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Bellevue Light Rail Tunnel Construction
No doubt the road closures throughout the city have been frustrating – be patient and flexible as those detours will continue for the next several years as the light rail construction progresses toward the 2023 opening. Those tall green walls at the corner of Main Street and 112th Avenue NE shelter the construction activity and progress being made on the light rail tunnel under downtown Bellevue that will eventually come to the surface and connect to the light rail station which will be located just east of the Bellevue Transit Center.
Click the link above for a fascinating look at the light rail tunnel construction currently in progress under downtown Bellevue’s streets. Given the scope of activity and progress, I’ve got to applaud Sound Transit for how well the the road closures have been announced and marked on the streets throughout downtown.
No doubt there will be more closures, traffic issues and inconveniences in the coming years, but keep your eye on the prize at the end. Light rail is going to be an amazing addition to the Seattle/Bellevue metropolitan area, providing traffic relief and a huge benefit to commuters. If you’ve ever visited other parts of the US where light rail already exists (Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Portland) you know it will be well worth the wait.
Another New Restaurant Downtown
Another new restaurant, Henry’s Tavern, is scheduled to open August 30th at Lincoln Square. Henry’s Tavern is best known for its wide selection of beers on tap, its frosted bar rail to keep beers cold and a vast menu. This will be the sixth Henry’s Tavern for Restaurants Unlimited, Inc.
Henry’s opened in Portland in 2004 and expanded to Seattle in 2013 with a Sodo location. This is the second Bellevue location for Restaurants Unlimited, Inc. – the other is Palomino. The restaurant will be 11,000+ SF with a 700 square foot patio and a keg wall – a two tiered glass cooler that has all kegs on display.
Henry’s Tavern will join several other restaurants that have already opened or are scheduled to open in the coming weeks at Lincoln Square expansion.
Bellevue Downtown Park Completion
The “Complete the Circle” project at the Downtown Park is underway with work scheduled to be completed in time for this year’s Fourth of July celebration. The nearly year long project includes completion of the last section of the circular canal and tree lined promenade, creating a new entry and water feature at the south side of the park, upgrading the playground to create a universally accessible Inspiration Playground, adding landscaping and terraced seating and enlarging the parking lot on 100th Avenue NE.
Construction of the park’s new south entry and pedestrian crossing caused the temporary closure of the intersection at NE First Street and 102nd Avenue NE. The intersection is expected to open again mid-to-late April.
The Downtown Park is a 21 acre oasis in the heart of the city and the centerpiece of the Bellevue Parks System. There’s something for everyone . . . a half mile level tree-lined promenade, canal, waterfall and reflecting pond, a ten acre lawn area, playground, picnic areas and formal gardens . . . all framed by views of the city’s skyline and Mt. Rainier. Its going to be exciting to see the improvements and have the park open again this summer.
How Smart is Your Home?
I was recently approached for an on-the-street survey conducted by a major local tech company regarding smart houses, asking if I would value "smart house" features for comfort, convenience, energy conservation and security.
The growth of "smart homes" has exploded worldwide. According to a recent article in Realtor® Magazine, approximately 100 million households will be "smart" by the end of the year and that number is expected to grow to 300 million in the next ten years. Obviously tech companies are banking on this trend, as the market for products regulating home automation, appliances, energy use, security and data analytics is growing. The big question is consumer need and acceptance . . .
- will a smart home factor in a buyer's decision to purchase one home over another
- with prices still relatively high and the technology still fairly complicated, will the average homeowner embrace the technology
- is this just a passing fad, or could the technology eventually take off (solar panels took years) and demonstrate a return-on-investment
Consumers are increasingly tech savvy and showing more interest in smart home technology. While these products are growing in popularity (thermostats, alarms, cameras, auto-locking doors, etc.) and can be easily controlled from a phone or tablet, how many buyers will be more likely to buy a home if smart products are installed? Is smart home technology an upgrade the average homeowner would consider instead of making cosmetic updates? It will be interesting to see how long it takes for smart home technology to be the new norm.
