New places bring new people, experiences

The warmer weather and longer days are bringing Mercer Islanders out of their houses and onto the streets. People are walking, carrying bags of purchases, sipping coffee at sidewalk tables and, — yes — sitting on street benches. Sleepy downtown Mercer Island is waking up.

This will be the first spring and summer since the two largest developments — Island Square and The Mercer — have been completed, bringing about the most dramatic changes to downtown Mercer Island since the completion of the I-90 “lid” two decades ago.

Managers of both projects say that more than 70 percent of the apartments are occupied. New residents run the gamut from single professionals to families to empty-nesters who wanted to downsize but remain on Mercer Island. On an Island known for families, the new apartments are adding a new demographic, people who embrace a more urban way of life as they take buses to downtown Seattle and Bellevue and walk to restaurants, cleaners and grocery stores.

The retail space in Island Square is fully rented and The Mercer, which opened in the summer of 2006, has only one retail space still available. The newest retail opening is a wine bar offering wine to taste and to buy, wine storage as well as lunch and dinner. The retail additions bring a variety of opportunities for Mercer Island residents of all ages. Children can get their hair cut and take art lessons. Adults can take yoga classes or go to a spa. Moreover the additions bring a new energy to downtown that benefits longtime businesses as well. Altogether, we have a more interesting and vibrant town center that offers something to all Island residents.

Walk along 76th Ave S.E. and you will notice the Aljoya, a retirement community developed by ERA Living is rising out of the ground and taking shape quickly. It will have 112 units for senior citizens as well as an outdoor garden that will connect with Mercer Island’s Sculpture Garden. Many units are already reserved and a key attraction for future residents is easy access by foot to downtown amenities.

If you think we’ve seen lots of changes in downtown Mercer Island, just wait. You don’t have to be Rip van Winkle — you can be gone for two weeks and come back to see major changes in the downtown.

This spring, two more five-story, mixed-use projects with underground parking will break ground: 7700 Central, by Seco Development, will have 170 apartments and 25,000 square feet of retail space; the 7800 Plaza will have 24 condominiums and 9,300 square feet of retail space. You may have noticed that just last week the Chevron Service Station was demolished to make way for this development.

Next year BRE Properties of San Francisco will begin a five-story mixed-use project on the site of the old Safeway store. It will contain approximately 162 apartments and have 152,000 square feet of retail/office space.

According to Rich Conrad, city manager, Mercer Island will be adding almost as many residential units in the second phase of downtown development as we did in the first.

Not only does this additional development make a better downtown for Mercer Islanders, it also brings in revenue from off Island that reduces the tax burden for residents. The B&O (business and occupation) taxes paid by Island businesses pay for many amenities we all enjoy, from street plantings and lights to benches and bike racks. Additional outside revenues help reduce the burden individual property owners pay for city services and downtown street improvements.

This is an exciting time for our community and for our businesses. Finally, many of the ideas put forth during the days of Project Renaissance and the Town Center beautification are coming to fruition. It’s a historic transformation from an anemic business district to a vibrant place to live and work and play.

To ensure a downtown that is growing vibrant and vital, we must take advantage of all it has to offer. Supporting our current businesses ensures that Mercer Island will attract interesting new additions to our retail community.

As the days get longer, the opportunities to enjoy downtown increase with such events as Summer Celebration, Music in the Park concerts and Third Thursday Art Walks. We urge Islanders to come downtown, eat and shop. Come see what downtown has to offer.

Terry Moreman is the executive director of the Mercer Island Chamber of Commer and Jane Meyer Brahm is Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce.

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