By Meghan Hall
A new residential development could be coming to Redmond in the coming years as the Eastside market continues to grow. Public documents with the city have revealed new plans for Harmony, a five-story mixed-use building to be located just outside of downtown. Pitched by a team affiliated with Kirkland, Wash.-based Natural & Built Environments, the project’s application was deemed complete at the end of last year.
Located at 8550 164th Ave. NE, the project will include 91 residential suites, eight apartment suites, 375 square feet of commercial and 588 square feet of office. 44 parking stalls are also planned. The commercial uses on the second floor will be broken into four different spaces, each about 147 square feet. Residential units will also vary in size, from just under 200 square feet to up to about 757 square feet. Patios and balconies for the residential units, as well as 1,366 square feet of interior common space, a dog area and dog wash, and a roof deck, are denoted in the project’s plans.
Designed by CDA + Pirscher Architects, the building will be clad in a mix of fiber cement panels in off white and gray. Some of the panels will also have a cedar look and act as an accent. Aluminum trim at the floors and columns in a dark gray will accentuate building openings, and storefronts will also be glad in aluminum. A medium green panel will also serve to give the building a natural look.
It is unclear what the specific timing is for the project, and as of this writing, the development team has not returned The Registry’s request for comment. City documents indicate that a number of permits need to be procured before Natural & Built Environments can move forward with construction. SEPA analysis is still required, as are civil construction and building permits.
Natural & Built Environments has completed a number of projects on the Eastside in recent years. In Redmond, the firm developed the Plaza Apartments, a community which features 111 “eco flats” and studios. Also in Redmond, the company built the 162Ten Apartments, which includes 96 units. The community is 100 percent occupied, based on information from Natural & Built Environment’s website.
Natural & Built Environments focuses specifically on apartments, multi-use spaces, offices or for-sale communities. Typically, the firm maintains a majority stake in the properties. Often, it maintains 100 percent ownership.
“We strive to achieve excellence in every project that we do – to create a better choice for our residents, our neighbors, and our cities,” states the firm’s website. “At the heart of every project is a dedication to the big picture, the smallest details, and creating a soft environmental impact. We are not shy about pushing the envelope when it means a better end result.”
At the end of 2020, approximately 36.2 percent of the Puget Sound’s 4.3 million residents were renters. Average rent came in at about $1,610 per month. According to a report by Kidder Mathews’, the apartment market has remained relatively stable, and while recovery will take some time, the region’s ability to attract venture capital and major employers are a boon to the residential asset class and will help the region to recover.
