:  Per Move Redmond, "9 out of 10 people who work in Redmond live outside the City due to the high cost of housing."

Thank you "Move Redmond" for providing these maps, information and your advocacy for transportation connectivity.  10/21/2023

UPDATED: Kirkland's "Urban Plaza" Glass Buildings

Kirkland's Urban Plaza - a similar 6-story building is across from a "living street" / Credit Bob Yoder

                                                          

I had an eye examination today in Kirkland.  My wonderful optometrist moved from Redmond Town Center to Kirkland's Urban Plaza and wow! ...that retail - apartment - commercial center is a beauty! 

Check out this 6-story mixed-use building and it's architecture. See the use of glass for the façade?  I'm sending this photo to the new Redmond Town Center owner asking him to seriously consider glass materials.  The owner, Fairbourne, is building two 12-story buildings; I hope he will build with innovative materials and architecture.  Residents crave a creative, sparkling downtown building that will make us proud to live here.  

I've been told Google owns all the Urban Plaza land.  A local office is on-site.  Of course, they have deep pockets and can afford architecture that looks great.  It makes me wonder why the city couldn't broker a deal between Microsoft and the previous RTC owner. What a huge opportunity. Well, we have Fairbourne instead.  They're supposed to be a premier retail developer.  Let's hope they know how to design outstanding buildings as well.    

 -- opinion/photo, Bob Yoder, 9/4/2023 

An Enhanced Historic District linked to RTC Will Mutually Stimulate Business

 An enhanced Historic District linked to RTC will stimulate business to both. The Downtown Park would be more lively. 

The Historic District is bisected by Leary Way, just to the west is the downtown park (DTP,) Redmond Town Center Retail (TWNC) is circled in red. Two 12-story buildings are planned.  It's possible BJ's may be demolished to further densify. 

Connecting the Downtown Park with the Historic District and RTC could create a valuable alternative pedestrian route for Redmond Lights, seasonal festivals and mobility in general. Food trucks (?) music and other entertainment at the Downtown Park would would attract pedestrian shoppers.  Strolling into the Historic District, the paradors could rest and stay warm at the eateries and shops.  At 164th, a crosswalk would link the district to RTC.  Artwork and wayfinding signage would draw people into RTC and the Historic District to shop, eat and be entertained.  We'd have a more dynamic downtown.

To make it all work, the Historic District needs to be enhanced.  Leary Way, bisecting the Historic District, should be a "Safe Street" for pedestrians and bicycles; limited cars.  Alleys might be restored. Some of the buildings would be restored or enhanced.  Others remodeled or rebuilt.  One Redmond has a deep interest in the vitality of small business. 

To date, Mayor Birney hasn't considered enhancing the district with the help on One Redmond.   An enhanced Historic District linked to RTC will stimulate business to both; the downtown park will be more lively.  

If you like this route and /or think the Mayor Birney should start improving the Historic District will you email her at Mayor@redmond.gov?  

-- Bob Yoder, 4/24/2023

   Community volunteer

UPDATED OPINION, 2/23/23: Redmond Town Center's New Owner Proposes Amendments Allowing 12-Story Buildings

Imagining a new town center

OPINION:  It's all so confusing and I'm still unclear.  The new owner of Redmond Town Center, Fairbourne Properties, is proposing "zone text amendments" that would allow two 12-story buildings on his property in exchange for "public benefits" such as, affordable housing, environmental stewardship, and business diversity (eg. retail retail, retail; restaurants, entrepreneurs, recreation, small business, commercial,   The benefits are vague and Council is working to clarify them.

A partial summary of the proposed amendments appear as follows:

1) Increase maximum height to 12-stories through an incentive program of 3 extra levels for above grade parking per building, electric bike space and decent pedestrian lighting.   

2) One amendment involves the owner offering "exceptional amenities" for additional height.  I crave colorful, covered plazas and courtyards, eclectic and cultural artworks, sustainable-public-rooftop-patios-with-pristine-views, public spaces for daycare and pets, and above all else, well lit performing arts spaces welcoming and entertaining all, including commercial and retail employees.  Pickleball is a craze and rooftop courts to activate the Center are being looked at.

3) It's my understanding, the final amendment, if passed, could expand "Town Center Mixed Use" into certain parcels along Bear Creek Parkway; serviced by an office gateway.  The expansion plan is unclear; and it may never happen.

-- Bob Yoder, Opinion, 1/30/2023, Updated 2/22/23, Resident of Redmond, WA.

SOURCES:  

Council "Planning and Public Works" Committee of the Whole memo, 1/3/2023, excerpted and edited.  Unfortunately, the city red-lined this memo. 

City Council memo, 1/17/2023 - discusses privately initiated text amendments.

FAIRBOURNE Properties (owner)

Hines, RTC owner's consultant and outreach arm.  (Patrick Woodruff is the Hines lead; he's local and enthusiastically seeking ALL opinions and feedback.) 

Engage with the community and the owner HERE)

Carol Helland, Director of Planning and Community Development.  (Ask for Ms. Helland's contact information at info@redmond.gov or Mayor@redmond.gov)

Arnold Tomac, Past President Redmond City Council, a Town Center founder, and co-founder of the Ped/Bike Advisory Committee.  Arnie's BIO.  

-- Bob Yoder, 2/23/23

Resident Worries About Mobility and Parking at New Redmond Town Center

Andrew left his comment on the RTC consultant's "feedback website."   Your feedback is welcome too!

Here are my general thoughts on RTC and any potential enhancements to it: (1) I'd like to see some sort of pedestrian/ bicycle (but not automobile) connection to Marymoor Park, by either a pedestrian overpass or tunnel across WA-520 and the soon-to-open light rail tracks. (2) I support the expansion of light rail to Redmond, but I have always thought it ridiculous that the terminal station adjacent to RTC will not have parking. A suburban train station, especially one at the end of the line, needs parking in order to be reasonably successful; transit planners are living in a naive la la land if they think suburban commuters are interested in riding buses to connect to rail transit. I'd like to see any redevelopment of RTC include light rail parking. (3) I worry about traffic into and out of RTC; the area is blocked by 520 on the south and southeast, and routes in from other directions seem "tough", with lots of traffic lights and intersections and convoluted routing requiring lots of turns, on roads that already seem strained to capacity at peak times. (4) RTC needs some kind of a "hook" to be successful . . . some unique business or restaurants or experiences. Currently there is no reason for anybody outside of a 5-mile radius to come to RTC. I live 2 miles away and rarely come. Usually when I go it's to meet someone at Starbucks; I spend my $5 there, have my meeting, and leave.

-- Andrew K.

Arnold Tomac, a Redmond Town Center Founding Father

Arnie Tomac at Soul Food Coffee, 6/2022 / by

Arnold Tomac and a founding of Redmond Town Center go hand-and-glove.  In this piece, Arnie's the storyteller of his early involvement in Redmond and his role as a founding Father.  

 Arnie says...

In 1973, when we moved to Redmond, I noticed we did not have a neighborhood park so I started going to City Park Board meetings. In 1977, I, wife Mary and future mayor Chris Himes called over 500 residents asking for their support of a $2.5 million Park Bond. The bond measure passed and Viewpoint neighborhood park was built.

I also got involved with C.A.R.E. "Civic Action on Redmond Environment," which later led me into running for City Council.  (C.A.R.E. was a coalition of residents with a goal of saving the golf course from development.)  In 1977, Mayor Bud Young appointed me to Chair the City's first Development Guide.

In 1978, several land use issues brewed.  One was an uproar over completing the construction of SR 520.  The other was more serious.  A developer purchased the Old Redmond Golf Course and announced they planned to develop the site. Concerned citizens, many of whom had never attended a Council meeting (moi) descended on City Hall asking the City to stop development.  

I was elected President of Council in 1981.  The population of Redmond was 23,000. The downtown was separated by an operating railway. It served the grain elevator in Redmond and the milk processing Dairygold facility in Issaquah. Everything north of City Hall was blueberry fields.

There were only two roads leading through Redmond that being Cleveland and Redmond Way.  Basically, the downtown with minimal service.  The rest of the Council and I wanted to create a downtown.  

Just before I attended my first Council meeting, we got to review Mayor Young's budget. Every department was listed with number and dollars amount. (ie 87340 $12500.)  So I knew I needed to create a readable budget. We had a surplus the end of the year so we created the Capital Improvement Plan. (C.I.P.)  We also created a new Hearing Examiner position and a Technical Design Committee.  (Tomac has degrees in engineering mathematics.)

In the 1982 election, another CARE candidate Pat Vache' was elected to the Council and Arnold Tomac was elected Council President.  

Town Center Associates offered the city $6 million for the 89-acre golf course.  There was a misunderstanding about a 4.62-acre parcel north of Leary Way.  Town Center thought the sliver of land was theirs;  Councilmembers Vache', President Tomac and the city lawyer felt otherwise and negotiated the final purchase option.  It was approved 6-0 by Council. 

"Councilmember Pat Vache' called me (Tomac) one day and asked if I would come to his office to talk about the golf course. "I said definitely!"  I think the golf course is going to remain controversial until people have a chance to address a ballot issue on the purchase of the property." said Tomac. "Pat and I informed Winmar (the owners) if the bond did not pass we would support "reasonable development" of the property."  The bond did not pass. "Pat and I stuck to our commitment to move forward with development of the property. Of course we received push-back from our supporters who wanted who wanted to keep the golf course open."

"Marchione, Vache' and Tomac all indicated they thought "reasonable development" included keeping some of the green space around the golf course as a condition of development should the voters elect not to buy the property.  "I'd like to keep it (the links) as is," concluded Tomac.  "But, are we willing to pay to keep it?" 

The $6 million measure went out for vote; it lost by 2%.  Master planning of the site came with 37 goals and policies, with 50% of the property to be preserved as open space.  

Tomac's recommendation for enhancing RTC:  "I believe we are lacking vibrant centers in the evenings.  The nighttime activity at Redmond Overlake and downtown is negligible.  It turns out 70% of business income comes from the evening sales.  To have vibrant Urban Centers, policies and zoning regulations must be in place that supports businesses being successful."

-- Reported by Bob Yoder, 11/25/2022

Sources:  Soul Food Coffee house interviews, 2022.  Arnie's notes & family keepsakes.  Excerpts from the Sammamish Valley News. Circa 82-83.  Redmond Kiwanis Club. 

UPDATED, 10/25/2023 New Owner of Redmond Town Center Proposes two 12-story Towers

 

Redmond Town Center's new owner proposes two 12-story towers.

Fairbourne Properties is the new owner of RTC.  David Harvey is the President.

Vision Statement:

 "We have partnered with a collection of world class architects and designers to reimagine and enhance Redmond Town Center, updating it from an interior-facing, auto-oriented, outdoor mall into a true mixed-use, transit-oriented, walkable Town Center that elevates existing tenants, excites future retail partners, and engages the local community."

Posted by Bob Yoder, 10/25/2023

UPDATED, 11/7/2022 Redmond Town Center 12- Story Building Heights

A rendering of the new Redmond Town Center

Two, 8-story buildings are currently zoned for Redmond Town Center. Scale, massing, and village character are important considerations that may raise or lower the acceptable height.  To incentivize the Applicant (owners) to build up to a maximum of 12-stories the following benefits could be considered:  

2. Benefit:  Covered outdoor entertainment space and children's play area  

3. Benefit:  Covered retail is already in place.   

4. Benefit: Indoor / and covered outdoor common areas appointed with significant art.

.

5. Benefit:  Covered ped/bike urban pathway to light rail station; uncovered pathway in the Marymoor corridor.

5. Benefit:  Green Building Incentive Program:  green walls, trestles, LEED Platinum medal construction.  Plush landscaping with 10 foot trees. Activated, landscaped rooftop patios.

6. Benefit:  Affordable housing.  3 and 4 room apartments for families.

7.City "Safety Station" maned to oversee the light rail station, homeless, and Lime bikes.

8. Benefit:  Community WiFi and coffee plaza / visitor center kiosk.

9. Benefit:  Community bike repair, e-bikes, washing and charging stations.

10.Benefit:  City stoplight at SR520 / Bear Creek gateway to parking areas.

11.Benefits:  Architecture, significant cultural art, pedestrian sidewalks safe from scooters, plazas, alleys, setbacks, dynamic water feature.  

12.  Wayfinding, dog-sitting, mini dog park with wash, food trucks. (whistles and bells)

-- Bob Yoder, 10/26/2022. updated 11/7/2022 opinion

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the proposed Redmond Town Center Code Amendment, Visit  redmond.gov/1860/Redmond-Town-Center. Write to the Planning Commissioners  if you have any comments and  questions, or would like to be a Party-of-Record on this proposal, please contact Glenn Coil, Senior Planner, 425-556-2742, gcoil@redmond.gov.  

Chicago Firm Bought Redmond Town Center For $192 Million

The open-air Redmond Town Center has often struggled to keep up with tawnier local shopping centers and has suffered from the rise of e-commerce. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

You may have heard Redmond Town Center was purchased by Chicago-based Fairbourne Properties in 12/31/2019.  Fairbourne owns or manages 16 other properties. The Center was on the market for 1.5 years. In 2013, the sellers purchased the 120 acre property for $127 million.  

The property has three parcels:  a two-story shopping center, former Macy's (now housing Amazon engineers,) and adjacent commercial property.  The three parcels combined are 21.5 acres.  

According to a Seattle Times article, "Redmond Town Center suffered from e-commerce.  The "village style" open-air mall struggled to keep up with "tonier" Bellevue Square."  (Is a large, covered pedestrian place in the offing?)  The Times reports the tenant mix will lean heavily towards local retailers, restaurants, and health and fitness.

-- Bob Yoder, 7/15/2022 

Source:  Seattle Times, Paul Roberts, 12/31/2019

Pat Vache': Redmond Town Center's Early History

Pat Vache' in his early days / courtesy of Arnie Tomac

"What is known as 'Town Center' didn’t just happen.  It has history.”​  

-- Pat Vache'

As some know, just prior to the pandemic, the Redmond Town Center was purchased by Fairbourne Properties of Chicago for $192 million.  Fairbourne's vision is to redevelop Redmond Town Center from "an auto-centric, suburban campus to a walkable, mixed-use urban neighborhood with retail at it's core. ​Light rail is a major driver.  ​

In 2022, Pat Vache', a "Founding Father" of Town Center gave testimony encouraging Council  include the founders in the development process citing their previous experience (and collective wisdom.) He emphasized the need of engagement opportunities, especially town hall meetings.

Mr. Vache' stated “Throughout the history of Redmond Town Center two issues were foremost, 1) protecting open space and 2) creating a major retail facility for all to enjoy.  If history taught us nothing else, it is clear that three elements were important then and are critical today:

1) Redmond residents want and deserve the opportunity to engage, 

2) A robust retail environment is a necessity for Redmond residents and the economic sustainability of the City of Redmond, and

 3) Redmond residents demand a sustainable environment, an environment characterized by trees, lots of trees and open space, lots of open space," in fact a minimum of 43 acres."

THE EARLY HISTORY - a quick story

Town Center’s modern history began in late 1978 when the Old Redmond Golf Course​ (in King County)​ was purchased by Winmar, a Safeco company.  A total of 120 pristine acres were purchased, including the 87-acre golf course. Forty-four acres would remain open space. (C. Beason played a large role in that.) The acreage was  invaluable to the community.  Open space is a very big part of Redmond culture. 

Winmar proposed development​ of the 87 acre golf course twice, once in 1979​ ​for $4 million (per Town Center Associates) and again in **1982 for $6 million ($16.5 million in today's dollars.)  Though open space was desirable,​ The Sammamish Valley ​News​, ​​​businessmen​ and many residents wanted shopping and commercial ​development.

To counter development, in 1978 a coalition of preservationists​,​ “Civic Action for Redmond Environment” (C.A.R.E.) formed to retain the golf course and influence public opinion.​  One of the C.A.R.E. Presidents Richard Grubb, Pat Vache', Arnie Tomac, Chris Himes, the Beasons and other citizen activists organized the coalition. Grubb, Vache' and Tomac became councilmembers. Himes  became Redmond's first full time Mayor.  Nothing ever came of the 1979, $4 million Town Center Associates offer, probably because of C.A.R.E.  

Pat Vache', Redmond's first planning commissioner and a councilmember of 16 years, says ​"in over eight years ​the public, planning staff, ​and Policy Advisory Commission​​ had a series of public meetings, visioning exercises and just about any type of public process imaginable. Town Center didn't just happen. It has history." 

​​"Old Redmond" vs. "New Redmond" issues were reaching a boiling point. So, in 1982 Council​,​ led by Council President Arnie Tomac​ and councilmember Pat Vache',​ proposed a $6 million bond measure to “let the voters decide" if they wanted to purchase the land for preservation or take Winmar’s offer and develop it.  According to Rosemarie Ives, the 60% supermajority bond failed by 2%​.​  

Mayor Doreen Marchione is quoted in the Sammamish Valley News, “we have no choice but to annex the property for reasonable development.”  Former Mayor Rosemarie Ives​ felt the city ​should​​​ have immediately​ gone out for a second​ vote​. ​ 

With that, ​​Vache' notes by 198​6​, (Ord. 1328) 120 acres were annexed from King County, pre-annexation zoning was completed, the ***Master Plan was approved, and the property was incorporated into the City of Redmond. ​ ​*Seven years following the City’s 1988 approval (Ord. 1416) Winmar didn’t develop anything with Town Center, though there still was much debate and talk.​ In 1994, Winmar proposed an outdoor mall of 1.3M square feet of shopping and offices. The proposal was approved by Council in 1995 (Ord. 1841.) Construction started in 1996.  

-- written by Bob Yoder, 7/15/2022

Sources:  Sammamish Valley News, Pat Vache, Arnie Tomac, Nancy McCormick, Rosemarie Ives, Holly Plackett, 4/8/2022 Fairbourne Properties Letter to Redmond City Council, Seattle Times, 8/10/1997.

Arnold Tomac's Leadership and Involvement with Redmond Town Center.  Arnie is a good friend of Pat Vache'. 

* Quick stories:  Though, not directly related to Town Center, past councilmember and planning commissioner Holly Plackett wrote Winmar's seven "idle" years were spent developing Target, Mervyns, and Bella Bottega cinema.

This story is so interesting! As editor of the Sammamish Valley News at that time, I was deeply involved in studying the options for this property. Redmond was sorely in need of a better commercial zone….the town was growing and there really was a great need. Although Town Center perhaps failed to fulfill that dream entirely, there is still hope. The city has grown…the possibilities are still endless! I hope Redmond marches ahead, brings itself completely into this century to keep up with the vast population growth!

--Deb Akerstrom, 7/2022.  Deb is presently a Director on the Redmond Historical Society Society.  12/2022

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** The MASTER PLAN was approved in 1986:  "The design and development of this zone is controlled by a Master Plan established to ensure that development here integrates with and positively influences future development of the Greater downtown area and retains traditional building styles, street patterns, variety of uses, and public amenities."  (Ord. 1328.)  

The MASTER PLAN was scrapped in 2022.  New language:  "Design and development of this zone is controlled by zone-based regulations and additional  special design standards for development projects located within the downtown urban core."