ARLINGTON Another grassy field will soon be paved and full of buildings, but it should be no surprise to anyone.
The northwest corner of the intersection of 67th Avenue and State Route 531, better known as 172nd Street, is a prime piece of real estate that displayed a for sale sign for at least five or six years.
Now a bright orange city of Arlington sign informs passers-by of the proposed development for the site with notification of a community meeting that is set for 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 6 at City Council Chambers.
Zoned neighborhood commercial, the proposal, called Arlington Square, includes more than 63,000-square-feet of retail, 10,320-square-feet of general office space and 70 condominium units.
In laymans terms, that appears as three single story buildings for retail along 67th and two large buildings in the center of the acreage with retail space on the ground floor and condominiums above. In the far back east side of the property, adjacent to the Atonement Free Lutheran Church property, two, two-story office buildings are proposed.
Assistant Community Development Director Bill Blake said that the development has been back and forth across his desk many times in the past four years. Also the natural resource manager for the city, Blake was especially concerned with a strategy to protect Edgecomb Creek that flows down the steep hill and passes under 172nd Street into the proposed development before turning south again, back under the road.
Coho spawn right there, Blake pointed at the map. To protect the stream, the city required the developer to move the sidewalk away from the street and go around the native growth protection area inside the development. Existing wetlands on the north edge of the property will be expanded to compensate for a wet spot in the center of the development.
It will make the native growth protection area bigger and more effective for animals, Blake said.
The two office buildings at the back of the property may go green with sod roofs to alleviate the visual impact on the church above, Blake said.
The developer of the project is David Alan Development, LLC, of Mill Creek, and the land-use consultant is Tobiason & Company, of Seattle.
We have not worked at all with the property owner, Blake said.
Images for the proposed buildings are an attractive Northwest style reminiscent of Mill Creek, or maybe Whistler B.C., with pitched roofs and steep dormers against contemporary colors and windows along the street level.
But those illustrations are not necessarily what will finally be built, Blake pointed out.
The builder will be a complete different entity from the developer.
The developer has prepared the 8.43 acres but now its up to the landowner to find buyers to build the proposed buildings, Blake explained the process.
Nothing gets built until the concept and site plan are approved, Blake explained.
The current proposal includes all the geotechnical studies with wetland delineation and a drainage report with all the studies to prove that the development is feasible.
Blake said that locating the road access points was a challenge, too. The proposed development has two entrances from 67th, although the southern one will allow right only exits to the north only because of its proximity to the intersection.
The southern access will be shared with the church next door.
The pastor of the church, Pastor Rick Long, said that he has been working with the engineer on the project on a shared access and they are also looking at a new access on the east side of the church property.
I am confident that it will turn out fine and the access will be mutually beneficial for all, Long said. He is not upset about the development because it has been up for sale for many years.
Weve known this day will come, he said.
A member of the church and resident of Gleneagle, Ed Maynard is generally concerned about the increased traffic on 172nd Street.
The traffic on 172nd is horrendous, Maynard said.
The city is working on a design concept for the 172nd Street corridor from I-5 to SR 9, but since its a state highway, construction will be done by the state. Sources say the project is on the states radar, although no funding is in place yet.
For information about the project or the neighborhood meeting call 360-403-3551.