May / June 2002
BDA Takes Action on
Transportation Issues
by Jim Hutchinson
In this issue...
Transportation
2
Access Downtown
2
DIP
2
Summer Events
2
Downtown Calendar
3
Bellevue Live
4
In the months ahead, we have the opportunity to
take action to solve our transportation congestion
problems. Like the clogged highways that spill
over into our local arterials, the 2002 legislature
failed to take decisive action to preserve our
quality of life.
Although some legislators worked for more, we
will have the opportunity to vote on a statewide
transportation package in November. As a region,
we will also have the opportunity to develop a
Regional Transportation Investment District.
For more information, turn to page 2.
Contact Us
Leslie Lloyd, 425.990.3096
BDA President
[email protected]
Leslie Ota, 425.990.3095
Director, Marketing and Events
[email protected]
Robert Glann, 425.990.3097
Director, Transportation Services
[email protected]
Darbie Kirk, 425.453.3110
Events Manager
[email protected]
Kristie Kelly, 425.453.3113
Marketing & PR Coordinator
[email protected]
Barbara Hinz, 425.453.1223
Office & Member Manager
[email protected]
Justin Howley, 425.990.3098
Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
Alison Crosier, 425.460.5712
Transportation Services
[email protected]
Cookie Schlocker, 425.453.3114
Bookkeeper
[email protected]
Anna Kloeck, 425.453.3112
Events & Communications Intern
[email protected]
Downtown a Dining Destination
The completion of The
Corner at Bellevue
Square last year brought
several big-name restaurants to downtown
Bellevue,
spurring
awareness of downtown
as a dining destination.
With the successful
opening of John Howie’s
Seastar Restuarant &
Raw Bar in Civica last March, one is left
wondering: has the evolution of downtown
Bellevue as a restaurant hub come to fruition?
“We hope The Restaurants at The Corner will grow
into a restaurant district that inclues others,” said
Kemper Freeman of his company’s efforts to promote the area as a dining destination. “We’re
trying to speed up what we believe is going to happen by evolution anyway, but evolution is slower.”
What is downtown Bellevue’s restaurant market potential? As part of a three-part series on
building a creative downtown, the BDA will host
its monthly Membership Breakfast on Wednesday,
May 29, to answer this question and speak to the
real world challenges that restaurant owners and
investors face when entering a new market. To
register, call Barbara at 425.453.1223.
From the President:
Leslie Lloyd
Downtown has rapidly become
an urban center with much
additional growth expected over
the next 20 years. As the BDA
continues to work closely with
our community partners to blend
good urban design with transportation improvements and to sustain future growth, I want to
remind members of the transportation services we
offer to keep downtown moving during improvements such as Access Downtown, I-405 EIS and
other transportation projects on the horizon.
TransManage, the transportation arm of the BDA,
offers several programs to help downtown
employees find the best commute options to and
from downtown, including ridesharing, vanpools
and mass transit. For more information on
TransManage services, call Bob at 425.990.3097.
On a different note, I would like to welcome new
members GA Design, Jo Krueger Interior Design
and The Seattle Times to the BDA. For membership information, call Barbara at 425.453.1223.
I am also thrilled to announce two new staff
additions to the BDA team this spring. Darbie
Kirk joined us as Events Manager this past March
and has jumped right in with a successful Bellevue
Live series. Justin Howley also recently joined
the BDA as our part-time Administrative Assistant.
We welcome both Darbie and Justin to our team!
Welcome New Members
GA Design, 425.454.0101
1603 116th Avenue NE Suite 116
Bellevue, WA 98004
Jo Krueger Interior Design, 425.453.9000
10047 Main Street Suite 101
Bellevue, WA 98004
The Seattle Times, 206.652.6311
P.O. Box 70
Seattle, WA 98111
Transportation
Access Downtown Ramps Up
Statewide Transportation Package
by Barbara Ramey, City of Bellevue
by Jim Hutchinson
Construction begins this summer on the interchange at NE 8th Street
and I-405. This is the second of four interchange improvements
included in Access Downtown, a regional project to improve travel
within Bellevue, as well as to and from downtown and the freeway.
The new interchange, when complete, will provide an additional
lane in each direction on NE 8th Street and will allow for future
expansion of I-405. After this and other improvements are
complete, drivers traveling through the intersection of NE 8th Street
and 116th Avenue NE will save five minutes for their morning and
evening commutes combined, among other benefits.
In November, voters statewide will have the opportunity to vote on
a state transportation package. Last month, the BDA became one
of the first organizations to endorse the statewide package and the
efforts of former Senator Slade Gorton and Governor Gary Locke,
co-chairs of Referendum 51 (the statewide transportation package).
Access Downtown partners are working to minimize the effects of
construction on commuters. Original plans called for the closing of
NE 8th Street for over a year, so that the NE 8th Street overpass could
be torn down and replaced. In response to concerns from the
business community, designers went back to the drawing board.
The new plan involves a creative construction method that will
eliminate the long-term closure of NE 8th Street and limit closures
of NE 8th Street to a handful of days. For more information, visit
accessdowntown.com.
What’s a DIP, You Ask?
by Leslie Lloyd, BDA President
DIP stands for Downtown Implementation Plan, and it’s time to
update the 1980s version. A group of stakeholders, including
several BDA members, is crafting a new vision for downtown
Bellevue for the next twenty years.
Focusing mainly on transportation and urban design, the group
recently approved the study of a set of transportation concepts
designed to handle traffic over twenty years. The study predicts
significant new growth in both housing and jobs as part of a
regional strategy to concentrate growth in urban centers. The
prediction includes significant increases in traffic to downtown.
For a city long thought of as dominated by the automobile, it is
intriguing to discover that downtown Bellevue has 41% less land
area devoted to streets and only half as much as downtown
Portland. Consequently, there is less capacity to handle additional
traffic. The study will look at ways to increase capacity to handle
the traffic growth and to help transit work more smoothly by evaluating strategies like remote parking, high capacity transit, people
movers and short-term parking garages. The environmental impact
study is due to be released later this summer.
Along with transportation, the group is considering ways to make
downtown Bellevue a more livable place to ensure that after twenty
years of growth and transportation improvements, it’ll still be a place
you want to be. Emerging ideas such as creating distinct neighborhoods within downtown, on-street parking, an entertainment district and even an in-spire-ing string of towers, are generating much
conversation and interest. Further work is coming on financing
solutions, public safety needs and parks and open space downtown.
The BDA has created a task force of members to track this project.
Call Leslie Lloyd at 425.990.3096 if you’d like to get involved.
2
Bellevue Downtown
May / June 2002
Although the BDA is not in a habit of supporting business tax increases, a recent study by the Texas Transportation Institute revealed
that we (every man, woman and child in our area) waste over $930
a year on congestion. Our support of the package was dependent
upon several efficiencies, accountabilities and guarantees.
First, the BDA insisted that the Washington State Department of
Transportation (WSDOT) undergo a number of efficiencies, including permit streamlining, use of design/build, and a study of prevailing wage and contracting-out. Next, we wanted DOT to undergo a
series of audits to ensure that funds were being used wisely and in
accordance to the wishes of the electorate. Finally, we insisted on
knowing how the funds would be spent. In the past two years, all of
these have been met through the passage of HB 2304, HB 2969 and
SB 6347, among other legislation.
The statewide transportation package calls for a nine cent gas tax
increase (staggered over two years), a 30% gross weight fee on trucks
(evenly split over two years) and a 1% sales tax on new and used
vehicles. All of these will equate to about $68 per person, roughly
the cost of a latte every two weeks. Of the total amount raised,
$1.77 billion will go to solving congestion problems on I-405.
Regional Transportation Investment Districts
The Legislature recently authorized the creation of Regional Transportation Investment Districts (RTID) with the passage of SB 6140.
This legislation allows Pierce, King and Snohomish counties,
through their respective county councils, to develop a local transportation project list and to raise funds for those projects if approved by the electorate of the participating counties.
Of funds raised, 90 percent goes to relieving congestion on Highways of Statewide Significance and 10 percent to local arterials.
The BDA endorses the authorization of the RTID and will work
diligently over the next few months with our local county officials
to make sure that this opportunity is not squandered.
TRANSPORTATION 101
Statewide Plan (HB 2969 and Ref. 51)
www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/House/2950-2974/2969-s_fbr.pdf
Efficiencies Bill (2304)
www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/House/2300-2324/2304-s_fbr.pdf
Regional Authorization (6140)
www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/Senate/6125-6149/6140-s2_fbr.pdf
Permit Streamlining
www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/Senate/6175-6199/6188_fbr.pdf
Statewide Transportation Project List (SB 6347)
htc.leg.wa.gov/2002finalnewlawprojlist.pdf
The Referendum 51 Campaign
www.fixtransportation.com
Events & Happenings
Summer Events Sizzle in Downtown Bellevue
Summertime is just around the corner and the BDA events team is gearing up for a
scorching season packed with events that cater to every facet of downtown living.
Jump-start the season with the Bellevue Family 4th Celebration, presented by Washington Mutual. Produced by the BDA and City of Bellevue,
the event draws close to 40,000 for live entertainment, family activities,
food and fun at Bellevue Downtown Park. At dusk,the Northwest’s only
laser light and fireworks display illuminates the sky synchronized to a live performance
by the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra. Sponsored by: Washington Mutual, City of Bellevue,
Nintendo of America, Seattle Times, KISS 106.1, 96.5 The Point, UPN 11 and Bellevue Square.
Trendwest Live at Lunch takes summer into full swing with twenty
lunchtime concerts over ten weeks, July 17 – September 20. Produced by
the BDA, the series features the Northwest’s most popular artists
performing salsa, disco, reggae, swing, Caribbean steel drums, jazz and
other upbeat tunes in outdoor plazas throughout the summer months.
Concerts take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Bellevue Galleria and
every Friday at rotating locations. Sponsored by: Trendwest Resorts, Bellevue Galleria, Eastside
Journal, 96.5 The Point, 98.9 Smooth Jazz, KISS 106.1, Rock Bottom, Machine Entertainment, Equity
Office, Wright Runstad & Company, Unico Properties, Schnitzer Northwest, Hines and Bellevue Square.
To round out July, the 6th Street Arts & Crafts Fair welcomes 150 artists
showcasing original works of art, jewelry, home décor, paintings,
woodworking, sculpture and more, extending the celebration of the Bellevue
Art Museum Fair during downtown’s most popular arts festival weekend,
July 26 - 28. Live music highlights the event at the Bellevue Galleria.
Sponsored by: City of Bellevue, Washington Chiropractic Alliance, Equity Office, Wright
Runstad & Co., Unico Properties, Scan Design, Ampco Parking and Republic Parking.
The spring issue of Bellevue Vision, downtown’s quarterly “what’s happening” publication, is currently in circulation. Produced by the BDA, the publication features lifestyle
stories, downtown amenities, people profiles, upcoming events, theatre listings, arts and
more! Look for the summer edition in the Seattle Times and Seattle PI on July 17!
Event sponsorship opportunities are still available! Call Leslie Ota at 425.990.3095.
Bellevue Paints the Town Gold with a 50-Year Legacy
From a small bedroom community to one of the
state’s largest cities, Bellevue has witnessed tremendous growth over the past 50 years, and now houses
4,500 residents and 35,000 workers in downtown
alone. Despite its transformation into an instant city,
Bellevue continues to exude a unique neighborhood
charm and maintains a high quality of living.
Although Bellevue’s history dates back to 1869, Photo of NE 4th St. & 100th Ave. NE. May
Bellevue was not incorporated as a city until 1953. 1959. Courtesy of Eastside Heritage
Center / Bellevue Historical Society.
Fifty years later, nearly 30 civic and community organizations, including the BDA, City of Bellevue, Eastside Heritage Center, Bellevue
Chamber of Commerce and others, have come together to throw Bellevue a birthday
bash to remember, complete with a lasting legacy to transcend the next 50 years! Mark
your calendars, because Bellevue officially turns 50 on March 23, 2003.
Coming Up...
Downtown
May 23
Sowing the Seeds of Hope
Overlake Service League Luncheon
Hyatt Regency Bellevue
425.451.1175
May 29
BDA Membership Meeting
Eastside Restaurant Market
Bellevue Art Museum
425.453.1223
May 29
Bellevue Live Final Concert
Cheryl Serio at Key Center
bellevuedowntown.com
June 6
Spring for School Luncheon
Meydenbauer Center
425.456.4199
June 21 - Oct 7
2002 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition
Bellevue Art Commission
425.452.4105
June 20
BDA Membership Meeting
with guest Richard Florida
425.453.1223
June 29
10th Anniversary Celebration
Bellevue Botanical Garden
425.452.2749
July 4
Bellevue Family 4th Celebration
Bellevue Downtown Park
bellevuedowntown.com
July 16 - Sept 20
Trendwest Live at Lunch
Bellevue Galleria
bellevuedowntown.com
July 26 - 28
6th Street Arts & Crafts Fair
NE 6th St & 106th Ave. NE
bellevuedowntown.com
Visit bellevuedowntown.com for more
Bellevue Downtown
May / June 2002
3
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID
BELLEVUE WA
PERMIT NO 481
Bellevue Downtown Association
500 108th Avenue NE, Suite 210
Bellevue, WA 98004
bellevuedowntown.com
Bellevue Live and All That Jazz!
Bellvue Live, the Bellevue Downtown Association’s spring jazz series
presented by Starbucks Coffee Company, launched its 2002 season with
standing-room only crowds at the Bellevue Art Museum on Wednesday, April
10. Bellevue Live will continue to energize downtown’s nightlife through
May 29 with free concerts every Wednesday evening, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 8
Key Center
601 108th Ave. NE
Jovino Santos Neto, Brazilian jazz
Wednesday, May 15
The Lodge at Bellevue Square
NE 8th Street & Bellevue Way
Brian Kent, funky jazz sax
Wednesday, May 22
Civica Office Commons
205 108th Ave. NE
Kombo Kraig, groove jazz
Wednesday, May 29
Key Center
601 108th Ave. NE
Cheryl Serio, ’60s pop jazz vocalist
For a full concert calendar and artist profiles, visit bellevuedowntown.com.
Thanks to our sponsors: Starbucks Coffee Company, KPLU 88.5 NPR, Eastside Journal, Equity Office, Wright Runstad & Company, Bellevue Square, Bellevue Arts Commission, Schnitzer Northwest,
Standing Ovation, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, California Pizza Kitchen, Seastar Restaurant
& Raw Bar and Columbia Winery.
Bellevue Downtown is a bi-monthly publication produced by the Bellevue
Downtown Association (BDA), a non-profit membership organization that leads
the continuing transformation of downtown Bellevue as the vibrant, diverse,
and thriving urban center of the Eastside. Established in 1974, the BDA brings
together the heads of major corporations and businesses, community groups,
and public officials in collaborative problem solving for downtown.
Bellevue Live performance for over 300 jazz
enthusiasts at The Lodge at Bellevue Square.
bellevuedowntown.com