Written by Comments on my previous blog post:
Hi Randy, I’m glad to see you’re updating the blog again! Can you provide an update on the Cedar River Apartment Project and VIA 405 Apartment project and when we can expect those projects to start? I’ve found that I’m enjoying downtown more and more with Melrose, Boon Boona Coffee and other great shops. I also noticed permit application for renovating the old JC Penney’s building into lofts and retail. That will be great! (also)…an update on the 200 Mill Ave S Redevelopment and what’s going on with that?
Thank you for the question Philip!
We are about to experience a housing boom in both our historic downtown and in the Renton Village area near the Red Lion Hotel as a result of job growth in Renton, strong population growth in our region, sky-high real estate prices in Seattle and Bellevue, and improved transit in Renton.
Historic Downtown Projects:
Cosmos Development is working to build a new mixed use apartment/retail project, shown above, at 200 Mill Avenue. The project will tear down the 1960’s era former city hall building and put a river-front public park in it’s place.
The old city hall building, above, will be torn down to create a park.
Southport’s high tech offices are soon going to bring 5000 new jobs to Renton at the same time people are getting priced out of Bellevue and Seattle apartments. (We set the Southport high-tech hub in motion 20 years ago with rezoning and infrastructure improvements.) To help meet the housing need, developers are proposing new housing projects in downtown Renton. As more people move into downtown, businesses in downtown will benefit from a surge of new customers, and the additional activity will make downtown more fun. As our downtown becomes more lively more hours of the day, it will attract additional redevelopment The 200 Mill Avenue project and remodel of the former Penney’s buildings are both examples of downtown mixed use projects that will bring more residents downtown, and they are sure to be followed by more projects.
The 200 Mill Avenue project (shown above) will demolish the 1960’s-era city hall building, and replace it with a new river-front park and a mixed use apartment and retail project. The builder is Cosmos, the same company that created the attractive building at 2nd and Main, a project which went smoothly and became occupied very quickly at completion. I worked with Council Member Pavone to review a number of proposals for the 200 Mill Avenue site, on behalf of the full City Council, through several days in two different rounds of selection. This project has a lot of moving pieces, and the planning has been predictably quite involved. We’re trying to work around existing tenants in the building, agree to purchase and sale final conditions, and possibly revise our height limitations. The city and developer have made immense progress, and are now working on a shortlist of details. We’ll get a full briefing at our next committee of the whole meeting, and I’m hoping we’ll move to the next project phase soon. Renton Prep Christian School is one of the existing occupants that will get a new home with this project, and they have a good summary on their website here.
Above: Penney’s Lofts, Proposed remodeled Penney’s building near the Piazza.
The remodel of the Penney’s building is a smaller project than 200 Mill, but is still an impressive project. According to their publicly-filed plan, “the existing building totals 32,732 square feet and is two stories high, with a basement level. The applicant is proposing an 11,538 butterfly roof extension that would increase the building height to 36 feet. Proposed renovations would result in 24 residential apartment units (14 studios and 10 loft units) and 5,860 square feet of mixed use retail/restaurant space. Parking is proposed to be accommodated off-site within the City parking garage. A modification to the street standards has been requested to retain the existing frontage improvements around the building.”
Renton Village and the Rainier and Grady Transit Center
The Renton Village area will see new residential projects that benefit from planned I-405 widening to Bellevue and the Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) installation in 2024. I personally represent Renton on the I-405 Executive Committee overseeing the freeway expansion, and I co-chair the Sound Transit Committee that is managing the BRT installation, and am ensuring both projects benefit Renton. Our new transit center at Rainier and Grady will offer direct connections to the light-rail stations in Tukwila and Bellevue every ten minutes, which will lead to construction of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) around the station.
This Rainier and Grady transit center is also being planned as the eventual site of Renton’s light rail station (even though funding for the station and the rail connection has not been identified.) The Sound Transit 3 package included millions of dollars to layout the configuration of this station and the 3.7-mile rail connection to the Tukwila International Blvd Rail station. The new transit center and future rail extension planning, which I helped acquire with testimony to the Sound Transit Board, will ensure Renton is not left out of any future Sound Transit rail expansion. It will generate even more interest in building near Rainier and Grady.
Proposed VIA 405 project, at location of the old Renton Cinema at Renton Village on Grady.
The VIA 405 Project is a transit oriented development project, an easy walk from our future Rainier and Grady Transit Center.
A good description of the original proposal can be found in this Renton Reporter article published last year. As the article explains, the applicant for this project requested that the the city expand the geographic area where we offer a 12-year tax exemption for affordable apartments. Previously we have targeted this tax exemption to our historic downtown and Sunset areas where we were working to jump-start revitalization. Council did not agree to expand this tax exemption but we are working on a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) planning effort and may offer a new TOD affordable-housing tax exemptions, as well as lower parking requirements, as part of that plan. I’m hopeful the VIA 405 project will remain viable when the new TOD plan is completed.
Cedar River Projects:
In his comment Philip asked about the Cedar River Apartment project, and I believe he is referring to a project in early planning to build new riverfront apartments at the old Stoneway Concrete site. Council has supported redevelopment of this site in the past as it could address any environmental issues with the former concrete production site, add new walkways and view corridors along the river, and provide needed housing. Any work done will have to meet extra requirements due to the proximity to the river and will likely include storm water management and buffer vegetation near the shoreline. Many years ago this was considered a possible site for a hotel. Housing at this location would have good access to Cedar River Park, and be an easy walk or bike ride to downtown.
The Former Stoneway Concrete site on Maple Valley Highway could potentially host apartments or mixed-use development in the future
Great information, Randy, thank you. It’s great to see you blogging again!
Marcie Palmer
Certainly no one deserves to be mayor more than Mr. Corman. No elected office is easy, and Mr. Corman has always been available to all, and has and does always have the best interest of Renton and it’s citizens at heart and this is his priority.
I have concerns regarding the current emphasis that seems to be on development at all costs at the expense of the environment, sensitive and critical areas associated with the aquifer, salmon and the cedar river, and conservation and open spaces.
The Cedar River is the highest priority stream/river in the watershed for Chinook salmon recovery. Chinook, listed as a threatened species 15yrs ago has been in decline since Europeans arrived. Habitat restoration science is young. Decisions made now should be scrupulously considered.
Renton is considering development of an empty lot (Stoneway plant) SE of intersection SR169 and I405 into two 5 story apartments, 481 units plus businesses. There is no precedent established allowing buildings of this height and type. Current zoning, Commercial Office Residential, based on old standards from 100+yrs of industrial use is now inappropriate. The mitigation processes used to compensate for adverse effects, are ways to circumvent rules and ‘best practice.’
Multiple Critical and Sensitive areas include; regulated Cedar River shoreline, sole source Aquifer Zone 1 protection area, critical aquifer recharge area, well-field 1 year capture zone, regulated and non-regulated 100 year flood zones. Direct surface contaminants above the aquifer migrate through the water table. Storm water run-off contributes 30% of pollution in waters with some pollution. Pollution permits/treatment plants can’t solve this.
Healthy riparian zones essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems along rivers involve; maintaining large areas of diverse vegetation and minimizing the effect of adjacent land use. Renton’s Shoreline Management Program requires buffers and building set-backs up to 100’ along river/lake shorelines. ‘Renton’s ‘Lower Cedar River Restoration Assessment study’ for Chinook Conservation, gives high priority to replanting, enforcing aquatic buffers and limiting variances
Better uses of this area would avoid adverse impacts on the river, aquifer and salmon recovery. In 2008 Renton’s Tri-Park plan proposed 3 ball fields at this site.
Current grid lock and ongoing traffic congestion on SR169 and Sunset Blvd at I405 are major concerns. 4 lights exist within a ¼ mile and a railroad crossing.
The developer’s ill-informed sign states, ‘Expect traffic delays.’
Similar concerns involve sensitive and critical areas associated with the site on Houser and Mill avenue where the former Renton City Hall is located, and the push for development. With the population of Renton expanding, we not only need accomodation there needs to be careful concern given to the environment, conservation and simply a focus on open spaces, free of concrete, buildings etc.
Thanks for kind compliment and the thoughtful comments Nicola. You’ve always impressed me with your understanding of Renton codes, our natural environment, and many other aspects of our city. I’ll certainly keep your important perspective in mind if/when an application moves forward for this site.
I’ve been very concerned about “Industrial” zoning and uses on Maple Valley Highway, as more and more regional infrastructure like the proposed Asphalt Plant (ugh!) seems to be landing on this precious, environmentally-sensitive corridor. There is way too much Industrial zoning in this area and these industrial uses are probably the very worst uses of all to have near the river. The COR zoning that council put in place twenty years ago was an encouragement for Stoneway to move their concrete batch plant away from the river, and convert the property to a non-industrial use. Stoneway moved their concrete production next to I-405 and the Landing, which is a better location environmentally. We implemented the Tri-Park Masterplan a few years after that in response to the I-405 widening plan which was originally conceived to add two extra lanes in each direction up and down the I-405 corridor, for a total of four additional lanes. The widening was going to take significant park property away from both sides of I-405 in Renton (even impacting the skate park and basketball court), and if the State takes park property to build a freeway they are required to replace it three-to-one or give equivalent compensation to the municipality that loses the parkland. We hoped at the time that the State could purchase the Stoneway property to replace the park property we would lose. Recently it has become apparent that the state will only be adding two lanes to I-405 in the foreseeable future which they can do largely in existing state right-of-way, and the State has expressed no interest in purchasing the Stoneway site for parkland.
We’ve talked about purchasing the property as a city, but it is a very expensive piece of property and there are many other parts of the city that need parks and trails (like Benson Hill, for example). I’ve been frustrated that the site has been sitting for so long as quasi-industrial with trucks an other equipment parked on it, and I agree that it should be cleaner so close to the river. I still have many questions about this project. Note that I voted to purchase the NARCO Property on the opposite side of the river twenty years ago (where there had been a brick plant), and we have been able to preserve that as open space and our off-leash dog park. We were able to use County Open-Space money from a voter bond issue to help with that purchase. We had to agree that the use would be passive, meaning no sports fields were allowed, but it was a great purchase. So sometimes solutions present themselves. I appreciate your ideas, and as Mayor I promise to always keep an open mind and look for the best possible solution for everyone.
Thanks for all the updates randy! Appreciate your response to each project. There is so much happening in Renton, its hard to keep up. The other two questions that come to mind include Southport and is there concern about not filling that office space? Is there activity with a tenant?
Also, Sam’s club…what’s the latest with that site?
Thanks for all you do!
Hi Randy- I appreciate the update, was looking for info on the Penney lofts and your site was the first to popup.
This is a follow-up from Nicola that spoke to issues impacting the proposal to develop the former Stoneway site into two five storey apartments.
Thank you for posting my prior letter Randy, which was also printed in the Renton Reporter.
The ROC provides funding for the restoration and conservation of areas critical to Chinook salmon recovery.
Might there be funding available through the ‘Recreation and Conservation (ROC) funding Board’ to pay for restoration of 1000ft of the river bank that borders the former Stoneway site on the north side of the river? A web-site offering grant money is listed in Data.Wa.gov ?
Organization: WRIA 8 (LE)
Specific project recommendation. Time frame where funds can possibly be made available/applied for, is from 2010 – 2026.
Link to the following. http://hws.ekosystem.us/project/240/4451
The information at this link relates to recommendations to restore the area of prior industrial use on the right bank of the river, former Stoneway site. Seek ways to improve riparian habitat on site such as purchasing easement for buffer, removing bank hardening and restoring riparian buffer. Conceptual design for approximately 1,000 linear feet of bank enhancements developed, which includes regrading the bank to provide shallow edge habitat, large wood installation, and riparian re-vegetation.
The web-site/link lists grant funding available for various conservation/restoration projects, where $37 million is allocated for which the application deadline is August 8th 2019?
Ron Straka who’s name and number are listed at the link as the contact person with the city is not at that number now.
Is the city interested in applying for funding?
Thank you again for your prior reply where you said you were concerned regarding the push toward industrial development along the Cedar River, and therefore the Maple Valley Highway.
Do you have concerns about the proposed commercial development at the former Stoneway site of the Cedar River Park apartments? This location as previously mentioned is within many environmentally sensitive and critical areas, including our sole source aquifer, and surrounded by parks?
Thank you again for all you do for our city.
Hey Randy, I hope you become mayor. You are the only mayor that actually addresses Renton’s real “stuff” like the developments such as Southport, suburban development, and the new Renton Christian development. I hope people don’t fall for the other scheming mayors that have no clue what they are doing, and just looks like they are nice.
BTW, if you got information about Southport and whats happening, please let me know. I’m seriously worried if anything is happening and if this is all to waste. Renton is better than Bellevue and I love Kent School District better than Bellevue show off with their money except its financial issues (and I’m sure Renton can improve). If Kent and Renton comes together, that would be amazing because the budget vs. education.
I know many people in the tech market living in Renton, and they’d love to work in Southport.