There's lots of chatter right now around our relatively new,and quickly beloved, Cross Kirkland Corridor.  The City of Kirkland owns the land and Sound Transit has an easement over it.  The plan from the beginning was to have some form of transit/light rail to connect Issaquah, Bellevue and Totem Lake. But apparently nobody mentioned BUSES, which is on the forefront of their minds now.  Locals are quickly assembling to weigh in with their thoughts on how these types of changes might impact the natural serenity and safety of our widely used trail. Perhaps the 405 is a better place for diesel buses to be zipping around?  I have to say, this is one of the many things I love about Kirklanders.  We stay pretty quiet and chill until something comes up that really really rubs us the wrong way- and they we rally together and make our thoughts be known.  So- do it to it.  Let them know what you think.  Silence is assumed approval.

 Here are the details from a flyer that is being circulated:

Our City Council wants to put buses on the CKC. Tell them to pursue, existing, alternate, better options.

Preserve the Cross Kirkland Trail, Naturally. 

The Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC) is a 5.75 mile walking and biking path and green space meandering past schools and parks and connecting 13 neighborhoods. It is enjoyed by walkers and bikers of all ages. The City is rushing to develop plans for Sound Transit’s 2016 ballot measure and wants to put Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on this trail. Buses on the CKC are unnecessary and would destroy the trail forever. 

Projecting Buses Every 2 to 3 Minutes

The City of Kirkland proposes adding two paved bus lanes for BRT. According to the City, they expect a bus would go by every two to three minutes during peak travel times. With such high traffic, the tranquility of the trail would be forever altered as well as the safety of the trail users. 

There are Better Options: I-405 

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will better serve our community on existing infrastructure such as I-405. (The I-405 Master Plan calls for BRT.) Redmond and Bellevue have successfully added BRT on their city streets. Kirkland can do the same.

Preserve Our Green Space For Future Generations

As the impacts and pressures of increased density continue, we need to preserve and protect the green spaces we have for future generations.

Here’s How You Can Tell The City Council You Don’t Want Buses On The CKC
• November 17th, 7:30pm, Attend the City Council meeting and Wear Green to visually show
your support!
• November 19th, 6:30pm, Attend the Open House at the Kirkland Performance Center and
Wear Green!
• Write Letters to the Editor: [email protected], [email protected]
• Email the City Council with your thoughts: [email protected]
• Email Sound Transit with your thoughts: [email protected]
www.SaveOurTrail.org                        www.EastsideCorridor.org

  (click on photos for larger view)

PINCH ME.  It's really happening! Kirkland ParkPlace is winding down operations and preparing to get blasted into the 21st century with a transformation that will deliver to us.................Kirkland Urban. Even the name sounds fresh and hip and kind of awesome.  Talon Private Capital has one more Design Review Board meeting with the City of Kirkland on Dec 7th before they start moving forward with demo in Q1 of 2016. 

 <-nice of them to put me in this rendering. I'm the one in the center in workout clothes that still hasn't showered when it's clearly the middle of the day. )

There's a lot of buzz around town. Everyone is worried about what will become of some of their neighborhood faves that reside in ParkPlace.  Many shops have already closed and some are hanging on until the end of the year.  But I won't leave you guessing.

Here's the breakdown:

QFC-  this will stay continuously open.  Phase 1 will house the NEW QFC (roughly where the bagel shop was) so the current QFC will stay open until their new space is ready.  They plan to step up their game to be  a flagship QFC for this area.  Good thinking with Met Market up the street and Whole Foods making their way to Totem Lake. ;-)

Moving Elsewhere-

Hoffman's Bakery- out Nov 30th.  Moving to 16175 Cleveland St.  That's a long way to drive for a princess torte but oh-so worth it. 

Key Bank- moved to 324 Central Way (across the street)

Palettes & Pairings- moving to Redmond Town Center into the Borders space 11/30

GNC- new store in Crossroads

Weldon Barber- new location in Kirkland

Kirkland Vision- new location in Kirkland

Tuxedo Club- Closed 11/3. Moving to Seattle

Hot Yoga- Closed. Has a Bellevue location.

Lucia- closing end of Nov.  But don't forget they have a Greenlake location!

Places you might see again but not really sure:

Pancake House- open for 2 more years (not in Phase 1 demo)

Starbucks- closes 11/15.  

Purple- closes Jan 1

Tim's Seafood- 11/30 close

Kirkland Parkplace Cinema- closes 12/31....A fancy new one WILL be going in (later phase 2019-ish)

Places to Wish Farewell:

Rikki Rikki- Potential Feb close.  No plan to re-open now.

Einstein Bros Bagels- already gone. Other stores in Seattle and Mercer Island

La Pasta- out 11/15

Saigon Jade Vietnamese- closing end of Nov.  No plans to relocate.

Hallmark- left in August

Parkplace Books/Common Folk/Todd's Crab Cracker- all closing at the end of the year

This Kirkland Urban project is happening in phases, and the first will be the corner that encompasses Central Way and PK Park (estimated completion for Phase 1 is Q3-4 2017).  Look for construction fences going up soon! Eventually, there will be office/retail space in the mid-high $30's/sf range and 185 units of residential condos (all rentals) for roughly $3/sf. Some are 2 story townhouses.  There is also space for a health club in a future phase, and it sounds like some Seattle based chefs might have an eye on our little Eastside gem.  

The retail leasing is still getting underway. And we are geographically in a non-compete zone for many of the retailers at Bellevue Square.   So I'm curious to know what shops/services YOU want to see in Kirkland Urban? Jot your wishlist in the 'comments' section below (I'd like an Athleta, please!).  You never know who might see them.  ;-)

Talon Private Capital is the new cat in town that is poised to re-develop Kirkland Park Place.  It's hard to believe, I know, and somebody will have to pinch me when they actually break ground which is going to be BEST CASE scenario March of 2016.  Bill Pollard , Founding Principal, was at our neighborhood meeting a few nights ago and even though he only had about 20 minutes on the agenda, I thought it was SO exciting I wanted to share the highlights:

-Prudential, who owns KPP, allowed them to start from scratch instead of starting with Touchstone's previous plan

-This version is scaled back 

-There WILL be a new movie theater- think upscale/iPic-like in current QFC location.  This part makes me giddy.  Seriously.  You had me at 'movie theater.'

-650K sf office space, 200K retail, 300K apartments, and NO hotel.

-A new QFC twice the size latest/greatest will still anchor (moving to different location on site)

-Restaurants, also some pop- up ones on the 2nd floor w/view of the lake

-Multi-family apartments for rent (our geo has demand for more 2-3 bedrooms than most)

-100 surface parking spots, rest are sub-terrain

-Focus on walk-ability, there's even a little U-Village-like lane w/slow traffic, open courtyard feel

It's early in the process, they are still working with the city and have not yet hired an architect or gone through the Design Review Process.  The next meeting is the Planning Committee's Study Session at City Hall on 12/11 at 7pm if you have input.  Questions can be directed to Natalie Price at [email protected].   I love that they are getting out and talking to all of the neighborhoods (when is your next nhood assoc mtg??).  And did I mention there will be a movie theater? ;-)