2008 Bellevue Family 4th - Celebrate In Bellevue On Friday!

This Friday Bellevue Downtown Park will play host to the “2008 Symetra Bellevue Family 4th,” Bellevue’s largest yet 4th of July celebration! Festivities will begin around 2pm and will come to a climax at 10pm with a 20-minute fireworks display, synchronized with the 60-piece Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra.

More than 60,000 guests are anticipated to gather for this year’s 17th annual 4th of July celebration.

The event will host an array of festivities; here is a schedule for the day:

• 2:00pm: Bellevue Parks Family Fun Zone opens
• 4:00pm: Seattle Seahawks Blue Thunder drumline
• 4:40pm: C-17 Flyover from McChord Air Force Base
• 5:30pm: Nathan Chance & NorthCoast (Country Music)
• 6:00pm: Meet on-air radio personalities & win prizes (106.1 KISS FM & 94.1 KMPS FM)
• 7:30pm: Rock Candy - Playing rock, dance & pop hits
• 8:40pm: Honor Guard presentation & placement of the colors
• 8:50pm: The National Anthem
• 9:20pm: Bellevue Philharmonic performance
• 10:05pm: Fireworks display presented by Symetra Financial

In addition to the great festivities, there will be several delicious food and beverage options on-site, including Hot Dog Joe’s, Custom Kettle Corn, Shishkaberrys, Zieglers Bratwurst Haus, Texas Smokehouse Bar-B-Q, Inferno Wood-Fired Pizza, and much more.

If you haven’t been to Bellevue’s 4th of July celebration in the past, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what an “event” it has evolved into over the years. Don’t bother with Seattle’s mess of traffic and almost impossible parking situation. After 6pm, Bellevue Square will offer complimentary parking! Grab your blankets, bring your appetite, and get ready to enjoy a fun day at Bellevue Downtown Park.

Oh yes…and perform a sun dance Thursday night!

Ask Lea: All About Pets

Dear Lea,
I live in a small condo in Downtown Bellevue and am thinking of getting a dog. Is Downtown Bellevue a pet friendly place? I haven't seen any pet stores around.
- Pondering a Puppy

Dear Pondering a Puppy,

If you've visited the Downtown Park recently, or driven around town during the work day, you would have seen plenty of puppies. Dogs of all ages and size play together on a daily basis in the Downtown Bellevue Park , and I have seen a number of different dog walkers trailing behind parades of dogs in this city.

People that live in Downtown Bellevue have everything they need: shopping, restaurants, gyms, nightlife, and of course their precious Yorkies. There is a market for small sweaters here, if you know what I mean...High-rise living is not stopping people from owning pets. As a pet owner myself, I have found it easy to find the pet resources I need within the Downtown Core.

There is a pet store called Pet Pros on Main Street, by King and I Thai Cuisine, that carries quality pet food, supplies, and toys. Not far from there is the Bellevue Animal Hospital, for all of your veterinary needs. If you're a cat owner, Bellevue has its very own Cat Care Clinic that specializes in feline health and living. If you need a sweater for your pup, a personalized dog tag, a rhinestone collar, a leather pet bed, or any other item to spoil your pet, Urban Dogs at Bellevue Square has a fun variety of dog-wear and accessories.

Most of the people I know who live with pets, use recommendations from friends or neighbors to find dog-walkers or pet-sitters. But, if word of mouth doesn't get around to you, there are some local resources you could try out: LePouf Luxury Pet Care, Tabby Taxi, or No Worries 4 Pets.

When you get your puppy, a great place to start as a Bellevue dog owner is at BellevueDogs.org. It's a Website dedicated to the neighbors and friends that live in Downtown Bellevue and meet up with their dogs at the Downtown Bellevue Park. The park is a great place to meet other dog-lovers and to socialize your new puppy (as long as it has had all it's shots)!

Photo Courtesy of BellevueDogs.org (Grimm & Veniegas)

Passion For Pets,
Lea


What's missing for your pet in Downtown Bellevue? Click through to leave a comment, or write me at lea@downtownbellevue.com. I'd love to hear from you!

New Downtown Bellevue Safeway Opens Friday

Today (6/26) the Downtown Bellevue Safeway on Bellevue Way will close, and it will re-open across the street Friday morning at the new and improved location in Avalon Meydenbauer. The new location will occupy 55,000 sq ft, which is about 10,000 sq ft larger than Safeway's normal-sized stores, and just over double the size of their current Downtown Bellevue store.

The new store will become a flagship for the company, highlighting many specialty sections. Safeway, along with the Starbucks inside, will become a favorite of those living in the 368 apartment homes above in the Avalon Meydenbauer community.

The original Downtown Bellevue Safeway store opened in 1963, and at the time was the largest Safeway in Western Washington. A local blog, The Sledgehammer, was able to dig up some great artifacts on the old store, including images from the Bellevue American Newspaper!

Over its 40 years since the first opening, Safeway has gotten only minor cosmetic upgrades, leaving the store very outdated and in desperate need for a complete overhaul; or in this case, a new store all together. Help welcome the new store by making a visit on Friday, or sometime soon after.


Photos courtesy The Sledgehammer

Brazen Real Estate Partners With Sotheby's International Realty

Brazen Real Estate, Bellevue's local neighborhood realtor, has recently reached a licensing agreement with worldwide luxury realtor Sotheby's. For an undisclosed amount, Brazen Real Estate will use Sotheby's network to further interest those around the country, and world, about properties available in the area.

Not just any real estate firm is able to become a partner of Sotheby's, there is a screening process that takes place beforehand to ensure the quality of the firm. Brazen Real Estate will now become Brazen Sotheby's International Realty.

Owners Joseph Brazen and wife Randi Brazen, in addition to their real estate, business also own 520 Bar & Grill on Main Street. The restaurant sits in the building right below their real estate offices.

Vino 100 Will Close, Re-Open As "Tajut"

Two years and six months ago, Vino 100 opened its doors at Lincoln Square. Vino 100 is a franchised wine retailer that has many stores throughout the country.

Apparently the Downtown Bellevue location has gotten into “a great dispute” with the franchiser, according to the owner of the store, and will be closing Vino 100 on the 4th of July.

The store will be closed for a few weeks after July 4th and will then re-open as a store named Tajut. Not many details have been disclosed on how exactly it will be different, but one thing is certain, they will continue to sell wine.

Bellevue Bachelor? Maybe Not For Long!

Tune into ABC on Monday night, June 22nd, at 8pm to see Downtown Bellevue on "Week Six" of The Bachelorette! Local contestant, Jason, is one of four lucky men remaining on the show that will have the final chance to steal DeAnna's heart. Monday's episode will feature "hometown dates," in which DeAnna will visit the hometowns of each of the four men. Previews last week showed scenes of DeAnna and Jason in the Downtown Bellevue Park, playing with Jason's son.



Jason lives in Kirkland, WA and works in Downtown Bellevue. Even if you're not a fan of Reality TV, you may want to tune in to catch a glimpse of our beautiful city!

-Lea

City Budget Manger, States Outlook is Positive

At a City Council meeting this week, City Budget Manager Jonathan Swift stated that although there is somewhat of a slowing within the economy, his outlook is generally positive.

Swift believes Bellevue's high level of development activity will continue to last through 2009 - 2010.

His belief, which has been shared by many, is that Downtown Bellevue will play home to 10,000 residents by 2010. Swift said that the region grew at almost twice the rate of the nation in 2007 and expects this next year to be slower in growth, sharing in a national trend of slow down.

Over the next several years, Swift believes development activity and moderate job growth will continue to stimulate the economy.

Group Health's Medical Center to Open July 1st

Over the last year, next to Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue on NE 8th St, Group Health Medical Center has been being built. An article Wednesday in the Seattle Times depicted Group Health Medical Center and its features, which will open to patients July 1st.

The 190,000 square-foot building when it opens, will be intended to accommodate 1,000 people a day.

Overlake Hospital Medical Center will connect underground through a tunnel, allowing patients to access both facilities with ease. The two buildings clearly have their own focus, as Overlake is a hospital and Group Health specializes in outpatient treatments.

There will be an open house with tours and refreshments on Thursday, June 19th 9am - 3pm.

Louis Vuitton at The Bravern?

Local TV station KIRO Television broadcasted a story about the The Bravern project recently. While going over details regarding the project, it was stated that “It (The Bravern) will include 450 luxury condos and high-end retailers such as Louis Vuitton and the only Neiman Marcus in our region.”

Neither The Bravern, nor Louis Vuitton, have publicly announced information regarding the retail presence of a Louis Vuitton store at The Bravern. This seems to either be misinformation, or a leak of information prior to an official announcement.

Many retailers sign leases in advance, but only announce closer to open dates so competitors can’t get insight into expansion plans.
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UPDATE: Still no official update from Louis Vuitton, or The Bravern via a press release, but by the looks of this article from Bloomberg.com quoting Louis Vuitton's John Slavinsky, senior vice president for real estate and store planning that they will be opening a Bellevue store.

PACE Receives a $6 Million Grant

It was announced last week that the Performing Arts Center Eastside, also known as PACE, received a $6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to complete the 2,000-seat facility that when done will feature national and international performances.

Downtown Bellevue's portfolio, although quite impressive, is still missing an entertainment venue allowing musicians who bring larger audiences to have a place to play. PACE, which plans to be complete in 2010, will bring a dynamic and much needed music venue to the Downtown Core.

The Hyatt's remodel will nicely accompany and interact with PACE once it is complete. This "superblock," as you can see from the image below, has plans to deliver additional upgrades to where the Washington Mutual building currently stands, as well as the office building on 106th Ave.

The $6 million grant brings the grand total of received contributions to PACE for the project, to $30 million. The campaigns goal is $160 million.

Bellevue Attracts New Restaurants

An article in the Puget Sound Business Journal on Friday discussed the magnitude of restaurants coming to Downtown Bellevue in the near future. With all of the new condos being built, and office space being developed, it will make for many new hungry residents and workers in the area.

Read the whole story

Taking a Tour Through Tower 333

The newly built 20-story Tower 333, where Expedia and company will be occupying, is in the final stages of completion. The lobby is now open to the public, so anybody can take a stroll and view the progress of the building.

There is room for five retail locations at the base of Tower 333. Currently three of the spaces have been filled with future retail tenants. Caffe Ladro, Core Business Bank, and a third restaurant (yet to be named) will all soon occupy space in the building.

Expedia, the main tenant, will occupy floors 3 through 18 and will move in around November of this year. The other tenants, who have already moved in, include Pokemon and Nortel Networks.

The office tower is currently 96% leased and has only one 8,600 sq ft space remaining on the top floor. The available space has a spectacular view overlooking Lake Washington and Downtown Seattle.

Later this year when Expedia moves into Tower 333, will be around the same time that owners of homes in Bellevue Towers Condominiums plan to move in for their first phase, turning NE 4th into a very high-trafficked area.

Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition Opens Saturday

The Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition hosts their Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, June 14th from 6-8pm at Bellevue City Hall, complete with hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment.

This year's theme of "Sculpted Green," relates art to ecology, environmentalism, sustainability, or other similar green notions.

The exhibit plays host to over 35 sculptures through October.

Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition On Display
When: June 12th - October 5th
Where: Bellevue City Hall 450 110th Ave NE

Tons of Panties Stolen from Victoria's Secret at Bellevue Square

According to reports, over $10,000 worth of panties were stolen from Bellevue Square's Victoria's Secret store on May 30th, between 2:30pm - 5:00pm. About 650 pairs are reported missing.

No surveillance cameras picked up on any possible suspects during the theft.

Is there an underground black market for panties in Downtown Bellevue? It's hard to imagine making good money selling panties for half the price. I think most residents in the area are doing well enough to purchase panties without buying them off the underground market!

Monsoon, Vietnamese Cuisine Comes to Old Bellevue

The well-known Vietnamese restaurant "Monsoon" in Capital Hill will open its second location in the coming months on Main Street in Old Bellevue, taking over Porcella Urban Market's previous location. The Capital Hill restaurant, which opened in 1999, is known not only for its traditional Vietnamese cuisine, but also for "one of the best wine lists in the region," as their Website states.

The restaurant will bring a fresh, organic, and diverse menu to Old Bellevue.

UPDATE: The opening is slated for the beginning of August.

"Bellevue is growing up -- and up" Says PI

An article in the Seattle PI today focused on Downtown Bellevue and its recent growth, future growth, and relationship with Downtown Seattle.

As reported, a couple that moved into a Downtown Bellevue high-rise in 1996 were the only residents on their floor for four years. Living the urban life in Downtown Bellevue wasn't exactly the "thing" it is today.

The article goes on to explain how Downtown Bellevue got its first high-rise in 1983 and has had a couple of spurts since, but nothing quite as large as what is currently taking place. In 2004, Symetra Financial moved downtown, which in retrospect looks to be what was the beginning of Downtown Bellevue's complete makeover.

A large contributing factor to the growth of Downtown Bellevue is coming from the incredible amount of office space leased (or pre-leased) by the likes of Microsoft, Eddie Bauer, Expedia, Yahoo, and more. More and more people are wanting to live closer to work. With the amount of traffic and the rising prices of gas, it's a valuable asset to live within walking distance of your workplace.

A couple interviewed in the article were choosing between potential residences in Downtown Bellevue or in Downtown Seattle. They decided upon Downtown Bellevue, stating that, "There's just too much stuff going on (in Seattle), too much panhandling." Going on to support their decision to live in Bellevue, "It's reserved nightlife...It's not the hardcore clubs, but it's these elegant restaurants, bars and classy people."

Hey, the article even mentions downtownbellevue.com!

Here were some informative numbers from the article:

Housing: 3,750 units now; 11,100 forecast for 2020
Population: 5,000 estimated now; 14,000 in 2020
Offices: 8 million sq ft now; 13.1 million in 2020
Retail: 3.9 million sq ft now; 5.2 million in 2020
Jobs: 38,100 estimated now; 63,000 in 2020

Downtown Bellevue Developments


Courtesy Seattle PI

Slight Slump in Downtown Bellevue Economy

It seems as thought, the bearish national economy has finally caught up to Downtown Bellevue. In an address by Bob Derrick to the City Council, Derrick sited slumping housing prices, slowed retail sales, and fewer development projects taking off as the symptoms to the claim.

The Office of Economic Development will focus on “retention and expansion of small businesses, revitalization of neighborhoods and commercial areas, international trade, as well as marketing promotions.” Derrick’s outlook for Downtown Bellevue is still very bright sighting that he believes the economic state should pick back up by end of 2008 and early 2009.

-Brian Biege

Ask Lea: Get Me In Shape For Summer

Dear Lea,
To say the least, I need to get in shape. What gyms in Bellevue offer fitness programs that can help me get bikini-ready? I'd use a personal trainer, but they are just so darn expensive!
- Muffin Top

Dear Muffin Top,

The great thing about Downtown Bellevue is that it's walkable; things are close together, and the city's not very big. Unfortunately, while taking the stairs, playing Frisbee in the park, or walking to the grocery store may be good for you, it's not going to shed those extra pounds we all have coming into the summer.

There are many gyms in Downtown Bellevue, all with different membership options, programs, and price points. Some major ones are 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and the Bellevue Club. Some smaller fitness centers are Elite Fitness and ONVO.

Gyms like 24 Hour Fitness or LA Fitness offer low membership fees, free group classes, some amenities, and flexible contracts. The Bellevue Club offers fitness at a much higher price point, has more amenities, offers dining and spa services, and is more of a social community. Elite Fitness and ONVO offer something different, which is an intimate setting with more attention focused on personal fitness goals and achieving them through methodologies different from those you'll find at more commercialized health clubs.

My first experience with ONVO was at their spring boot camp, which was geared as a 2-week boost to your workout to help you get into a healthy routine. ONVO's focus is on whole body health and wellness. I had a great experience with ONVO because the staff was educated, the people attending the boot camp felt comfortable no matter what shape or size, and you could workout at your own pace. Being someone who once had a membership to 4 different gyms at one time and who likes everything from dance to lifting, but still can't keep a consistent fitness routine, ONVO impressed me. The training reminded me of athletic sports conditioning; there was always something different to look forward to, and each instructor brought their own area of expertise to the camp, from pilates, to endurance drills, to weight training.

On a regular basis, ONVO offers a variety of classes: cycling, yoga, pilates, and athletic conditioning. They also offer acupuncture, massage, chiropractic services, body composition testing, and diet and nutrition programs.

If you want a sweat-hard, kick-your-butt workout, head to Elite Fitness. Trust me, your money spent there will be better used than on any personal trainer you can get at your regular gym. As long as you're willing to work, Elite Fitness will get you closer to that bikini body.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a training session with Dave Johnson, president of Elite Fitness. The whole concept of Elite Fitness is customized circuit-style personal training, with more than one trainer a week. That way, you're always getting a variety of fun workouts that target your fat-burning heart rate. The facility at Elite Fitness was clean, the staff was friendly, and the music was loud which kept me "pumped up." Dave worked with me on a variety of drills, from tossing a ball back and forth while I was riding a stationary bike to doing push-ups outside against the cement wall. Never knowing what was going to be thrown at me next kept me really engaged.

I can see how this type of regular workout would deliver results. My heart was pumping, I was sweating, and I left smiling. Elite Fitness Training rates are comparable to gyms like 24 or LA, but the difference is that the more you train the more cost-effective it is, and the approach to training is all about getting results while having a great time!

I really encourage you to set your summer fitness goals today, and start working out. There are plenty of options in Downtown Bellevue, and you'll never know which ones work for you until you try them.

Melt that Muffin Top!
-Lea

I want to hear from you! Write me at lea@downtownbellevue.com.

The Bellevue Collection Launches New Website

Recently, the Bellevue Collection has re-launched its Website, and it is now one condensed site for Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, and Bellevue Place.

The site has a clean feel and reflects the current brand, as well as the remodels that are taking place at the Bellevue Collection. The "Collection Map" is one of the most innovative features on the site, allowing you to view the different buildings and view specific stores within the floors.

In an attempt to attract luxury retail to the Bellevue Collection, there is a separate section and site dedicated to "Luxury Comes to the Collection" at luxurybellevue.com. It is a sexy site, with tons of attractive images and intriguing facts about Bellevue and the Bellevue Collection.

The new Website is a great update, with well-organized information, allowing users to easily search for desired content.

Sex And The City Premiere Raises $25,840 for Hopelink!

Over 240 people (mostly women) poured into Lincoln Square for the 9:30am showing of the movie premiere of "Sex and the City," this last Friday morning. It was a huge success raising $25,840 benefiting Hopelink, a social services agency helping low-income families and children in need.