Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Blue C Sushi and Boom Noodle Bring Affordable Asian Cusine to Downtown Bellevue

At Bellevue Square on Bellevue Way next to PF Changs, where JZ Rose occupied the first floor, will now be filled with two restaurants that have a lot of contemporary energy and Asian cuisine.

The first is Blue C Sushi, which many might be familiar with, as they have locations in Fremont, University Village, and now Alderwood Mall. This is not your usual sushi joint. Blue C offers affordable sushi, with a conveyor belt style delivery method, big screen TV's, and a nice atmosphere with a clean design.

The second restaurant is Boom Noodle, a fairly new establishment, which currently has one location in Capitol Hill. Although Boom has no conveyor belt, it holds many of the same initial values of Blue C Sushi, offering affordable, authentic dishes in a stylish and hip atmosphere. The only difference is that they serve noodles rather than Sushi! Take a peak instead of the Capitol Hill location, and you'll immediately feel the environment of natural wood and green colors.

Both restaurants are locally owned by a group of three, which are "making our city's culinary scene more interesting," according to their Website. Blue C Sushi plans to open in September/October, followed by Boom Noodle in November/December. This fills a need for affordable, fun, and locally owned restaurant options to eat at, in and around the Bellevue Collection.


Images from Boom Noodle on Capitol Hill

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Bravern In The News

Recent articles within the Seattle Times and The Oregonian, have The Bravern project in the news recently. Two articles Sunday, in the Seattle Times, focused on how Neiman Marcus chose to go into The Bravern and how The Bravern Signature Residences' marketing plan is now focused around the high-end retail.

When Schnitzer West first made plans for their Bravern Development, its original intentions were for four business towers (instead of what is now planned, two business towers and two condo towers). When speaking to retailers to convince them to occupy space at The Bravern, they unintentionally came across Neiman Marcus, which at first wasn't interested, but over time (with favorable leasing terms) decided to occupy space at The Bravern.

Kemper Freeman Jr. is interviewed in the article and discusses his disappointment in Neiman Marcus' choice of The Bravern over Bellevue Square. He continues on in a section titled, "Freeman fires back," discussing the upgrades and expansion The Bellevue Collection is taking. Also interesting to note is his discussion around how The Bravern project will now split high-end retail into two distinct separated shopping centers, and his beliefs are that the market hasn't proven it is ready for that.

Also in the news in The Oregonian, was a blurb in their Northwest Headlines section titled, "Uber weathy Bellevue to get Neiman Marcus store, adding to an already upscale retail mix."

Monday, April 28, 2008

Downtown Bellevue Network 1 Year Anniversary!

Please help us celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the Downtown Bellevue Network's Website.

What We will be hosting a party at 520 Bar & Grill offering complimentary appetizers, free prizes, and great company.

Who Our loyal readers of the Downtown Bellevue Network!

Where 520 Bar & Grill @ 10146 Main Street (On Main Street in Old Bellevue, down a couple of storefronts from Gilberts).

When Tuesday, May 13th, 5:00pm - 7:30pm.

Why It's the one-year anniversary of the Downtown Bellevue Network site going live, and this is reason to celebrate! Plus, do you really need an excuse to mingle and grab a drink after work? Turn this event into a networking opportunity; there will be many Downtown Bellevue interested parties present!

Action RSVP via email to info@downtownbellevue.com with your name, and how many people will be in your party!

Space is very limited, so RSVP ASAP!
----------------------------------------
Update 4/29: We have had a great response to the celebration, and it is now at full capacity! We will plan for more events in the future, after receiving such a great response!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Q1 Commercial Real Estate Statistics for Downtown Bellevue

The first quarter office market statistics for the Bellevue CBD reflect a market in limbo, as nearly 75,000 square feet of office space was negatively absorbed, causing vacancy rates to tick up slightly to 7.23% in Downtown Bellevue.

However, lease rates continued to rise, reaching $38.67 on average; a 2.5% increase over last quarter. With the dormant office stats for the first quarter of 2008, and the increased anxiety of a softening local economy, the rumor that Microsoft WILL be leasing City Center Plaza – a deal that has been on again off again – would undoubtedly strengthen the downtown office market. That potential lease would leave Bentall’s Summit Phase III, a project that is not scheduled to be delivered until mid December of 2009, as the only office development available for lease.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Sign Up for Email, and Get First Chance at Our Exclusive Event!

On Monday we will be announcing a small gathering in celebration of the Downtown Bellevue Network's first year.

For our first offline, in person event, we will be hosting it at an intimate locally owned restaurant! If you would like "first dibs" on RSVP-ing for this event, sign up for our email list (at the top left of the page) by Friday noon, and you'll get the invite. Or, if you're feeling like a risk taker and are hoping that there will still be room available, we will announce it publicly on Monday.

Ask Lea: Cinco De Mayo is Monday, May 5th!

Dear Lea,
Does Downtown Bellevue have any family Mexican restaurants that would be decent to go to on Cinco De Mayo?
- Muchas Gracias, Bob

Dear Bob,

I do think Bellevue is in need of some better sit-down M
exican restaurants. There is Chipotle, Baha Fresh, and Taco Time, but I don't really consider these "family Mexican restaurants." They could probably qualify in the category of "family Mexican fast food."

There are actually three Mexican restaurants in the Downtown Core that I would consider going to for a fun Mexican dinner with your family or for some after-work shots of tequila with friends: Azteca, Las Margaritas, or La Cocina Del Puerco.

It's up to you how you choose to celebrate Cinco De Mayo on Monday, May 5th, which by the way is a celebration of the Mexican militia's victory over the French army in 1862. Many think that Cinco De Mayo is the Mexican version of July 4th, but to the contrary, Mexican Independence Day is on September 16th. Why we don't sip Margaritas and Sangria on that day beats me. I love any excuse to celebrate and eat guacamole!

Back to the question at hand, you have three choices to get your Mexican food fix. Azteca is great because it has a traditional Mexican menu, a live mariachi band on occasion, and even a "Little Amigo" menu. At Las Margaritas, I do have to point out that they have a great happy hour. It's Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm, which is perfect for the after-work crowd. They offer $0.99 tacos and $3.50 margaritas; you can't beat that!

The diamond in the ruff is La Cocina Del Puerco. It is tucked away in Old Bellevue on Main Street and looks like a place you'd find on the streets of Zihuatanejo. The food is truly authentic, serving up handmade corn tortillas and real Mexican cheese. I was on a plane coming home once from Los Angeles, and this gentleman and I got to talking. He wasn't from Washington, but he asked where I lived, and I told him Downtown Bellevue. The one and only thing he said about Bellevue was, "The best Mexican Restaurant I've ever been to is in Bellevue. It's called La Cocina Del Puerco."

I leave you with that.

Muchas Gracias to you Bob,
Lea

Have a question you'd like to ask? Write me at lea@downtownbellevue.com!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Winners Announced for 2008 Downtown Bellevue "Haute Picks"

Congratulations to the 2008 Haute Picks winners, as voted on by the general public!

Best Boutique: Rag Men's Style
Best Cocktail: Joeys "Super Nova"
Best Coffee Spot: Starbucks Coffee Company
Best Casual Business Meeting Spot: 520 Bar & Grill
Best Haircut: Salon Bellezza
Best Happy Hour: Daniel's Broiler
Best Lunch Under $10: Chipotle Mexican Grill
Best Massage: Massage Center of Bellevue
Best Place for a First Date: The Parlor Billiards & Spirits
Best Place for a Mani/Pedi: Jennifer's Nails
Best Place to See and Be Seen: Joeys
Best Power Power Lunch: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar
Best Romantic Dinner: Bis on Main
Best Seafood Restaurant: Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar
Best Steakhouse: Daniel's Broiler
Best Sweet Tooth Fix: Oh! Chocolate
Best Uniquely Bellevue Experience: "Snowflake Lane"
Best Wine List: 0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar
Best Wine Retailer: Pete's Wines
Best Workout Spot: Elite Fitness

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Purple Café Coming to Bellevue Towers, and More!

In a press release today, Bellevue Towers announced that there will be three restaurants occupying their retail space. The most exciting of those announcements comes with the news that locally owned, Purple Café and Wine Bar, will open their 4th location in the area at the base of Bellevue Towers in Downtown Bellevue. Owner of Purple Café, Larry Kurofsky has leased 16,000 square feet, almost all of the Bellevue Towers retail for three restaurants.

Purple Café will occupy 6,200 square feet of street-level retail space. The wine bar will offer 70 different wines by the glass. The Seattle location, if you have not yet been, features a very stylish 20-foot wine tower surrounded by a circular bar.

In addition to Purple Café, Barrio, which offers "simple and seasonal Northwest style to inspired traditional Mexican dishes," was also announced. A third retail location, whose name wasn't announced today, will offer fresh-baked goods, espresso, tea, lunch, desserts, and drinks.

Purple Café is scheduled to open in Novemeber of this year. Barrio and the third retail space are slated for a later open of January 2009.


Ritz Carlton Hotel + Bellevue

There has been strong speculation that Kemper Development Co.'s Lincoln Square II will play host to the first Ritz Carlton Hotel in the Pacific Northwest.

While nothing has been confirmed by either party, this is not the first time we have heard rumblings of the Ritz Carlton coming to Bellevue. In May of 1999, it was announced that a 300-room hotel would go into the complex, which was supposed to be known as "The Palladium Center." Not only would this project include a Ritz Carlton Hotel, but also a 550-room Marriott hotel, movie theater, and various restaurants.

Restaurants, which announced plans to be part of the Palladium Center included Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, and Il Fornaio.

The project was anticipated to open in the spring of 2002, but as the dot com bubble started to bust, the project had a hard time getting off the ground. With many good ideas left on the table, Downtown Bellevue began to pick up these tenants, which originally intended to be a part of the Palladium Center. As we now know, The Lodge at Bellevue Square is now the home of both the Cheesecake Factory, as well as P.F. Changs. Also in Bellevue, when complete, will be a total of three Marriott Hotel projects.

Will Ritz Carlton be next?

Monday, April 21, 2008

US Commercial Real Estate Vacancies Rise, Bellevue Still On Top

According to Cushman & Wakefield, the national trend in the first quarter for commercial real estate has vacancies rising from 9.7 to 9.9 percent. The average US commercial rent increased to $37.69 by the end of the 1st quarter.

Bellevue, again, has continued to lead the pack with the lowest vacancy rate in the country.

Top US Cities - Vacancy Rates
1. Bellevue - 5.7%
2. New York - 6.1%
3. Washington D.C. - 7.3%
4. Boston - 7.4%

Thursday, April 17, 2008

9 Starbucks in Downtown Bellevue!

Looking for a coffee shop in Downtown Bellevue? Hopefully you aren't having a hard time because there are plenty. We were amazed to see that in the Downtown core alone, there are 9 Starbucks locations!

This week we have added a resource (one of many coming) with the numerous coffee shop locations in Downtown Bellevue. Check it out next time you are looking for the closest location; there is bound to be one!


Have we missed your favorite spot? Let us know... I'm sure we missed a few.

Essex on the Park - Spacious Living

Many are familiar with the larger projects, or as I like to call the "Big Guns" in Downtown Bellevue, such as, Bellevue Towers, Washington Square, and The Bravern.

What people aren't as familiar with are the other smaller, more boutique mid-rise condo projects currently in the works. At a recent event, we were able to gain more knowledge about The Essex on the Park condo project and how it will differentiate itself in respect to the many other projects.

First and foremost, this project is directly across from the Downtown Bellevue Park! If you are worried about your view being blocked, this might be the project for you. The park, as far as we know, isn't going to be built on anytime soon :)

The first thing we noticed about this project was how spacious the floor plans were. All homes are 2 bedrooms or larger, ranging anywhere from 1,100 - 2,900 sq ft, with the average being about 1,700 sq ft. The homes are marketed towards those who don't want compromise on space, likely downsizing from larger homes. Perfect for those Medina Empty Nesters!

The prices at Essex on the Park range from low $1 Millions - $3 Million, putting it on the higher end of the Downtown Bellevue market.

Another unique feature of this complex is that they are planning to offer work studios for sale to residents. What is this you ask? Work studios are small offices that can be used for personal projects, small businesses, sound booths, etc. They will be on the ground floor, but instead of renting this space from the property owner, you can actually purchase them. They are estimated to run about $50,000.

This 9 story building has a particularly attractive rooftop garden terrace with a barbecue area, which is great for entertaining or relaxing. Other amenities include a concierge doorman, exercise facility, large storage rooms, and all homes coming with two parking spaces. The amenities come at a price though, the home owners dues, are estimated at $.65, and on a 1,700 sq ft unit that'll run you $1,105 a month. This is a bit higher than other complexes in the area.

The architecture of the building is modeled after the likes of Manhattan/Central Park classic architecture buildings, which I have to say is a bit squared off and boring compared to the buildings with the stylish "basket weave" of Bellevue Towers.

A sales center is not currently built, but is planned to open in the summer. The Essex on the Park's estimated completion is set for 2010 and will make great homes for those who don't want to live in a high rise setting and also want an abundance of space!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

New Team Member Announced!

We're announcing today our newest Downtown Bellevue Network team member, Trisha! She brings her expertise to us within the world of fashion and style, with a Bellevue Twist. Trisha, a Bellevue native, is not new to the blogging world. She currently writes an Eastside blog for the Seattle PI. We are very excited to have her presence and experience joining our team.

With the Downtown Bellevue core becoming a shopping destination, Trisha will provide fashion and style updates, covering everything from new stores, to new trends in the area.

Also to note, Vik has moved on to pursue other endeavors, and we want to thank him for all the hard work he put into the Downtown Bellevue Network. Good luck in all of your following pursuits!

See Trisha's first post below!

Bellevue Style Beat; What to Be Seen In, Who to Wear

With the Summer months upon us, have you been wondering what to wear in Bellevue, and where to find that special something outfit? Have you been wondering what looks are "in" and would make you feel like a million bucks?

Well, here are few tips on choosing the right pieces to spark up your wardrobe. I spoke with my in-the-know fashion expert, Julie, at the new addition to Bellevue Square, Mercer. It is best described as: "The 'it' boutique for contemporary connoisseurs and discerning fashionistas. An institution for the best selection of contemporary jeans and collections in Seattle and now in Bellevue."

Julie says wider leg pants are very in, much like a sailor pant, and they carry all the designer jean brands you could desire: Seven, True Religion , Citizens for Humanity, Rock & Republic, and many more. She also says Nanette Lapore and Trina Turk are a couple of very desirable designers to be wearing.

Angela, owner of Posh on Main, tells me that she is selling lots of bright patent-colored sandals in yellow, orange, fuschia, and green by designers Tory Burch and Marc Jacobs. These colors add a nice pop to white linens and neutral colored ensembles. Add a bright colored oversized clutch or long linen scarf to tie in the shoes. Or, you can go with a dressy sandal from Badgley Mischka.

For the guys, Marques at Marqsmen in Bellevue Square has these suggestions:
  1. Bomber Jacket (with subtle "sport" inspiration)- Perfect for layering during warmer summer months.
  2. Casual Blazer- Pairs with denim or chinos, not suit pants. Can be worn "after hours."
  3. Yachting Shorts - No cargos. Find inspiration in subtle plaid patterns, twill-tape detailing along the side seams, novelty lining along waistband, novelty buttons in unexpected places.
  4. Trouser Inspired Denim - Denim material with standard "5 pocket jean" styling - But a clean trouser leg shape (no abrasion), and a slightly structured denim material that lends a "classy" look to denim.
For great ideas from a variety of stores in and around Bellevue, treat yourself to the Bellevue Collection Spring Runway show April 17th -20th.

Thinking "green?" Recycle, and benefit those less fortunate at the same time, by shopping at the very haute Overlake Service League Thrift Store in Bellevue Square. Believe it or not, I have found some amazing deals on designer clothing at this shop. Everything from Guess to Donna Karan, to BCBG and Betsey Johnson.

Don't be issued a fashion citation! Stimulate the economy and start shopping for some stylish pieces to make you feel your best. Whatever your taste and budget, there is something out there just for you in Downtown Bellevue.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Can the Bellevue Galleria do Anything Right?

Upon entering the Bellevue Galleria, the experience begins poorly. Driving around, for sometimes 10+ minutes, parking can be a challenge. It would be bad enough if there wasn't enough parking...but there are many spots. It's just that the spots are so small, many cars end up taking two spots. Instead of packing in spots, and losing many of them to double parkers, it would be nice if the Galleria made the spots big enough for normal sized cars to fit.

Once parked, it is time to get on the elevators. I don't suggest wasting your time. If you've parked on P1, P2, or even P3, take the stairs. It'll be much faster.

Now you are onto the main concourse. If you are going to workout at LA Fitness or have other needs, which lead you to the second or third floors, you'd expect to be able to take the escalator they provide but unfortunately they have been intermittently down for the last several weeks. And keep in mind the elevators are slow, so I guess we'll be walking again.

With the movie theater closing a couple weeks ago, the reasons are lessoning by the day why you would want to make the trip to Bellevue Galleria.

As reported, the Galleria is looking to convert much of their retail space into office space. The first signs of this are starting to take place, as there is wood up sectioning off some of the past retail tenants (see picture below).

You would think with Bellevue Towers next door, a high-end luxury condominium complex which will play host to 480 condos, would be a flourishing opportunity for retail tenants (but what do we know?).

The management team of the Galleria needs to take more pride in their property. It is very clear no attention has been paid to the details. I hope that with this transition to office space the owners will turn the property around. Although, from the beginning of Galleria's time, it has always felt like this property was in a transition. I just don't see this stopping anytime soon.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Proposed Renderings Revealed: Lincoln Square II

Shown here are proposed images are of what Lincoln Square II, office tower and condominium tower, could look like. Also included in these images are what the retail shops (Shops on 5th) will look like from the outside at street level on Bellevue Way and NE 4th St.

If you pass the Safeway site on Bellevue Way, in the Avalon Meydenbauer building, you'll see a proposed project sign referencing the Lincoln Square II project. The business tower (the image with the orange on it) is currently listed as a 31-story office tower with over 500,000 sq ft. The condo tower, which will be right behind the Bellevue Arts Museum, is planned at 42 stories, 200 condos, and will have a hotel with 120 rooms at the base. The retail area will feature almost 400,000 sq ft of high end retail.

This project will be developed by Kemper Development Co. and could start as early as this summer.



Thursday, April 10, 2008

Ask Lea: Pub Crawl I Say!

Dear Lea,
I have some friends coming in from out of town, and I want to show them around Bellevue. We're going to do the whole Lucky Strike - Joey's thing, but I want to think of something else we can do on Friday or Saturday night that's local. Any ideas?
- Fishing for Some Fun

Dear Fishing for Some Fun,

You know, I've asked myself this same question. What is there to do in Downtown Bellevue when, frankly, you're burnt out of Lucky Strike, Joey's, Vertigo...you get my drift. Well, you have to get creative. When you hear this term, you're going to think Seattle, but you're going on a PUB CRAWL! Yes, a pub crawl. Now I must say that when one thinks "Downtown Bellevue," the last thing that comes to mind is pubs. Bear with me here.

When I was thinking about how to do a pub crawl in Downtown Bellevue, a few bars came to mind but they were all in different locations (certainly not in crawling distance from one another). So, I've come up with the perfect place to do your pub crawl, and it often times gets overlooked. You are going to take your great group of friends, locally and from out of town, and you are going to head down to Main Street and have an unforgettable pub crawl in Old Bellevue!

The first place I thought you could start at is Bis on Main. At this point you should be politely sober, ready to drink, and start of with a beer on tap or quality cocktail. Keep in mind that Bis closes at 10pm, so I'm thinking you'll arrive by 8 or 9pm. From there, head to 520 Bar & Grill which is across the street. They have happy hour until midnight, so drink up!

From 520, you're going to walk East down the street (hopefully you're not crawling yet) to the Mustard Seed at 10253 off Main. Now, if anything in Downtown Bellevue is a "pub," it's the Mustard Seed. The Seed, as they call it, has darts, pool, and all the spirits you can imagine. I will warn you that this is where the slow demise from walking to crawling comes in, so be sure that you plan to call a cab at the end of the night or literally crawl home. But hey, who's promoting drinking at a pub!? Certainly not me. ;)

To top off your night, and really convince your friends from "out of town" that they should be moving to Downtown Bellevue, run right across the street to The Spot Off Main. The Spot has pool tables, HDTVs, bites to eat, and my favorite, a retro Pac Man video game. On some nights they even offer live music until 12:30am.

I hope this gives you an idea of something to do that is "uniquely Bellevue," that you won't do every weekend. Some of you may read this and think, "Whoa, that sounds like too much for me," or "I am way too old to be doing a pub crawl," but I encourage you to get out there and have some fun. If you don't have friends in from out of town, organize an outing with your friends from work, host a singles night, or leave the kids with mom to go out with your friends. Come on, it'll be a blast!

Here to fill your catch with some fun,
Lea

Write me at: lea@downtownbellevue.com

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Getting Jazzy In Bellevue

An article in the Bellevue Reporter today speaks to the immense amount of live Jazz taking place in Downtown Bellevue recently. Vertigo Lounge and Grill has spearheaded the live Jazz club scene, by hosting 26 performances in the span of March and April. What is even better is that they don't charge a cover fee!

In addition to Vertigo's jazz offerings, the Bellevue Downtown Association is putting on the Bellevue Jazz Festival, which started on April 9th and runs through May 24th. The festival will offer some free performances and will be capped off by the headlining performance May 23th at Meydenbauer Center, by Branford Marsalis Quartet. Marsalis is a world-renowned, three-time Grammy winner! The Downtown Bellevue association is not new to jazz festivals. For 16 years, then concluding in 1993, the City of Bellevue hosted a jazz festival at Bellevue Community College. Now, 15 years later, they are back on the map hosting Grammy winners.

Seattle has dominated the jazz scene, playing host to jazz clubs such as Tula's and Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. Now, with a jazz scene in Bellevue, many of those traveling across the lake will be tempted to enjoy offerings on the Eastside.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Store Openings: Panera Bread, Vera Bradley

Panera Bread
Panera Bread, which on the east coast in some areas is as familiar a meeting place as Starbucks is to Seattle, has now added a location in Downtown Bellevue at Bellevue North shopping complex. The restaurant, which opened almost three weeks ago, is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They open at 6am and don't close until 9pm. With the long hours, and free wi fi, it makes for a great meeting spot.


Vera Bradley
This handbag and luggage specialty shop was built on the idea of it's founders that there wasn't enough "feminine-looking luggage." The store, when it opens, will occupy a spot in Bellevue Square on the second level where Mora Iced Creamery was previously located.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Bellevue Galleria Cinemas Closes

Effective April 3rd, the Bellevue Galleria Cinemas has closed it's doors for good. A sign has been posted, alerting all customers of the closure.

A statement posted to their customers states:
"Our landlord has chosen to exercise an option to terminate our lease, in order to convert the building space to another use. While it is not our choice to leave, the Galleria Cinemas' last day of business will be April 3, 2008."
The Galleria Cinemas, which opened in 1999, has since been plagued by the new and nicer Lincoln Square Cinemas. The Galleria has been forced to show movies, which don't compete with Lincoln Square, making their showings less attractive to local viewing audiences.

This seems to fall in line with what we communicated back in August, that Bellevue Galleria will transform most of its floors to office space.

Friday, April 4, 2008

The Bravern Signature Residences Presentation Center Grand Opening

The Bravern Signature Residences presentation center will open their doors to the public this Saturday, April 5th, and Sunday, April 6th with a grand opening celebration.

The 7,000 sq. ft. presentation center features a fully furnished model home available to tour. The 450 luxury condos range in price from $600,000 - $5 Million.

Interested buyer, or nosy neighbor, visit this weekend:

The Bravern Presentation Center Grand Opening
April 5th & 6th 11am-6pm
Skyline Tower, 10900 NE 4th Street, Suite 1510

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Only in Bellevue: $0 Parking Ticket

Only in Bellevue would you get issued with a parking ticket that has no price associated with it.

Yes, this is no joke; I brought a friend to his car this weekend, which had been parked on a public street in Downtown Bellevue in a 2 hour zone for 6 hours, clearly a violation. When pulling up to his car, he was irritated, yet understanding to see a parking ticket on his windshield.

After closely examining the ticket he realized that the "Penalty" showed as "$0". He was thrilled that he would not be charged for this infraction. If motorists aren't being charged for this type parking violation...what are they being charged for?

I'm not one to encourage giving out tickets, but if the city is struggling to fund any of their projects, and can't find the money for it...I suggest they begin charging parking offenders for their infractions.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Bellevue Jazz Festival

The Bellevue Jazz Festival will play host to 8 live performances, spanning from April 9th - May 24th. The headliner for this festival is three-time Grammy Award winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who will perform within a quartet Friday, May 23rd over Memorial Day weekend at Meydenbauer Center.

The Bellevue Jazz Festival is put on by the Downtown Bellevue Association, and will build upon this years festival in the future by expanding the festival performers to national acts, educational workshops, and panel discussions. Tickets for the Jazz Festival are now on sale. More information and tickets, go to bellevuejazz.com.

April 9th 5-6:30pm
Jovino Santos Neto
Bellevue Arts Museum

April 16th 5-6:30pm
Gail Pettis
Bellevue Arts Museum

April 23rd 5-6:30
Pearl Django
Bellevue Arts Museum

April 30th 5-6:30
Thomas Marriott

Bellevue City Hall

May 7th 5-6:30

Ben Thomas
Key Center


May 14th 5-6:30

Greta Matassa
Civica Office Commons

May 23rd 8pm
Branford Marsalis Quartet
Meydenbauer Center (Center Hall)

May 24th 9pm
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Meydenbauer Center (Center Hall)

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

New Condo Project Announced: Bellevue Park Condominiums

A new condo, funded by a local group of investors, AFD LLC has just announced that it will fill the skyline of Downtown Bellevue. This complex will be quite unique, being built in the middle of Downtown Bellevue Park. All the details of the project have not yet been announced, but will be a partnership between the City of Bellevue and the investors.

The plot of land in the middle of the park was purchased for $10 million. The park will continue to be public, but will be accompanied by the 25 story high rise, which will have approx. 125 units.

The development will be built using "green" materials, and some features of the building will use solar power energy. The most unique feature is a 500 sq foot garden that will extend from the main floor of the condo into the park. The garden will be a horticulture paradise, growing a variety of plants, flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

We are anxiously awaiting more details of this project, as it is the most unique concept we have reported yet!

See project Website here.