By Kate Snyder
A townhome community is in the works for Bellevue’s Bel-Red district. Details about the project, which would bring 91 residential units to the city, were presented during an informational meeting for the public on Oct. 24. No action was taken during the meeting.
The developer is Taylor Development, and the architect is DAHLIN Group, according to project plans.
Located at 12727 and 12729 Northup Way, the site consists of 5.24 acres of land and is currently developed with the old Cascade Place II Office buildings, plans show. In 2021, Taylor Development purchased the property site from Brenner Construction Co. for $33 million, or about $761 per square foot, according to previous reporting from The Registry. The site’s existing two-building asset totals 43,316 square feet and was constructed in 1979.
The residential units are spread through 16 townhome buildings that step down the site in order to incorporate the existing grade conditions into the neighborhood design, plans show. Approximately 182,000 square feet of floor area is provided. Each home has two parking spaces within a garage, and plans show additional parking stalls within the property as well as the public parallel parking available along perimeter streets. A series of public green spaces are distributed throughout the site, and open spaces are connected with a pedestrian walkway throughout the site. The project will also construct several new roads, including half-street extensions of 127th Avenue NE, 128th Avenue NE and NE 18th Street as well as an extension of NE 19th Street that will run east and west through the site.
In the design, building facades will incorporate techniques such as stepbacks, offsets and material changes to break up the massing of the structures. Upper-level exterior decks are provided to take advantage of the urban views and provide a private outdoor area for residents.
“Contemporary architectural forms and materials have been chosen for this site to provide an attractive presence along the project frontage,” project plans state. “Materials such as smooth and faux wood-grained cementitious siding. as well as lap siding will be used.”
The landscape plan shows a “hierarchical layering” of shrubs and trees designed to soften the building edges and define walkways and entries. Approximately 5,750 square feet of play areas are designed within the site to provide open space and gathering areas for residents. Additionally, 16 bicycle parking stalls are also provided.
Lauren Jessup-Mosu, managing director in the DAHLIN Group’s Bellevue office, presented additional details about the project during the meeting. She specified the layout of the surrounding area, pointing out that the site’s neighbors to the east include a nine-story mixed-use building along with some commercial space and also the Heidelberg Materials lot. Additionally, the project would be situated less than half a mile away from the Spring District light rail that’s currently under development. Because of the project’s positioning, she also noted that residents would be able to take advantage of not only the views but the natural light.
“The site itself has north-south orientation, giving the majority of units east-west sun exposure that will allow them to take advantage of the morning and afternoon sun,” Jessup-Mosus said. “This orientation also provides clear views of downtown Bellevue to the west and to the Cascade Mountains to the east. Thanks to the sloping site, most units will have clear views from their top floors of these locations.”
Bellevue-based Taylor Development has been developing numerous properties since 1993, according to its website. Over the course of its 27 year history, the company has built and sold $900 million in commercial and residential real estate.
