Published June 2004

Construction Briefs

Lexus breaks ground on new showroom
Lexus of Seattle recently broke ground on its new automobile showroom and dealership on Highway 99 between 202nd and 204th streets SW in Lynnwood.

The $10.5 million project, which will include a 35,000-square-foot showroom and parts and service departments on a 5.4-acre site, is expected to be completed in late spring 2005, according to a news release from the city of Lynnwood.

“Increases in new-vehicle sales and our customer-owner base necessitate that we acquire larger premises,” said Brad Castonguay, president of the 15-year-old dealership. “We will be able to offer our customers larger parts and service facilities along with more spacious show and display rooms.”

Kuni Enterprises of Portland, Ore., is the project developer, and the facility has been designed by CSCB Architects.

Renovated apartments to continue serving low-income families
The Low Income Housing Institute recently completed renovation of 40 units of Section 8 family housing at Cedarwood II Apartments, located at 420 101st Ave. SE in Lake Stevens.

Through LIHI’s purchase and renovation of Cedarwood II, the apartments, which were nearing the end of their Section 8 rent subsidy contract period, will continue to provide housing for very low-income families, the Seattle-based agency said.

Helix Architects served as project architects. Briere Construction Co. supervised renovations to the eight buildings that contain 26 two-bedroom, 12 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom townhouse-style units.

The renovations included new kitchen cabinets, countertops and bathroom vanities, new light fixtures, new flooring in many units, new appliances, electrical upgrades, improvements to accessible units, installation of a new children’s playground, resurfaced parking areas, exterior painting, and landscaping improvements.

A partnership between seven public and private sources made it possible for LIHI to save the housing, with funding partners including Snohomish County, Washington State Housing Trust Fund, Sterling Savings Bank, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle and the Enterprise Social Investment Corp.

Retail, office building nears
completion in Monroe
A new 4,000-square-foot retail and office building is nearing completion in downtown Monroe at 206 E. Main St.

Developed by Emerald Northwest Properties of Bellevue, the single-story building uses masonry and windowed storefronts to blend in with the character of older Main Street buildings, said project architect Page & Beard Architects PS of Kirkland.

“People enjoy the scale and appearance of this building and are pleased that it fills in an old gap in the block,” said Galen Page.

The new building can be divided into four separate tenant spaces, with two tenant spaces in the front having Main Street access and storefront orientation, the architectural firm said.

Interior spaces have 16-foot-high ceilings with exposed trusses and mechanical ducts, and the two tenant spaces at the rear half of the building have a separate side-entry/foyer that connects the rear tenants to a common public corridor, according to the architectural firm.

Construction started in February and was scheduled for completion by the end of May. M.R.J. Constructors Inc. of Seattle was the general contractor.

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