Background
In October 2020, The City executed a disposition and development agreement with American Property Development for sale and redevelopment of an underutilized city property at SW 151st St and SW 8th St. The development included property assemblage with an adjacent parcel to construct a mixed-use multifamily development with ground floor commercial space called Kinect@Burien. An independent appraisal was conducted to support a property sale price of $1.75M.
Project Status
Sale of the city-owned land was finalized in June 2021 and construction of Kinect@Burien began in August 2021. The development will include 230 multifamily units, ground floor commercial retail space, and 20% of the units as affordable to renters at 80% AMI in accordance with the City multifamily tax exemption program, be built to LEED Silver standards and provide underground parking for residents.
Construction of the project will include a local hiring program, program to promote woman and minority-owned (WMO) firms and a $250,000 donation to a mutually agreed upon trade or apprenticeship program. Timeline for construction completion is estimated to be 24 months.
Alignment with Downtown Vision and Urban Center Plan
The Burien Urban Center Plan completed in 2020 included extensive community engagement regarding preferred concepts and zoning for future development in the downtown. A key challenge identified in the study was an overall lack of housing in the Urban Center. The “Urban Center Concept” map developed through the community engagement process identified the area northeast of Burien Town Square, including the municipal lot, as recommended for urban residential development, including high-density multifamily.
The Kinect@Burien development meets other strategies identified in the 2020 Burien Urban Center Plan including:
- Strategy 2.1.3 Prioritize public investments in mixed-use and multifamily housing within 1/4 mile of the Burien Transit Center and future Bus Rapid Transit stations.
- Strategy 4.3.2 Encourage redevelopment of catalyst sites (key areas for redevelopment) identified through Strategy 4.3.1. The City could coordinate land assembly procedures amongst private property owners to form larger sites with the ability to accommodate higher density development.
- Strategy 2.1.4 Design streets and buildings to prioritize and enhance the pedestrian experience and to support Transit Oriented Development in the downtown and surrounding areas.
- Strategy 2.1.2 ……require specific standards that promote pedestrian-oriented buildings, especially for Urban Residential and mixed-use place types. This could include good ground floor transparency, continuous weather protection, taller floor to ceiling heights, and architecturally defined building entrances.
- Strategy 2.3.3 Encourage parking below ground and accessible from alleys or the rear of lots whenever feasible
In addition, the original Burien Town Square plan envisioned town square serving “as a catalyst for the redevelopment and revitalization of downtown Burien” adding that “town square should encourage, transition to, and facilitate successful adjacent development.” The Kinect@Burien development will build on that town square vision and momentum as a continued catalyst for development and growth in the downtown.
Questions? Contact [email protected]