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Regional economic development professionals say Burien is on the right track. Details
A remodeled downtown
Burien's enhancement of its downtown business area in 2003 has won a loyal following for this Southwest 152nd Street commercial district. The reconstruction improved the main street's safety and ambiance with more crosswalks and parking, landscaping, benches, and public art.
Downtown Burien serves the entire south Seattle and southwestern King County areas. A retail center for more than 70 years, Old Burien at downtown's west end offers distinctive merchandise and shops. The community enthusiastically frequents the upgraded retail area for shopping,
major community festivals and artwalks.
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Downtown is clean, convenient, and has a small town feel. (City of Burien Photo)
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Wesbild development planned
Wesbild Shopping Centers purchased the 10-acre Redwood Center in downtown Burien for $12 million in spring 2004. This Seattle firm plans to study the retail area west of 4th Avenue Southwest between Southwest 148th and 150th Streets in order to make additional investments.
The firm has redeveloped the Westwood Village Shopping Center in West Seattle and attracted Barnes & Noble, Marshalls, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond as major new tenants there. "West Seattle and Burien are very similar," a Wesbild executive said. "They have views, waterfront, a lot of nice property, and similar demographics."
The Wesbild site lies directly north of the Burien Town Square project and west of the Burien Transit Center and Transit Oriented Development.
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Retail Services and restaurants
Ethnic restaurants attract diners from near and far. Their international cuisine originates in China, El Salvador, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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Award-winning planning
Burien embodied its intentions for investing in its business areas in the "Downtown Burien Handbook" in 2000. This plan for enhancing the City's public and commercial areas won the Vision 2020 award for excellence from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). The PSRC represents 63 cities in the greater Seattle area.
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Affordable, convenient, land
Access to Burien is already great from Seattle, Tacoma and points east and south.
The Washington State Department of Transportation plans to increase the capacity of the nearly southern junction of Interstates 5 and 405 in the next several years. The State will also streamline access to Sea-Tac airport from State Route 518, just east of Burien.
Traffic by Burien's front door will increase significantly when the
state extends State Route 509 south to Interstate 5. Burien's eastern border will then become the fast alternative route to downtown Seattle and its enormous commercial and wholesale area.
Land in Burien is still affordable, and parking is readily available. The
City zoning code allows building heights in downtown and adjacent areas along 1st Avenue South to be eight stories, based on location and public benefits. The downtown core increases height allowance to
12 stories, with City Council approvals.
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Tidy buildings and good cheer abound in our updated downtown (City of Burien photos)
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| Street Map of Burien |
Major Businesses - Employers in Burien
Highline School District
Highline
Medical Center
Fred Meyer
Wizards Casino
Advantage Sales and Marketing
Interstate Protective Services, Inc.
Life Care Center of Burien
Safeway
Burien Toyota
Ruth Dykeman's Children Center
Highline West Seattle Mental Health
Burien Dodge, Inc.
Southgate Group, Inc.
Azteca Restaurant
Group Health Cooperative
Glen Grant Chevrolet, Inc.
Highline Physical Therapy
McDonalds
Right Choice Refreshments
Other Employment Sites
Business License Application Information
Permitting
Sign Code
Zoning
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Auto sales and support
Several major-brand auto dealers along 1st Avenue South attract customers from the entire Puget Sound area. Their sales strength, combined with other auto sales and support services, make up the largest segment of Burien's retail economy.
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Three organizations working to revitalize the downtown Burien business core are:
The Economic Development Program which directs activities to enhance economic development and is responsible for the recommendation and implementation of policies, programs and procedures that accomplish the City Council's goals and objectives; Discover Burien Association, a non-profit team of merchants, property owners, hospital administrators, School Board members, art groups, the City of Burien, the Port of Seattle and the Chamber of Commerce whose mission is to create a vital, inviting Downtown Burien, and other commercial areas that will promote quality business, cultural and community growth; and the Burien Business and Economic Development Partnership, a 14-member board of Burien residents, business owners and operators, appointed by the Burien City Council to study and promote economic growth for the City of Burien.
How Burien's Tax Rates Compare to Other Cities
Burien's Statistics
Highline Public Schools
Elementary Schools - 7
Middle Schools - 1
High Schools - 1
Occupational Skills Center - 1
Libraries
Number of Libraries - 1
Total Circulation - 507,747
Parks and Recreation
9 Public Developed Parks - 228 Acres
School Parks - 100 Acres
Public Undeveloped Open Space - 90 Acre
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Business Resources
The Department of Community Development, located at Burien City Hall,
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW Ste. C, (206) 248-5520, is available to assist you in starting your new business and answering any questions you may have about building, planning and zoning.
Discover Burien Association, located at 653 SW 152nd Street, (206) 433-2882. Their mission is to create a vital, inviting downtown Burien, as well as other commercial areas, that will promote quality business, cultural and community growth. www.discoverburien.com
SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) specializing in helping start-up businesses; is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). 1200 6th Avenue, Suite 1700, Seattle, WA, (206) 553-7320. www.scn.org/civic/score-online
SBDC (Small Business Development Center) is a cooperative effort of the cities Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, Des Moines, Port of Seattle, King County, Highline Community College and the US Small Business Administration. 23830 Pacific Hwy. S, Suite 311, Kent, WA 98032, (206) 878-3710, zsiegl@highline.edu or visit their websites at www.sbdc.org or www.sbdc@highline.edu
Export Mentor Program is designed to nurture the exporting capabilities of small and medium-sized companies located in southwest King County, 516 Third Avenue, Room 402, Seattle, WA, (206) 296-1939, allison.clark@metrokc.gov
Women's Business Center (WBC) promotes the growth of women-owned businesses through programs that address business training and technical assistance. 1437 South Jackson St., Suite 302, Seattle, WA, (206) 325-9458, caroleb@seattleccd.com or www.seattlecced.com
SeaTac Occupational Skills Center is designed to provide state-of-the-art workforce preparation programs for high school juniors and seniors. The SeaTac Occupational Skills Center is owned cooperatively by the Federal Way, Highline, Tahoma, and Tukwila School Districts. 18010 8th Ave. S., Burien, WA, (206) 433-2524
Highline Community College offers a wide range of high-quality programs, services and access through partnerships. 2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines, WA, (206) 878-3710, www.highline.edu
Seattle Goodwill's Career Resource Centers are for individuals who are job hunting, exploring new careers or wishing to participate in job readiness workshops 12808 Ambaum Boulevard SW, (206) 957-1026, www.seattlegoodwill.org
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