Developer Bryan Park sees plenty of good things ahead for the proposed Tukwila Village.
“The project is attempting to implement the city’s vision that we share to create a meeting or gathering place for all residents in the city,” said Park. “It’s a mix of uses from residential to retail and a public plaza.”
Park is president of Puyallup-based Pacific Northern Construction Co, Inc., which is part of Tukwila Village Development Associates, the development group selected by the city to build the project.
The Tukwila City Council received a briefing about Tukwila Village at its Dec. 19 meeting. City officials, Tukwila Village Development Associates and the King County Library System are nearing completion of the main terms to be included in a development agreement that could go to the council for approval in February or March.
The project covers 6 acres of city-owned property at South 144th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard. The city hopes to turn the area into a mixed use development that will include a library, apartments, a neighborhood police resource center, retail, restaurants, public meeting space and an outdoor plaza.
Park’s company has proposed an 8,000-square-foot library; a 2,000-square-foot police resource center; 20,000 square feet of medical and dental offices; 7,000 square feet of retail; a 2,000-square-foot indoor community commons; 20,000 square feet for an outdoor community plaza; 300 age-restricted apartments; and 80 non-age restricted apartments.
Phase 1 of the project would involve property north of South 144th Street. That project is scheduled to be submitted to the city for design review by June and be approved by October. Construction could start in June 2013 and be completed by December 2014.
Park said the public plaza looms as a major highlight and focus of the project.
“Lots of things could be done at the plaza from concerts to festivals to fairs,” Park said. “The real focus is on a community gathering place for social interaction.”
Several residents commented about Tukwila Village at the council meeting and emphasized the importance of the new library to the project. Park agreed.
“The library is a very important part of the plan,” Park said. “We are working with the county on site planning.”
The library is proposed to be built at the northeast corner of Tukwila International Boulevard and South 144th Street.
Bill Placek, director of King County Library Services, told the council a new high-quality library for Tukwila has been in the works for a long time. He said funding exists for at least an 8,000-square-foot library and maybe as large as a 10,000-square-foot facility.
The council selected Tukwila Village Development Associates last June as the developer for Tukwila Village. Members of the group have built several mixed-use projects in the Seattle area similar to the proposed Tukwila Village.
Park said several potential retail tenants already have shown interest in the village.
“We were attracted to the mixed-use concept and the city’s vision,” Park said about choosing the Tukwila project. “We like the potential. We feel it will be very, very successful and well-accepted in the marketplace.”
For more information, go to www.ci.tukwila.wa.us/tukwilavillage.html.
