Uwajimaya Village developer agrees to buy 6-acre lot at Northgate

SEATTLE—Lorig Associates LLC, known for developing the Uwajimaya Village, and Stellar International Holdings have agreed in principle to buy nearly 6 acres of vacant land from Simon Properties on the south lot of Northgate Mall, where it intends to build a large mixed-use development, Mayor Greg Nickels announced last week

“This is fantastic news,” Nickels said. “We have investors ready to help us unleash the potential at Northgate. We just need the City Council to move on legislation I’ve sent them and create jobs Seattle desperately needs.”

“We are excited about the opportunity this presents for the development of a new, vibrant and integrated part of this neighborhood, that will attract new residents and businesses, but that will also enhance this area’s existing strengths,” said Bruce Lorig, founder of Lorig Associates LLC.

Simon Properties has a preliminary agreement to sell 5.9 acres of the south lot to Lorig Associates and Stellar International. If the agreement goes forward, the development would create new residential housing for families of various income levels, retail, restaurant and commercial uses, pedestrian-friendly public spaces with plazas and sidewalks, plus excellent transit connections.

Lorig is a local developer that is well-known for innovative development projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Besides the Uwajimaya Village, its projects include Market Place North, The Wallingford Center, Queen Anne High School Apartments, Bailey Boushay House, and Welch Plaza in the Central Area.

Stellar is a private investment company based in Seattle with investments worldwide, including the redevelopment of downtown neighborhoods in several cities in Sweden.

Lorig and Stellar’s agreement is contingent on Council approval of the code changes and development agreement that the Mayor has proposed for the Northgate Mall and its surrounding neighborhood.

“Helping make this kind of investment happen is exactly how we can grow our way out of this recession,” Nickels said. “This is how we solve our budget problem and show that we’re serious about creating jobs.”

If the Council approves the mayor’s proposal, the City would get the 2.7 acres adjacent to the property Lorig and Stellar intend to buy. Lorig, Stellar and the City would then coordinate development for both properties, including new public spaces and water quality improvements for Thornton Creek. Additional opportunities exist for coordinating development with the nearby Metro transit center owned by King County.

If the mayor’s Northgate plan is approved, the City expects to realize about $3 million in new annual taxes, $2.5 million in one-time construction revenues and many ongoing jobs.

Office of the City Mayor release, October 1

Reader Comments

Discuss this article in the forums!