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East Link Light Rail Progress
While shops and restaurants were closed throughout 2020, construction progress for Sound Transit’s East Link Light Rail continued moving forward. Tracks have been installed across I-90 and throughout the Eastside, stations are under construction, the Bel-Red maintenance facility is complete and landscaping is beginning to frame the tracks and stations. Driving through the Bel-Red neighborhood last week it was exciting to see trains parked outside the maintenance building.
Great news for commuters . . .parking at the South Bellevue Park-and-Ride will be available to bus riders later this year. The East Link South Bellevue Station garage will open to bus service in September 2021, nearly two years before train service begins.
When East Link opens in 2023 riders will have access to nearly 40 miles of light rail from the Eastside to downtown Seattle, Northgate and Sea-Tac Airport. Trains are scheduled to run every 6 minutes at peak hours. Estimated travel time from the Redmond Technology station to Bellevue Downtown is 10 minutes – South Bellevue to Sea-Tac just under 50 minutes.
Building light rail that travels on solid ground and a floating bridge has never been done before. It has taken years to design a safe and dependable system that will integrate with the I-90 floating bridge and continue to sustain auto traffic. Learn more in this video about the design and construction process.
Snowflake Lane 2020
flickr/GoToVan
The trees lining Bellevue Way have been decorated in sparkling holiday lights and the toy drums have arrived and line the sidewalks. Soon toy soldiers will take their places on top of the drums. The holidays are almost here.
The Bellevue Collection’s Snowflake Lane will have a different look this year. The holiday season kicks off November 27th with a nightly celebration of lights, music and the occasional “snow” shower along Bellevue Way between NE 8th and NE 4th Streets. Keeping everyone’s safety in mind, there will be no parade or performers this year, but every night between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM through December 24th you can still take a walk or drive down Bellevue Way and enjoy the sights, sounds and spirit of the season.
Ideas for Creating Deck or Courtyard Privacy
courtesy HGTV
With summer weather finally here we’re all spending more time outdoors, but with the confines created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re spending a lot more time outdoors at home. Whether you live in an urban high rise or townhouse, creating privacy on your deck, patio or courtyard can be challenging.
HGTV has provided some interesting and affordable options available for adding a privacy screen to your deck. If you’re creative, there’s a lot of inspiration here for designing a customized screen to fit your space and decor.
https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/outdoor-spaces/best-outdoor-privacy-screens
Feel the Sidewalk Between Your Toes
flickr/shinazy shinazy
I’ve lived in Bellevue for over 30 years and downtown for the past dozen years. During the past several weeks of stay home/stay healthy I’ve logged a lot of miles around downtown Bellevue, often accompanied by two spoiled dogs. I know this city pretty well but have been surprised by the the pocket parks, public plazas and courtyards in commercial spaces and viewpoints I’ve discovered for the first time. And while currently closed, I’ve also found new coffee, dining and dessert options to put on my list to try this summer.
It’s going to be a beautiful weekend with summer-like weather predicted for several days. Wherever you live, take advantage of the sunshine and reduced traffic – ride your bike, take a walk, walk the dog, explore your neighborhood, investigate the city, visit the Botanical Gardens or Downtown Park or one of several lake front parks. You may be surprised by what you find.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grand-moms, great grand-moms and dog and cat moms.
Bellevue Farmers Market
flickr/Tim Bowens
Due to the extension of Washington State’s stay home/stay healthy order, the opening of the Bellevue Farmers Market has been delayed. This year the market will have a soft opening. Beginning on May 14th and again on May 21st and May 28th, pre-ordered produce boxes will be available for drive-through pick-up from 3:00 – 6:00 PM on those dates. Flowers and eggs may be added to the produce box order. (PLEASE NOTE – The inaugural Bellevue Farmers Market Box has sold out for May 14th. Orders can still be placed for May 21st and 28th. Visit the website for order deadlines.)
Visit bellevuefarmersmarket.org for information on how to pre-order, order deadlines and instructions for pick-up. Order early, as supply will be limited.
Opening day for the weekly market is scheduled for Thursday, June 4th from 3:00 – 7:00 PM. The market site at the First Presbyterian Church offers ample free parking.
Bellevue Presbyterian Church
1717 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
A Reminder of Bellevue’s Past
I didn’t have any change with me to see if this still worked, but it was fun to find a phone booth still existed in downtown Bellevue. During a walk through Meydenbauer Bay Park I saw this outside the entry to the boat house at the park. Wonder how many kids over the decades used this phone to call their parents to pick them up after swimming at the lake. Bellevue is growing, entering another development phase that will change the skyline. This was a fun reminder of when a phone was actually used for making calls!
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.
Walkable Neighborhoods Increase Property Values
Walkable neighborhoods continue to grow in popularity with buyers placing high value on access to workplaces, entertainment, shopping and dining without having to rely on a car. A home's walkability is not only increasingly in demand, its also a factor in raising home values. Recent data shows that mixed-use transit oriented neighborhoods improve property values and over the years walkable communities have held and increased their value, even in turbulent real estate markets. Respondents in a recent NAR (National Association of Realtors®) survey confirmed that buyers prefer to live in a neighborhood with a mix of homes and businesses. Communities where people can live close to work, buy groceries and socialize – all without needing a car – are the magnets that attract many of today's professionals, families and downsizing buyers.
