We’ve seen many business and development changes to Greenwood in the last few years, and more are on the way. Here are a few highlights.
The long-empty site of a former pizza restaurant, then coffee shop, then construction vehicle parking lot, on the corner of NW 85th Street and 1st Avenue NW, will soon be a mixed-use development. Security Properties has purchased that land, along with the adjacent empty lot and house next to that.
Jeanne Muir, president of Urban Relations, was hired by Security Properties to work with the community on the development. Muir says the company doesn’t yet have specific plans for the site, although it will be some sort of housing with retail on the lower floor. Muir says the company will talk to the community about what it would like to see on the site.
But first the company is waiting for the City Council to approve a new rezoning proposal for parts of Greenwood, including that block. Under the rezone, that site would be zoned NC2-40 (Neighborhood Commercial, with 40-foot height limits). The City Council will hold a hearing on the rezone on Monday.
Two mixed-use buildings on Greenwood Avenue North between North 85th and 87th streets are on schedule to be completed in July. Gary Brunt, property manager for Greenwood Shopping Center, Inc., which owns much of the land in downtown Greenwood (including the Fred Meyer site), says the two buildings will have a total of about 9,000 to 10,000 square feet of retail space. Each building will have three apartments above that.
The building on the right replaces what once was a McDonald’s, and later the Green Bean Coffeehouse. The building on the left is being built in what was a driveway to a parking lot. A new street between the two will connect to Piper Village and Fred Meyer.
Sonny Newman tells me the building housing his dance hall and City of Hope Second Hand Rose Thrift Shop at 201 N. 85th St. has been sold. Newman says he will be closing his studio on May 31. He does not plan to open elsewhere.
And according to Zillow, sales are pending for a big chunk of land at 85th and Greenwood.
One pending sale, at $1,350,000, is for 8415 Greenwood Ave. N. (Neptune Coffee), 8417 (currently empty, until recently it housed Terra Bella Flowers, which moved to 7321 Greenwood Ave. N.), 8419 & 8421(Antika).
By the way, Antika’s owners are continuing their retirement sale. Everything is now 57-60 percent off (57 percent off for credit cards, 60 percent off for cash, checks and debit cards).
The other pending sale, for $700,000, is for 8401, 8403 and 8403-1/2 Greenwood Ave. N., currently housing Better Hearing Center, Kouzina Greek restaurant, and Insurrection Apparel & Boots.
We will try to contact the new owners and find out their plans for those lots. And we’ve heard rumors of a few other business land sales in the neighborhood. We’ll try to bring you more information on those soon.
And King County has committed a total of $750,000 from Conservation Futures Tax Levy funds for the acquisition of the property on the northeast corner of North 81st Street and Greenwood Avenue North, directly north of the Greenwood Library, to be turned into a park. The site currently houses Greenwood Quick Stop, Aloha Ramen and Manna Terikyaki.
