Get to Know Mercer Island’s Downtown Community – Part 2: Architecture

By Ken Urman, Realtor

The renaissance of Mercer Island’s downtown community was instigated by the Growth Management Act (GMA) of  1990 and a State-issued requirement that Mercer Island plan to accommodate 3,000 additional residents. Because Mercer Island was essentially built-out at the time with single family homes, downtown was the only place to build high-occupancy buildings that would provide 1,437 new housing units by 2022. Implementation of the plan brings significant change to the once-sleepy downtown area. The most obvious change is in the architecture of the new buildings.

Empty parking lots, aging buildings and familiar traffic patterns are being replaced by mid-rise apartment and condominium buildings with office and retail space on the first floor or two. These new buildings are changing the appearance of the downtown area and occupying the space previously available for parking and altering familiar traffic patterns. When fully implemented, the redevelopment plan will add more than 80,000 square feet of retail space, 24 condos, and at least 700 apartments.

The retail space is expected to revitalize the downtown area and create homes for the types of businesses needed to provide nightlife venues on Mercer Island. The residents of the apartments and condominiums are expected to be immediate clientele for the businesses located in these buildings. Those who work in the community are expected to shop there, as well. In time, if the right kinds of restaurants and shops open, the downtown/city center neighborhood could support a thriving nightlife that will keep Islanders “at home” as opposed to driving into Seattle for the evening.

Parking concerns were raised by a number of Mercer Island Residents during the planning stages of the downtown redevelopment. Some concerns have been mitigated by the requirement that all of these buildings include underground parking or lots behind the structures. Parking in downtown is free.

Although the appearance and ambiance of the downtown or city center area has changed dramatically, many believe the wide sidewalks (15 feet), pedestrian-friendly aspects of the redevelopment will maintain the relaxed lifestyle, there are some who do not like the construction of taller buildings in the downtown area. The mixed-use structures should revitalize the downtown community, especially after 5:00 pm. It should also generate a significant continuing source of tax revenue for the city. Development of the downtown core continues with many new projects in the works . . . making our city more modern and fun!

 This is the second in a series of blog posts about the Downtown Mercer Island community. Part 1 discussed the reasons for redevelopment and the goals achieved. Part 3 will look at the residents and businesses of the new downtown.