TADASHI SHIGA \\ THE BLOG

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Growth and Green Development in Sammamish

Central Gathering Courtyard (Conceptual)

As many of my friends, colleagues and fellow brokers know, I pride myself on staying informed of the latest developments in our region, so when I became aware of Sammamish’s new Town Center project, a city council-designated zone, I was thrilled to dive into the details and discover what this development will bring to the table.

About Sammamish Town Center
The new neighborhood will boast amenities designed to cater to Sammamish’s vibrant community with residences, quality dining, entertainment, shopping, medical services and a Merrill Gardens community for senior residents.

From green spaces perfect for an afternoon stroll or playing with the family, to pubs that encourage gathering with friends after a long work week, Sammamish seems to offer something for everyone. Add to this the town’s enviable location, nestled in some of the state’s most beautiful natural land, with Lake Sammamish, countless trails, and parks nearby, and you have a quintessential western Washington living experience!

SE 5th Street View (Conceptual)

With more and more homeowners drawn to desirable Sammamish every year, it makes sense that the infrastructure needs to grow with it. The expansive Town Center project – which has been in development since at least 2008 and was recently reinvigorated by Innovation Realty Partners and the City of Sammamish – is slated to bring hundreds of predominantly single-family apartments and townhomes to this upscale city.

The Groundbreaking
The exciting groundbreaking of the Sammamish Town Center kicks off a renewed effort that will result in a comprehensive 92-plus-acre urban masterplan. The first community will be Brownstones West. Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR) has proudly introduced a prior client – Terrene Homes – to build through and lead the effort to introduce market rate and attainable home development in this highly desired “boomburb.”

I love a great “Sotheby’s a-ha” moment, and this was just that. The opportunity arose through Laura Briggs of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty after her excellence representing a client there led to this billion-dollar buildout in Washington. She’s now licensed with RSIR and through collaboration with me and our powerhouse New Development team, we were able to syndicate the collective to vertical together.

The May 18th groundbreaking ceremony celebrated the first phase of construction, which will add 38 townhomes. Future phases will add approximately 48 more townhomes and 60 new apartments and roughly 100,000 square feet of commercial space.

Photo Credit: Saskia Potter

Mayor Kali Clark, who was present at the groundbreaking along with Congresswoman Kim Schrier, King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Councilmember Sarah Perry and CEO of Innovation Matt Samwick, recently told the Seattle Times that Sammamish residents are now more open to the growth at the Town Center. She believes the project will strike the right balance between growth and suburban sprawl by concentrating the building as opposed to expanding it and taking down more trees and covering more land with single-family homes. The other speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony highlighted the importance of having diverse and affordable housing in the area and providing options to people who work in the city.

224 4th Ave SE Street View (Conceptual)

I, for one, am excited about and have high hopes for the Sammamish Town Center, further proof that when we all come together, we can find rewarding ways to develop our region in ways that benefit everyone. I believe it to be an intentional, thoughtful and innovative effort, and am heartened by the fact that housing will utilize modern, green building techniques to create sustainable homes.

As always, I’d love to chat about this development or sustainability and new construction in the region, so please contact me with any questions.

Let’s Connect

If you’re curious about my involvement in this project or want to discuss other real estate development or investment opportunities, please reach out. I’d love to hear from you!