The new luxury wing on the JCPenney/Macy's garage has an official name, "The Bellevue"

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/322122_bellevuesquare03.html (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/322122_bellevuesquare03.html)

$1 billion face-lift for Bellevue

By CRAIG HARRIS
P-I REPORTER

Kemper Freeman is at it again.

Roughly two years removed from opening Lincoln Square, the veteran mall developer is embarking on an estimated $1 billion, five-year renovation that will overhaul Bellevue Square, add 351 rooms to the nearby Hyatt Regency hotel and install upscale fashion boutiques.

When the dust settles, Freeman said another 2.5 million square feet will have been developed, and the crown jewel will be "The Bellevue," home to luxury shops, a five-star hotel and fine dining.

Freeman, one of the Eastside's most influential businessmen, said bringing luxury stores to Bellevue has "been a work in progress for 20 years" and luxury retailers who previously passed over the Northwest are changing their attitudes.

"We have had customer demand for a long time," said Freeman, chief executive of Kemper Development Co. "In the past, (luxury retailers) thought we just had the grunge look and did not have time to buy fancy clothes because we were out kayaking and climbing Mount Rainier."

The makeover of Freeman's Bellevue Collection -- a mix of retail, office and condominiums at Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square -- comes as rival developer Schnitzer West is building a 1.6-million-square- foot upscale retail project just a few blocks away near Meydenbauer Center.

The competition, called The Bravern, will include luxury retailer Neiman Marcus as the anchor tenant, a collection of 30 to 40 stores, office space, condominiums and restaurants. The project, named after brave, risk-taking entrepreneurs, is under construction and set to open in September 2009. Other retailers have not been named.

While The Bravern isn't slated to open for two years and Freeman's boutiques haven't even broken ground, they are being planned at a time when many national retailers are concerned about a downturn in consumer spending.

High gas prices and a sluggish housing market, which makes it more difficult to take equity out of homes, hurt retail sales in April before they rebounded slightly in May.

Despite the concerns, high-end stores such as Seattle-based Nordstrom have said demand continues to increase for luxury items, and Barneys New York last week opened at Pacific Place in downtown Seattle to have a bigger location and more prominence.

Those backing the Eastside retail projects say there is a pent-up demand for luxury stores in Bellevue, where the average family household income exceeds $100,000.

"We pursued upscale based on the research we found in the marketplace," said Tom Woodworth, senior investment director for The Bravern. "The good news is the market is deep and strong, as evidenced by the response we are getting to retailers on our site. Sales will bear out that there is enough room in the market."

Woodworth said additional evidence that Bellevue is a hot market for luxury retail is the decision by Dallas-based Neiman Marcus to open its first store in the Seattle area.

The retailer has said Schnitzer was developing a superior location for a unique shopping environment.

"Neiman Marcus is the pre-eminent upscale retailer. You don't recruit Neiman Marcus. They make their own decision," Woodworth said. "If they don't see a great location for a store, they don't locate in that market."

Freeman said The Bellevue, a retail collection on Bellevue Way Northeast between Northeast Sixth and Northeast Fourth streets, is slated to open in 2009, and it will include 130,000 square feet of street-front luxury retail.

Freeman declined to disclose the names of tenants, but he envisions The Bellevue rivaling other high-end retail destinations such as Fifth Avenue in New York, Newbury Street in Boston or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

While the emphasis is on luxury stores, Freeman says there are other projects in the works.

Last week, a sky bridge connecting Lincoln Square to Bellevue Place opened, and Eddie Bauer began moving its headquarters from Redmond to Lincoln Square. The offices at Lincoln Square also will house some of Microsoft's employees. Other work includes:

# Adding 614,000 square feet for a second tower at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, which will have 20 stories and 351 rooms. The current hotel has 382 rooms. The addition will sport a 14,500-square-foot exhibit hall and an 18,000-square-foot ballroom. The plan calls for 1,000 square feet of new retail space and 500 additional underground parking spaces. Work has begun.

# Redesigning the lighting, flooring, seating and major entrances in Bellevue Square to have an "urban garden" theme. Work begins in August, and remodeling is scheduled from 9:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. in order to not disrupt customers. For the Christmas holiday, the work will stop in November and resume in January 2008.

# Doubling the size of the Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma stores in Bellevue Square and adding parking on the west side of the mall. Work is under way.

They have almost finished adding the new garage to the west side, near Nordstrom. I am excited about the mall getting a remodel as well.

Interesting to note that there's no mention of the Safeway site project. I hope this doesn't mean the project has been pushed back...

Well there easily enough luxury retail boutiques that Bellevue doesn't have that could fill The Bravern and Kemper projects. Now let's see if they are really are going to be able to snag them. By looking at the site for the shops at Bal Harbour, which is pretty spectacular shopping, I came up with the following;

Betsey Johnson
Chanel Boutique
Dior
Escada
St. John
Cartier
Emporio Armani
Burberry
Lacoste
Diesel
Ralph Lauren
Alfred Dunhill
Dooney & Bourke
Gucci
Hermes
Van Cleef & Arpels
Versace
Prada
Lois Vuitton
Ferragamo
Barney's
Bvlgari
Fendi
Harry Winston
Jimmy Choo
Baccarat
Dolce & Gabbana
Lulu Couture
Marc Jacobs
Oscar de La Renta
Piaget
Valentino

^^ Some of those companies have a store in Seattle, so I dont think theyll open another one across the lake in Bellevue...

but maybe Gucci, Dolce and Gabana, and some of the others might!!!

Nothing here about that Saks Fifth Avenue rumor?

I'm actually hoping that would go to downtown Seattle instead, if it ever does come to this area.

^^ I agree... I think it would be better if all of these stores were downtown. Downtown just has a much better atmosphere and its more european in a sense.

Go Kemper Go! I can't imagine what Bellevue would be today without Mr. Freeman.

As we get closer to the Safeway closing its old doors and Kemper will start getting ready to build build build!

Here is The Bellevue(small boutique hotel)in the old parking lot/building
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/26014/2001541613085921228_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001541613085921228)

Curved hotel facing the city park,with great views of growing Bellevue.
http://aycu14.webshots.com/image/24973/2003484310200628984_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003484310200628984)

Across 4th is the Two new towers at the old Safeway.
http://aycu20.webshots.com/image/28739/2003453430848438151_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003453430848438151)

I like the Galleria walks, East/West.
images from downtownbellevue.net

The thing I like about the Galleria walk is that it actually connects to Bellevue Square. Looks like around JCPenneys. I never really liked the other skybridge to Lincoln which requires a stroll through the garage to go to Nordstrom or Macys.

Can't wait to see another block of Bellevue Way completed!

One thing they do need to do is change all these names. They're so generic. Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, The Bellevue. Only reason Lincoln is what it is would be that it was already named before Kemper took it over.

I like what Kemper is building. I only wish he'd wasn't an anti-transit voice for Bellevue. Transit improvements are necessary to make Bellevue's new density work. In fact, the exising transit is crucial to what Bellevue was even pre-boom. Many workers don't want to drive or can't afford it, and the road system isn't built for a massive influx. Bellevue's rail line is one of the biggest reasons I support RTID.

I love the idea of a tiny, ultra-lux hotel atop the new high end stores. The understated curve of the b uilding is a nice addition to an already blossoming area. Great views too.

I'm a bit leery of all these new overhead pedestrian walkways, but otherwise it looks like that stretch of Bellevue Way is gonna look great in a few years.

I can't wait to see this get built. Any word on the timeframe for "The Bellevue"? This project will be competing directly with the Bravern for the upscale boutique tenants, will be interesting to see who ends up where.

^
Yeah I've been wondering about Neiman-Marcus being way off to itself at the other end of downtown.

At least it'll scatter activity over a larger area.

Love the rendering! I wish that curved hotel would little taller like the hotel in San Diego. (Picture isn't mine)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/MetroGuy03/marriott.jpg

^
Yeah I've been wondering about Neiman-Marcus being way off to itself at the other end of downtown.

At least it'll scatter activity over a larger area.

Yeah, I've thought about that too. Some of the other projects on the east end of downtown will help bring some activity to that area too. Vida, Metro 112, and Elements Too will all have retail space which I would imagine will include some restaurants. The Marriott on 110th will help too. It's going to be cool to see that area of downtown liven up a bit. Don't forget that a new nightclub/lounge is opening at 989 Elements this fall.

Washington Square's second phase will also help bridge the gap between the Bellevue Collection and the east end by bringing new retail and restaurants along NE 8th. What I hope to see happen further down the road is for that crappy stretch of stores across NE 8th from WS to be developed and the huge parking lot adjacent to Yuen Lui as well. That will do wonders to making NE 8th a seamless urban thoroughfare from 405 all the way to Bellevue Way.

Yeah, I've thought about that too. Some of the other projects on the east end of downtown will help bring some activity to that area too. Vida, Metro 112, and Elements Too will all have retail space which I would imagine will include some restaurants. The Marriott on 110th will help too. It's going to be cool to see that area of downtown liven up a bit. Don't forget that a new nightclub/lounge is opening at 989 Elements this fall.

Washington Square's second phase will also help bridge the gap between the Bellevue Collection and the east end by bringing new retail and restaurants along NE 8th. What I hope to see happen further down the road is for that crappy stretch of stores across NE 8th from WS to be developed and the huge parking lot adjacent to Yuen Lui as well. That will do wonders to making NE 8th a seamless urban thoroughfare from 405 all the way to Bellevue Way.


I would like to see a BIGGER redevelopment of Bellevue Square. For example, I would like to see the current westside parking garage be demolished, put underground, and a new shopping building that will potentially double or triple retail space in Bellevue Square. I believe Bellevue, the Seattle area, and Washington state is ready for a super-super-super-super upscale shopping mall to compete with the new mega malls of Asia.

We dont need to 'compete' with the Asian megamalls. Our malls' selling points are that they arent in Asia.

We dont need to 'compete' with the Asian megamalls. Our malls' selling points are that they arent in Asia.

I agree that its ludicrous to try to compete with the Asian megamalls but what do you mean by its a selling point that it's not in Asia?

Not too many people fly all the way to Asia just to shop at the megamalls. Sure a few do, but for the most part, its about convenience.

Not too many people fly all the way to Asia just to shop at the megamalls. Sure a few do, but for the most part, its about convenience.

Okay, let me rephrase what I said earlier:

More retail = More convenience, more fun, more, more, MORE = GREAT!

I snuck up into the Kemper offices today to get a closer look at some of the renderings posted on the first page. The layout plans that were posted were for the third level, they have plans for level 1 and 2 also. I'll try to come back with a camera sometime this week to get a pic.

I snuck up into the Kemper offices today to get a closer look at some of the renderings posted on the first page. The layout plans that were posted were for the third level, they have plans for level 1 and 2 also. I'll try to come back with a camera sometime this week to get a pic.


When you say you "snuck up", does that mean the general public is not allowed into the Kemper offices? Cause I am really interested in anything that has to do with Kemper Freeman Jr. and Bellevue. :banana:

As promised, I came back today to snap some pics of the plans. btw, its open to the public so technically I didn't have to "sneak" in. Sorry the pics are so blurry, my camera sucks. I just realized some of the text is impossible to read.

Layout of first floor. Notice that the "Shops on 5th" corridor connects to the main part of the mall. This is where I mentioned some stores will have to be displaced. I was hoping the Shops on 5th would be outdoor but from the rendering it appears to be indoors.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ACN425/Bellevue001.jpg


Layout of second floor. Note the possible expansion of the Macy's store.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ACN425/Bellevue002.jpg

Rendering of the Shops on 5th. I've heard that Saks will presumably take up some space somewhere along this corridor. Looking at the plans, none of the retail spaces seem big enough but I'm sure they can consolidate a large space to accomodate them.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ACN425/Bellevue004-1.jpg

Rendering of the "Arrival Plaza". They kind of borrowed this concept from the Bravern but I like it.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ACN425/Bellevue005.jpg

Bellevue Collection Map. The most interesting thing I noticed on this was the "Future Residential Development" that will wrap around the West garage. I recall reading about this years ago, its good to hear its still in the works.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ACN425/Bellevue006.jpg

My god this city is going crazy! I love it.

Thanks for the info :cheers1:

My god this city is going crazy! I love it.

Thanks for the info :cheers1:

I've got to say, the new expansion will really look out of place among the existing Bellevue Square, not to mention the plans look really small (when built).

Imagine the new mall's renovation looking similar in style... He is spending a ton of money on this remodel.

i like the design. alot of malls around here are so bland, it's nice to see one with a more thoughtful space.

Last time I was at B'vue Sq. I noticed that they had the ceiling down near Nordstrom, the two test railings near Nordstrom, but I didn't see any floor changes.

The interesting thing about the architecture of when Bellevue Square was originally done, they kept it purposefully bland so that the store fronts 'popped' more. I remember reading an Architectural Record shortly after the mall had completed a phase. Macy's hadn't been built yet, so it was odd to see, but they talked about the shops fronts being the architecture, not the mall itself. btw, this Architectural Record was from the early 1980's. I used to go every month to the Bellingham Library to read it when I came out. I've been a dork for DECADES.

The renderings are so mod, so 60's style. I feel like I'm back at the 1964 World's Fair in NYC. I like it a lot but I hope it holds up through the years. But I do agree, malls around here are generally boring with the exception of U Village and Pacific Place. I wish they would do over Westlake Center. It's going on 20 years old (hard to imagine) and hasn't had a makeover;. It's high time.

westlake isn't too bad. it could maybe use a cosmetic makeover, but it doesn't need plastic surgery so to speak... heh

it's a pretty fun place to grab a cheap bite to eat and do a little people watching/shopping.

Rendering of the Shops on 5th. I've heard that Saks will presumably take up some space somewhere along this corridor. Looking at the plans, none of the retail spaces seem big enough but I'm sure they can consolidate a large space to accomodate them.
Didn't someone say something a while ago about them kicking out JC Penny and replacing it with the Saks? :?

Great work BellevueBoy!

Yeah I agree with SeaGuy, there's a certain "Space Needle" look to the renderings, especially the Arrival Plaza. But I don't think that would be such a bad thing, I sorta like that style.

very futuristic.....its interesting. hhaha its not like anything they are building currently.

Didn't someone say something a while ago about them kicking out JC Penny and replacing it with the Saks? :?

JCPenney owns their building. Its one of their top performing stores, so I wouldn't hold my breath. Also, that space is too large for a Saks store. Financially, their profits are declining, even in the rare stratified air of luxury retailers. They were bought a few years ago by a group that owns more downscale department stores, and the management has never really stepped up to the plate to the level of, say, Neiman Marcus.

...The interesting thing about the architecture of when Bellevue Square was originally done, they kept it purposefully bland so that the store fronts 'popped' more. I remember reading an Architectural Record shortly after the mall had completed a phase. Macy's hadn't been built yet, so it was odd to see, but they talked about the shops fronts being the architecture, not the mall itself. btw, this Architectural Record was from the early 1980's. I used to go every month to the Bellingham Library to read it when I came out. I've been a dork for DECADES.

I remember that issue of Architectural Record, too! (In a round-about way, oddly enough, I think that specific issue kindled my interest in city planning and urban design.)

I know it's looking a little dated now, but I always loved the brick floors at Bellevue Square. I think they are especially nice when compared to the bland beige-ish (etc) floor tiles which are used so frequently these days!

i agree, there is somthing about those brick floors at bellevue square that I like. I cant put my finger on it. It looks so clean.

JCPenney owns their building. Its one of their top performing stores, so I wouldn't hold my breath. Also, that space is too large for a Saks store. Financially, their profits are declining, even in the rare stratified air of luxury retailers. They were bought a few years ago by a group that owns more downscale department stores, and the management has never really stepped up to the plate to the level of, say, Neiman Marcus.

No, Saks is still owned by Saks.

Saks even owns "Club Libby Lu", which I did not know until I just did some research on the SAKS Inc.

No, Saks is still owned by Saks.

Oh, really?

http://www.saksincorporated.com/aboutus/

Our Beginning
We began as Proffitt’s, Inc. with just five Proffitt’s stores in metropolitan Knoxville, Tennessee. Proffitt's, Inc. became a public company in June 1987. From 1994 to 1998, we added McRae’s, Parisian, Younkers, Herberger's, and Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (which included Bergner's and Boston Store) as well as 32 additional stores from Lovemans, Hess, Parks-Belk, and Brody’s, which were converted into existing store nameplates.

Becoming Saks Incorporated
In September of 1998, Proffitt’s, Inc. and Saks Holdings, Inc. completed a merger transaction where Saks Fifth Avenue and OFF 5TH outlet stores became a division of Proffitt’s, Inc., and our corporate name of Proffitt’s, Inc. was changed to Saks Incorporated. The stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SKS” on September 18 of that year.

I like the rendering but I don't really like Arrival Plaza rendering. It is too 60s. I rather to see more modern like 2010s and beyond.

I think it looks great.
I like the round shape. The Jetsons

Here's an article from the PSBJ about Kemper Freeman and his vast accomplishments. It mentions that he plans on finishing both The Bellevue and Lincoln Square II by the second half of 2010. That would probably require that both start sometime in 2008 in order for him to meet that date. Can't wait!

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/24/story1.html?b=1198472400%5E1567381

It was mentioned that both are in design review. Not sure what that means for timeline.

"The Bellevue Collection" sounds so cheesy IMO. Lincoln Square and friends are merely expansions of Bellevue Square, and I think I would prefer having them all just named Bellevue Square...

I also find it strange that it refers to "his" condominiums. I was under the impression that condominiums were sold! And "his" restaurants? Again, I was under the impression that he owned space that he rented out to restaurants owned by other people.

Now, to quit complaining about silly minor details, I kind of wish they had kept Bellevue Square unenclosed (Not that I think that will be an unpopular opinion here...). I find it to be a very uncomfortable and claustrophobic place and I hate going there. Unlike some here, though, I don't really care about the sky bridges. I actually find how one strangely connects to Bellevue Square, leading towards a path that goes by the parking garage, to be kind of fascinating. It's like you can feel how the mall grew and wasn't some 1980s planned masterpiece, but an organic building--one that has continued to change and grow over the decades. Not to say that I like it, because I don't, but it is kind of interesting. I'm not crazy about Kemper's anti-rail philosophy, but I do appreciate the pretty glass towers he's been giving us. And at least he has some serious competition (Bravern etc) now.

</random rant>

It was mentioned that both are in design review. Not sure what that means for timeline.

From the article:

Both Bellevue Square and the Bellevue Nordstrom's are undergoing remodels more pricey than the originals cost to build, he said. Preliminary plans for the Bellevue Square expansion to be called The Bellevue and Lincoln Square II call for a substantial increase in space -- 1.9 million square feet, including hotel rooms and condos. However, Freeman has not yet submitted a design review application, which would formalize these plans.

Also from the article: The Freemans' response was to enclose their mall. The conversion was difficult and risky and prompted Freeman to step down from the state Legislature to help his father. They had to keep Bellevue Square operating during construction, and they built a store for JC Penney before the lease was signed.

This goes against what several people said that JCPenney owned the building. Is JCPenney's owned or leased now? If leased, I could see the day when their lease isn't renewed, and another upscale (saks, or bloomingdales) is put in there. Pure conjecture on my part, but my thoughts are Bellevue Square being and upscale mall, Factoria could be middle market with Kohl's (which I believe is in the works) Target and JCPenney.

I don't know if JC Penny is ever going to leave on their own. That location is one of the most profitable in the company.

I don't know if JC Penny is ever going to leave on their own. That location is one of the most profitable in the company.

According to the King County property records, the only two pieces of property that aren't owned by Bellevue Square Associates are the Northwest corner, where First Mutual Bank is, and the Southeast corner piece where the rug store is. The rest of the block is all owned by Bellevue Square.

However, none of that means that JCPenney doesn't hold a ground lease. Its just that the way that article states things, it sounds like they built the store for JCPenney, so who knows. I think when things get rolling, we'll find out the status.

Oh, really?

http://www.saksincorporated.com/aboutus/

Our Beginning
We began as Proffitt’s, Inc. with just five Proffitt’s stores in metropolitan Knoxville, Tennessee. Proffitt's, Inc. became a public company in June 1987. From 1994 to 1998, we added McRae’s, Parisian, Younkers, Herberger's, and Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (which included Bergner's and Boston Store) as well as 32 additional stores from Lovemans, Hess, Parks-Belk, and Brody’s, which were converted into existing store nameplates.

Becoming Saks Incorporated
In September of 1998, Proffitt’s, Inc. and Saks Holdings, Inc. completed a merger transaction where Saks Fifth Avenue and OFF 5TH outlet stores became a division of Proffitt’s, Inc., and our corporate name of Proffitt’s, Inc. was changed to Saks Incorporated. The stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SKS” on September 18 of that year.
Saks divested itself of all Proffitt's holdings a while ago. Saks Inc. is the holding company, whose subsidiaries include Club Libby Lu (which was never part of Proffitts) and Saks. However, they are currently selling Club Libby Lu. Essentially it is owned by itself.

I went into the Kemper office yesterday to see if they had any updates on this project along with Lincoln Square II. They got a scale model of both projects now (not very detailed though) and a midrise tower is now part of this project. It will be on the SE corner where the Oriental Rugs store is at now and rises about 12-15 floors. Not sure of the use.

In the recent article that announced the Lincoln Square II delay, it also mentioned that Kemper would start this project first, possibly as early as next spring. The old Safeway would be torn down and replaced with a parking lot during construction of The Bellevue.

Good to hear a mid-rise will go in somewhere around there. It'd be boring to have this monolithic wall of 4 same-sized towers lining Bellevue Way.

Does the model still have the curved building on top of the Bellevue? I think that was to be a 200 room hotel. Maybe the mid-rise is a bigger hotel component?

I was thinking the same thing.^^

Does the model still have the curved building on top of the Bellevue? I think that was to be a 200 room hotel. Maybe the mid-rise is a bigger hotel component?

yes, it does still have the curved building above.

I also want to add that their big diagram of the whole Bellevue CBD has been updated to include all of the new proposed projects. The 450 foot office tower on Ne 8th, avalon towers, legacy partner's apartment tower, bellevue plaza, etc. Y'all should definitely go check it out sometime. It's on the 5th floor of the building that houses Crate and Barrel and is open to the public.

Out with JC Penny, and in with Saks. Can we trade away Penny's to Factoria Square Mall? That'd be a great fit.

Where are you going to put JC Penny in Factoria? The traffic on Factoria Blvd. is horrible enough as it is. The old Mervyn's location is too smal, in my opinion, for such a large department store.

The Bellevue sounds boring, should be something attractive for the name of the project.

New rendering of this project from the architect's website. They are adding a highrise to the SE corner, presumably for the hotel portion.

http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/TheBellevue-revit.jpg

Where are you going to put JC Penny in Factoria? The traffic on Factoria Blvd. is horrible enough as it is. The old Mervyn's location is too smal, in my opinion, for such a large department store.


Isn't Factoria Square supposed to be remodeled soon into a Town Square concept?

"The Bellevue Collection" sounds so cheesy IMO. Lincoln Square and friends are merely expansions of Bellevue Square, and I think I would prefer having them all just named Bellevue Square...



Hate to say this, but I think based on Kemper's public persona, it will likely be called that when its completed. It's probably not a temporary development project name. Kemper exudes a "self importance" persona that is part showman and part snake oil salesman. The Bellevue Collection seems so nouveau riche to those who dont realize that NYC has a huge mental hospital called Bellevue <http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/html/facilities/bellevue.shtml>. Don't get me wrong, I think its cool to have a nice place nearby but Bellevue has a LONG way to go before its Rodeo Drive.:lol:

Love the rendering! I wish that curved hotel would little taller like the hotel in San Diego. (Picture isn't mine)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/MetroGuy03/marriott.jpg

I have stayed at that hotel. :)

The Bellevue sounds boring, should be something attractive for the name of the project.

I sort of like "Lincoln Place."

Kemper bought that project, he didn't coin the phrase.

LOL @ mental hospital in NYC called Bellevue...

Agrees with huskies, Kemper is a poser...he's opposed to having light rail coming to Bellevue...'nuf said.

LOL @ mental hospital in NYC called Bellevue...

Agrees with huskies, Kemper is a poser...he's opposed to having light rail coming to Bellevue...'nuf said.
Ironically though, if Kemper started charging for parking at each of his garages/lots the money he made could buy a light rail tunnel to bring thousands of car-less shoppers to his venues all the while leaving plenty of room above for more cars which he seems to love.

Hmm, something to chew on.

He probably believes there is no such thing as a car-less shopper in Bellevue. Given where he's at, what he's done, what he's gonna do and for how long .. that seems perfectly reasonable to me. I've probably missed some of the history, but he certainly evokes animus in here for some reason.

People with cars are going to buy more. The people with cars are who will keep his developments successful, not the ones who can't afford cars or take public transportation.

Just to be specific, there are lots of people who can afford cars but choose to ride public transit. But they won't take transit to shop at Bellevue Square.

Yes, there are. If I had a car, would I take public transportation to go shopping at Bell Square? No way. :) Since I didn't, and still don't have a car (I'm 16), I used the 271 to get to Bell Square and shop that way with friends.

don't really understand that argument "people with cars are gonna buy more"...are you saying that they can haul more of what they buy with a car, if so, i agree with you, same reason why people without cars can't really shop at Costco. With that said, i think Kemper is afraid that more "trashy" people without cars are gonna show up at his malls and ruin the ambience of his establishments. Not saying I would agree with him but I think that's what he's thinking. I grew up in Bellevue and would prefer the "trashiness" of dt Seattle over the "cleaness" of Bellevue any day. No offense to Bellevue, I still love the city, think its got potential and all, but it will never be as significant as Seattle. So let Bellevue be the place where the rich shops, I don't care.

I think we're over-supposing. Trollies won't affect Bellevue Square one way or the other because Bellevue will remain an automobile oriented city for a long time to come, new apartments notwithstanding. Kemper probably dislikes surface rail because it's ugly, tends to become trash-strewn and is gloriously over hyped. Furthermore, even though BS has a very high sales/area statistic (whatever it's called,) I'd bet they value their middle income shoppers the most.

This is just a taste of the oncoming hurdle that Kemper, other Eastside developers and residents as a whole will have to deal with. Bellevue is no longer the yuppie, bourgeois town that Kemper idealized as an upscale suburban utopia to house his malls. I believe this is part of the reason why Kemper does not advocate light rail. Bellevue has outgrown that context and is now taking on the urbanizing intellectual class, mostly comprised of those working within the 405 tech corridor. For Kemper, light rail epitomizes a rapid change to what he thinks could be the problems of urbanization. For anyone who's seen Almost Live!'s 'Eastside Story', that pretty much satirized exactly what Downtown Bellevue used to be about.

don't really understand that argument "people with cars are gonna buy more"...are you saying that they can haul more of what they buy with a car, if so, i agree with you, same reason why people without cars can't really shop at Costco. With that said, i think Kemper is afraid that more "trashy" people without cars are gonna show up at his malls and ruin the ambience of his establishments. Not saying I would agree with him but I think that's what he's thinking. I grew up in Bellevue and would prefer the "trashiness" of dt Seattle over the "cleaness" of Bellevue any day. No offense to Bellevue, I still love the city, think its got potential and all, but it will never be as significant as Seattle. So let Bellevue be the place where the rich shops, I don't care.

People with cars tend to have more money. It's a symbol of wealth. And I don't know if you've looked at the cars parked in DT Bellevue..but I will tell you that most of them are very nice. Kemper's looking to attract more people that can buy more things and/or more expensive things at Bellevue Square. People who go and buy a $30 shorts every 6 months are not exactly the ones who keep his developments alive, and those aren't the people with the nice, expensive cars.

I believe that Kemper Freeman has generally helped the city of Bellevue, and he's been one of, if not their biggest champion. What's good for Bellevue is good for Kemper Freeman.

I think that his opposition to light rail, even regionally, is couched in his perception of his city, and selective look at statistics. For example, there are a lot of statistics out there that you can move a lot more people by bus than by light rail. What this doesn't take into account is travel times, etc. Be that as it may, he seems to have clutched on to this one. In his defense (I'm very pro light rail, so bear with me) light rail probably won't be utilized by a lot of people in Bellevue. Maybe younger and older people and others who don't live in the city who will come in to work or shop.

I think his thinking will probably change, if he's still in charge of his companies when the light rail comes to Bellevue (I have no idea of what his age is, or whether he'd still be interested in operating his companies by the end of the next decade).

One comment that Mr. Freeman made about the Bravern that stuck with me, is that after it was announced that Neiman Marcus was going in as the anchor, the reporter asked if he was upset that there was someone to steal his thunder. His response was no, he just wished that the project was closer to his projects so that there would be an obvious pedestrian connection that people would utilize. As it is, he said, people will drive between the two projects.

I think Mr. Freeman will see the light when Light Rail hits Bellevue, and he sees that its a benefit. The one thing that people seem to ignore is that there are a lot of people who will take a train that won't take a bus. Generally speaking, when I'm in a different city (I'm a flight attendant and have been for 20 years) I'll look at riding trains to other areas, but won't be bothered with bus maps, etc.

So just my 2 cents, time will tell how all of this plays out.

haha, I agree with you Just4 about the assumption that people with cars may have more money, so don't get so heated up, I was just throwing something else to provoke some more interesting response. I think its boring to talk about "symbols of wealth", cars being the obvious choice. The whole mentality of flashing your wealth with material goods is such a turn off for me, seeing all those nice cars in Bellevue doesn't impress me at all. Seeing the museums and institutions and mass transit and diversity impress me much much more. Travel more, you'll see rich people every where are the same, all very boring. Culture is more exciting.

It would be interesting to take a survey as to what we believe "rich" is, keeping in mind that Seattle is totally unique in this circumstance. (Most of the truly rich you would not pick out in a crowd, and their shopping habits are unpredictable at best.)

People with cars tend to have more money. It's a symbol of wealth. And I don't know if you've looked at the cars parked in DT Bellevue..but I will tell you that most of them are very nice. Kemper's looking to attract more people that can buy more things and/or more expensive things at Bellevue Square. People who go and buy a $30 shorts every 6 months are not exactly the ones who keep his developments alive, and those aren't the people with the nice, expensive cars.

My friends with cars tend to be financially enslaved to their auto. While they sit at home bitching about break-ins, insurance costs, gas and repairs, me and my "poor carless" friends are dining out and walking home.

For sure. The people there have got to be in huge debt (most of them)

(re: Bellevue's cars)

Yeah. I think people without cars tend to be bit richer since they don't have to spend $$$ on gas, oil change, auto insurance, repairs, and car wash.

Yeah. I think people without cars tend to be bit richer since they don't have to spend $$$ on gas, oil change, auto insurance, repairs, and car wash.

People with cars are becoming too "high maintenence" for me. When they come to visit or they insist on driving somewhere easily accessible by bus/walking we have to deal with parking and its a nerve-wracking nightmare. Even worse when you are hosting a party and you have to step-by-step try to help people over the phone who are trying to find parking. Most of the time I just say "I dunno where to park. Shouldda taken the bus."

And all their money and time seems to go into their cars. Since I moved to the city I have almost ZERO patience for sitting in traffic, too. Like I just want to get out of the car and walk through it.

People with cars, to me, are becoming too "high maintenence" for me. When they come to visit or they insist on driving somewhere easily accessible by bus/walking we have to deal with parking and its a nerve-wracking nightmare. Even worse when you are hosting a party and you have to step-by-step try to help people over the phone who are trying to find parking. And all their money and time seems to go into their cars. Since I moved to the city I have almost ZERO patience for sitting in traffic, too. Like I just want to get out of the car and walk through it.

That is very true. Some people just don't get it. Many of them failed to realize that walk or ride the bus save them a lot of troubles and time to get around the city.

haha, I agree with you Just4 about the assumption that people with cars may have more money, so don't get so heated up, I was just throwing something else to provoke some more interesting response. I think its boring to talk about "symbols of wealth", cars being the obvious choice. The whole mentality of flashing your wealth with material goods is such a turn off for me, seeing all those nice cars in Bellevue doesn't impress me at all. Seeing the museums and institutions and mass transit and diversity impress me much much more. Travel more, you'll see rich people every where are the same, all very boring. Culture is more exciting.

I couldn't agree more. Diversity is one of the things I love about Bellevue.

Yup, Bellevue sure is diverse, they have so many different stores in that mall, and the um, different kinds of BMWs...

It really is. I haven't seen a place of its size that has so many different cultures, restaurants, nationalities..whatever it is.

Totally. I bet European students backpack in all the time just to see it.

^^I guess I'm the only one who seems to think so. Due to my move a couple months ago, I really started appreciating the Seattle area more, and what it has to offer to everyone that lives there.

Some of these people need to walk outside of the "downtown" area and go to the neighborhoods of the city. Crossroads is probably the biggest melting pot of people.

It is. You can find people there from every single corner of the earth there.

It's true that the Crossroads has a high concentration of South Asians, Hispanics, and East Asians, but the city overall is overwhelmingly white. Whites and Asians alone comprise around 90% of the racial makeup. It's nowhere even close to some of the majority-minority edge cities further south, particularly in the Bay Area or the Inland Empire.

I mean, I'm all for diversity and would love to see more ethnic neighborhoods spring up, but it's a long way to go.

You're talking about Bellevue not being racially diverse. I'm talking about culturally. Anyways, we're getting off topic.

With the Bravern getting all the press lately, many have forgotten that Kemper has a similar project in the works. Here are some new renderings of The Bellevue.

Looking northwest at corner of NE 4th and Bellevue Way
http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/The%20Bellevue%20tower%20render.jpg

Looking southwest
http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/The%20Bellevue%2030-ned1.jpg

Looking east down NE 4th towards Lincoln Square II
http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/The%20Bellevue%2030-sw4.jpg

I'm kind of glad they upgraded this project to a high-rise, but I admit I'll admit the original funky sixties design was intriguing. :P

Wow that is one ugly design.

Why is all Kemper's buildings so ugly? They should consider switching architecture firm.

That's a cool tower! Of course it's coolness factor would go up if it was taller. But still, I like it, especially the funky orange stripes and the tiers of the first 6 or so floors.

Wow nice additional to Bellevue skyline! The Bellevue is very different looking building but I like it! :)

Wow that is one ugly design.

Why is all Kemper's buildings so ugly? They should consider switching architecture firm.

Almost all of Kemper's towers aren't bad looking but nothing exciting. I think Bellevue Square is ugly and need to do serious makeover. Only one thing I like about their renovation is new tiles. That's it.

That looks horrible. Please don't build it...

Mixed reaction it seems. I vote butt-ugly. Looks like they took the old Seattle Municipal Building, added some pointy features for "style" and some pastel stripes for "earthiness."

It reminds me of an early 2000s building for some reason. That area has more potential, and should have something taller/better designed than that. Is the height restriction in Bellevue still 450 ft?

I don't think it's that bad. Does remind me of condo craze buildings built in the 2000s like Mosler or maybe something in the Pearl District.