Thursday, April 8, 2010

City of Bohell starts construction on a more Vibrant, Pedestrian Friendly and Walkable Downtown

On Tuesday, Mayor Mark Lamb climbed into a backhoe and started demolition of an old brick building located in the City of Bothell. This marks the beginnier of a revitalization plan that includes investing $150 million into the downtown core. The plan includes moving the highway, expanding the park at Bothell Landing and adding a new City Hall.
The redevelopment will incorporate the most important features of Bothell: The Sammamish River and Bothell Landing Park into its downtown. Future additions to the downtown park will include canoe-and-kayak launching area, public paths, and bike and boat rentals. Re-routing of 522 will also create three new downtown blocks, adding to the retail core, making downtown Bothell more walkable and restoring its historic charm.

The makeover includes:
• Demolishing 15 buildings.
• Moving Highway 522 one block south and disconnecting it from Main Street, helping traffic move faster through downtown, and also widening it at a corridor known as "Wayne Curve."
• Extending Highway 527 and broadening it into a pedestrian-friendly boulevard.
• Expanding Main Street with new buildings that have ground-floor stores with office space or residences above.