The City of Lakewood recently received an application from Alliance Residential to redevelop 10.37 acres of the Lakewood Towne Center into a master planned residential apartment complex.
The property where the redevelopment is proposed is privately owned by Kite Realty. The city is not involved with the project, except for its administrative role tied to application review, permitting, and ensuring the project meets all requirements tied to the building code and the city’s zoning.
As proposed, the project would require the demolition of the current Barnes & Noble building. Barnes & Noble is a tenant of the space, renting it from Kite. The city is working with Kite Realty and Barnes & Noble to try to keep the bookstore in Lakewood and hopefully within Towne Center. The decision to stay will ultimately be made by Barnes & Noble and the agreement reached with property owner Kite.
The proposed residential project will develop 390 units of residential living. The units will be split between two five-story buildings. Other amenities proposed for residents of the building include indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, a pool, club house, gym, and more.
Because the proposal is for a master planned development, it requires an added level of review. The project will be reviewed by the city’s independent hearing examiner to ensure it meets code requirements and the needs of the community.
The site where the development is proposed falls within the city’s Central Business District and its downtown subarea plan. These plans specifically identify the need for more pedestrian connectivity between housing and commercial development. It also lies within a regional growth center. This means that the city is required to accommodate future population growth with the development of more housing to meet the housing needs of the region.
The public can comment on this proposal between now and March 19, 2024. Comments can be mailed to the City of Lakewood, Attn: Andrea Bell, 6000 Main Street SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. Or email abell@cityoflakewood.us.
A public hearing will also be held before the city hearing examiner. That date is not yet determined, but will be shared publicly once it is set.
People may request to view the proposed site plans at the front desk of Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW, during regular hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It is obvious this apartment complex is meant for folks who can afford the money to rent the apartments and the amenities listed in the announcement. And….it will look absolutely GRAND next to City Hall…..so much for assisting Lakewood Citizens gaining more AFFORDABLE housing !!!
What about the Barnes & Noble store, its customers, its employees (?) The way I read this latest City’s announcement about this project, the likelihood of a wonderful and essential business, and community asset, will likely go down the proverbial “tube”. That’s how I interpret this above statement, repeated here……
“The city is working with Kite Realty and Barnes & Noble to try to keep the bookstore in Lakewood and hopefully within Towne Center. The decision to stay will ultimately be made by Barnes & Noble and the agreement reached with property owner Kite.”
Sounds pretty much along the lines of whatever makes real-estate companies get richer, as well as those that can add to City of Lakewood tax funds.
This looks much like what has happened to many of of the stores and businesses that have closed in past years….including the mess at the Colonial Plaza/Village/Center where we have NOT SEEN anyone, including the City of Lakewood, do anything w/all of those gawd-awful, do-nothing, huge brick buildings at 9314 Bridgeport Way.
That used to be a viable and productive area….I remember that when we first moved here in 1987 that there was a Hardware Store and a multitude of smaller, successful businesses there, including the Bagel Shop. What happened?
Well, for one thing, the owners of that property were asking way-exhorbitant rental fees. I talked w/the manager of the then-existing QFC grocery store, asking why he was closing…he told me the owners of the property wanted $100,000/month (!!!)….so he HAD to close…..and, then what happened? Those very-same or follow-on owners decided to hang on to that complex and….do absolutely nothing to make it habitable and useful for thriving businesses. In my opinion, it was more valuable as a tax write-off.
That whole complex sat there, inviting ne’er-do-wells to take it over. And, the ONLY thing the City of Lakewood has done is to put Jersey Barriers up to keep he undesirable people out.
Now when the City decides to make any City Event in that area, it really looks great as a backdrop….you betcha.
Whatever…..
I agree with Eric Chandler why not use the property that QFC used ??? This is the biggest eye sore just sitting there with trash, graffiti and now those beautiful chain link fence’s that keep people out and of yes all those beautiful cement blocks and don’t they look pretty!!! I almost forgot all the money that was spent on the side street right next to the rat hole of a shopping center and beautiful chain link fences!!! Why was all that money wasted on this area??? Now you want to put some big apartment building that won’t be affordable and getting in and out of Lakewood town center is going to be the biggest mess once you build the apartments, It’s already a mess to get in and out of!!! WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING???
It’s really sad to see what was once a very thriving neighborhood shopping center with space for community events, such as Fourth of July to have gone steadily downhill since the 1960s. Each redo seems to have lessened local control and values into the hands of outside investors and interests.
It’s really sad to see and hear what the old Villa Plaza has become. This new edition will only add more traffic, more congestion, and less value in human terms.
Once again, follow the money.
For anyone who drives in these local areas, this is NOT good news. The number of new apartments in Lakewood, University Place and surrounding areas number in the thousands. When the subject of increased traffic is raised, the comments always seem to be…
”but these new apartments are on public transit routes.” While that may be true, those apartments will include many more drivers…many more cars…and more gridlock! When is enough enough? But, as long as these developers prosper, I guess that makes it ok. They don’t have to live here!
It’s probably too much to expect, so don’t be surprised if “indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, a pool, club house, gym, and more” are removed from the marketing vision of grandeur. Those amenities will diminish profits, and the City probably doesn’t have the right to require them to be built and maintained. Classic stuff being sold to the City authorities. If it’s a quality build I guess I’ll be surprised enough. No schlock please.
390 units in 2 Five story buildings? All I can envision is the tenement buildings of New York or Chicago.
Agreed, a lot of people in to small of an area. Drive through Seattle, 5 & 6 story metal covered boxes. They are Congested, light-blocking, ugly, and probably not any more affordable than anything else out there. Once finished it will be a good reason to avoid the Towne Center.
At first glance this seemed like a good idea. However, upon further reading it doesn’t seem to be in the best interests of the community. To lose Barnes and Noble would be detrimental to all of us. Has the impact on local schools been taken into consideration, will it lower our outrageous property taxes? At the same time the eyesore next to the original Lakewood Center continues to a blight on our neighborhood. What can be done about it?
Everyone who cares about Lakewood should take the time to understand this proposed development – obtain a pdf preliminary schematic or visit City Hall lobby as suggested to ponder implications. This “Alliance Apartments” proposal, relying as stated on established Municipal Code criteria, would abolish the classiest retail store in the city. More importantly, lacking integration with a revitalizing Towne Center vision that might have include a new library and the spirited invitation of a public concourse and park it will drive a stake in the heart of that prospect. Instead, look at the plan, the setting, location and access, it will create a fancy ghetto hemmed by asphalt and endless bays for parking behind the existing Target store.
No amount of landscaping or façade can redeem it, and vaunted “mixed-use” commerce at street level will challenge customers competing with auto-dependent residents navigating cramped parking and access. But I have to commend the Kite planners for maximizing return on investment. Mark Zuckerberg and a squadron of AI wizards could hardly do better.
So, what do you think my Lakewood friend? Picture this place bike or pedestrian friendly? Nearest playground or park? Seriously. Imagine waiting for that school bus on Main Street, whether you’re stopped or in the crush looking for your loved one.
Take the time to review this proposal. Write a letter. State your views for the record. Site appropriate reasons to support or oppose, and look for the city hearing examiner’s proceedings date. Defining Lakewood, caring for community is everybody’s duty. Let’s step up. Thanks for caring.
“When we become piled up on one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe”.
Thomas Jefferson
I am assuming that the Barnes and Noble store would move into the vacated Bed, Bath and Beyond building, I think they are both a little over 23,000 sq ft each.
This is what was done in the city that my daughter lives in. Barnes and Noble moved in to the vacated BB&B. She says it’s the funkiest B&N she’s ever been in. But she’s grateful to have it.
If Barnes & Nobles has to go to the time and expense of moving, why wouldn’t they go to The thriving Tacoma Mall?
The proposal for two five story buildings housing 390 units of residential living has certainly drawn some interesting comments in today’s Suburban Times.
Unfortunately, there was no link to further information (other than Andrea Bell’s email address) to allow those of us who prefer electronic versions of information, rather than a visit to City Hall. Bear in mind I’m not looking for a 300-page document…just a dozen pages or so describing the project in more detail…there is always mis-information going around, and such an Executive Summary, with map and artist rendering would suffice. Surely the proposers of the project have prepared such documents. If not, they should be required to do so, in the interest of improved public dialogue.