Kenmore Undressed

Waterfront Construction is Leaving Kenmore – Now What?

WHO WILL CONTROL LAKEPOINTE?

There has been a long-standing and important discussion about developing the waterfront area here in Kenmore known as Lakepointe. Since 1989 there has been a proposed development of the 45 acres on Lake Washington where the Sammamish River enters the lake. It is one of those wonderfully ambitious, visionary and seemingly impossible projects that has yet to materialise.

The fact is, Kenmore’s waterfront is a a real eyesore that looks more like an industrial wasteland than a part of our city.  One of my readers recently commented:

“We have one Petunia in an onion PATCH. That would be LakePointe. If this is not developed and handled properly it will be all onions!!!!The City needs to get involved and not let greed and grandois ambition cloud their goal. The community needs to get involved and not assume someone else is watching out for their interests, no one is. We have health, environmental, clean water issues, ground water issues, storm water issues, hazardous waste issues, toxic issues, and more all on the one piece of property, LakePointe(45 acre Peninsula). We have the potential to pull Kenmore out of the designation labeled the armpit of Lake Washington,to Kenmore’s only opportunity for an economic, vibrant,environmentally friendly, community, the Last Pearl to be found, on Lake Washington, if we choose, this vision can only happen as a community effort.”

This is not an uncommon opinion expressed to me by my friends and neighbors here in “our fair city.” It’s one of those “if only” conversations about how incredible Kenmore could be if there was the vision and money to transform our truly spectacular position on Lake Washington from a gritty, off-limits wasteland to a vibrant waterfront community.

Waterfront Construction Gives Notice

Waterfront Construction is leaving in June 2010- What's going to happen now?

In a recent article in the Kenmore/Bothell Reporter by Tom Corrigan, it was reported that Kenmore’s Waterfront Construction (WC) will be leaving it’s location at the mouth of the Sammamish. WC has been the subject of a number of accusations regarding environmental violations. Several local watchdog groups have been accusing Waterfront of various questionable practices but Waterfront has indicated that this is not reason for their departure.

Is This the Beginning of Something New?

Since this news broke, a number of people have asked me what might happen with the property. Could this be the beginning of a transformation at Lakepointe? I’ve heard rumours that the City wants to purchase the property in order to create a park. I really have no idea what’s going to happen, but I think all of us here in Kenmore need to focus our attention on this development.

I would encourage you to contact the Mayor and City Council to see what they think about this situation. Don’t let this opportunity pass us by. Just click on this link for a directory:

http://www.cityofkenmore.com/Page.aspx?cid=1698

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Bastyr University Day at the Washington State Capitol

State Legislators Honor Bastyr University

Recognizing Bastyr University’s accomplishments in the areas of education, research and clinical service, Washington state legislators presented resolutions on February 24, 2010, honoring Bastyr in the chambers of the state Senate and House of Representatives in Olympia.

Sponsored by state Sen. Paull Shin (D), and Rep. Roger Goodman (D), the resolutions acknowledged Bastyr’s commitment to a sustainable health care model, the University’s role in minimizing its environmental impact through green building practices, and its instrumental role in increasing research activity in the natural health sciences. The resolutions were presented as part of the first annual “Bastyr University Day” at the state capitol.

Kenmore Mayor, Dave Baker and Bastyr President Daniel K. Church PhD

Joining Bastyr University President Daniel K. Church, PhD, at the event were University founders, members of the board of trustees, faculty, staff and student representatives. City of Kenmore Mayor David Baker also attended in support and recognition of the University and its achievements. The following legislators spoke on behalf of Bastyr University: Rep. Ruth Kagi (D), Rep. Bill Hinkle (D), Rep. Jan Angel (R), Sen. Karen Keiser (D), Sen. Cheryl Pflug (R), and Sen. Dan Sweker (R).

“We are honored that the Washington State Legislature recognizes Bastyr University’s dedication to enhancing the health and well-being of the human community, and we are grateful to Sen. Shin and Rep. Goodman for their leadership in sponsoring the important resolutions that were read at ‘Bastyr University Day.’ We are especially grateful to Mayor David Baker and other representatives from the City of Kenmore who attended in support and recognition of the University’s achievements,” said Daniel K. Church, PhD. “The day’s events further inspire our mission as we continue to educate future health care leaders. We look forward to making ‘Bastyr University Day,’ an annual tradition celebrating the University’s contributions locally and globally.”

Located in Kenmore, Wash., Bastyr University is a nonprofit, accredited institution internationally recognized as a pioneer in natural health arts and sciences education. Founded in 1978 as the John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine, the University integrates the pursuit of scientific knowledge with the wisdom of ancient healing methods from around the world. Today, Bastyr University is the largest university of its kind in the United States, combining a multidisciplinary curriculum with leading-edge research and clinical training. The University offers 14 accredited degree and certificate programs in the fields of naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, herbal sciences, health psychology, exercise science, and whole food nutrition.

This article was submitted to me by Jordan Lindstrom of Bastyr University. I’d like to thank him and all the highly talented and dedicated people at Bastyr University as well as those Washington State Legislators who support our local institutions and communities.

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February 2010 Home Sales – Ouch, What Happened?

Home Sales in February Were Lethargic at Best

One year ago 10 single family homes sold in Kenmore. This year there were 14 home sales. I suppose if you’re a “glass-half-full” person this represents a 29% increase in sales. OK, I’ll grant you that. Great news for you optimists. To me, there’s something ominous about these sales figures: It doesn’t seem that the extended $8000 1st time buyer tax credit or the $6500 repeat buyer tax credit have stimulated as much activity as was hoped for.

For an interesting perspective regarding the repeat buyer credit, read “Not much impact from the repeat buyer credit,” in the February 28th Seattle Times. It seems that Americans are staying put for the time being. There’s simply too much uncertainty in the world for a lot of people: high unemployment, a grid-locked political system, natural disasters, the wars….I think it’s reasonable to conclude that Americans are hunkering down until things look and feel better.

So, let’s take a quick look at the sales from last month:

February 2010 Home Sales in Kenmore

Most of the home sales in Kenmore last month were under $400,000 (85%). Also, 50% of the home sales were new construction! As I mentioned last month, DR Horton built a community of smaller homes with some killer incentives which are selling quite well right now. Homes were selling at about 94% of the list price, which is better than last year.

For those of you interested in the current inventory, please turn your attention to the following:

Active Listings in Kenmore – Beginning of March

There are currently 111 single family homes listed in Kenmore. Last year there were closer to 140 active listings.

Pending Sales

Pending sales are always a good indication of the current market activity. Right now there are 60 pending sales. 30% of these homes are new construction. 22% are distressed properties (short sales or bank-owned homes). This is a healthy number of pending sales for the beginning of the month.

I had hoped to see more closed sales in the month of February, but the year is young and as Spring approaches we may see a reasonable up-tick in home sales.

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Grocery Outlet Is Moving to a New Kenmore Location

“Moving a Whole Store Is a HUGE Project”

Judy Bartlow's Guiding Principles of Success!

I was fortunate to finally catch up with Judy Bartlow, the Owner/Operator of Kenmore’s Grocery Outlet. She is one incredibly busy person and it was obvious that sitting her down for a chat was going to be a challenge. I had been trying to do and interview with her since before Christmas when the owner of Kenmore Square told me Grocery Outlet had signed a lease and was moving from its long-time location at Kenmore Village. Well, it’s now official. Grocery Outlet is moving. Judy told me the target date for opening the new store is April 8th. She also told me that planning and executing this move is a Herculean project.

The Current Location of Grocery Outlet at Kenmore Village

Grocery Outlet is moving from the Kenmore Village location.....to

The Future Home of Grocery Outlet at Kenmore Square

...to 7808 NE Bothell Way in Kenmore Village

Judy has been the Owner of Grocery Outlet since 2004 and as she reflected on her long career in the grocery/retail business, it was obvious that she’s one of those fortunate people who has found meaning and fulfilment through her work. She told me that being the owner of GO freed her from the “corporate life” and has allowed her to truly give back to her customers, community and employees. As is the case with so many business owners, Judy has spent a huge amount of time nurturing and training her staff to create a winning team of professionals. She feels as if her staff has created a family at GO and that they go about the business of operating a successful operation by sharing a “common conversation.”

A Nice Store with Great Values and Wide Variety of Merchandise

Judy explained that Grocery Outlet is unique in many ways. Unlike many grocery store chains, GO has a staff of buyers who spend a lot of time travelling the whole world in search of good values and unique products. She proudly stated that “we are master merchants.” As you walk the isles of GO you will not only find familiar name brand products but also a huge variety of items you won’t see at other stores: I noticed some very high quality Italian Olive Oil’s and interesting wines at good prices.

I asked Judy who the average GO shopper is. “We attract a wide range of shopper. Of course there are those looking for bargains who want a good deal; however, we find a lot of local residents shop at our store.” She also mentioned that she has a lot of “long term wine shoppers!”

I was mightily impressed with Judy and her Grocery Outlet. Her enthusiasm for her store, her employees, community and industry is infectious. She has spent a lot of time cultivating a great business and she has also given back to the City of Kenmore through a number of charitable events and programs (The Childhood Cancer Care Line, Easter Egg Hunt and a Feed a Family Program).

The City of Kenmore is lucky that Grocery Outlet is staying here as it is truly a jewel in our business community crown. Let’s send some good energy to Judy and her staff and wish them a smooth transition to the new location. This is exciting! Oh, did I mention that GO will be very close to my house!!! I can’t wait!

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Kenmore Home Sales, Janary 2010 – Not Bad Compared to 2009!

Warm Weather Brought a Warmer Real Estate Market to Kenmore

Last night I attended our neighborhood annual Home Owner’s Association Meeting and there was a lot of concern about property values and questions about how the real estate market was going to perform in 2010. There is no reason to believe that 2010 will bring much change to this tough market. Lending continues to be tight and I have a sense that the job market will have more of a negative impact on the market than does price or inventory. Even so, last month buyers were obviously taking advantage of tax credits and low interest rates. So let’s take a quick look at January which turned out to be a good month for home sales in Kenmore:

ACTIVE LISTINGS

We saw a 31% decrease in inventory compared to last January (148). I believe a lot of homeowners have finally realized that unless they absolutely MUST move, they are staying put. One interesting factor this last month was the number of new construction homes that were offered and sold. Currently, 27% of the active listing are new construction and many of these homes (DH Horton homes) are smaller 1500-2000 square foot houses at the low $300,ooo price point. It was a smart move to build smaller. The builder is also offering some attractive buyer’s incentives. 39% of the inventory has dropped in price and many of these price reductions are significant.

PENDING SALES

Pending sales are encouraging as they represent homes that are in the sales process. Last January there were only 19 pending sales. It’s also a positive sign that the days-on-market are fairly low at 64 days. Something to keep in mind is that 43% of the pending sales are new construction. Only 16% were “distressed” properties.

SOLD HOMES

Last January there were a whopping 8 homes that sold! We did much better this year. Of course, this time last year we were still recovering from the most severe winter in many years and that certainly made things tough; however, it’s nice to see that we had some good activity. I would like to point out that fully 58% of the homes that sold last month were new construction, most of which were the lower priced properties. As the new homes are sold out, it will be interesting to see how the remaining inventory will sell. I can tell you that selling a home that’s over $450,000 is  challenging.

So the 2010 real estate market started out much better than last year. Let’s hope that the momentum continues. If you have any questions regarding the Kenmore housing market or have questions about the value of your home, please give me a call at 206.713.2102 or email me at jlupori@gmail.com.

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A Snap-Shot of the Kenmore City Council Retreat

Some Excellent Priorities Identified

Last Wednesday I posted the first “official poll” on Kenmore Undressed in anticipation of the Kenmore City Council Retreat that convened this last weekend. I asked what the most important priorities are for the City of Kenmore in 2010. So far I’m pleased with the number of votes and the poll is still active for those of you who would like to add your two cents! Here’s what it looks like so far:

Click this picture to answer the poll!

Today I received a quick summary of the City Council’s retreat from Councilman Bob Hensel. It’s interesting to compare those priorities identified by the council and some of the issues I raised in the poll. Here’s Bob’s summary:

The top 5 are as follows,

1. The completion of the 522 project which will assist in attracting new businesses.
2. Working to reopen the CAWM pool at St Edwards as the council realizes the longer the pool stays closed the the more difficult it will be to reopen.
3. Economic development which includes implementing the plan put forward by the Citizens Advisory Committee and approved by the council last summer. Note that plan includes attracting new businesses, downtown,lakepoint, and more.
4. Completing a parks plan which provides for more active park space and and financing options.
5. Review of current police services and the contract with King County. The annexation of Finn Hill (unincorporated King County) to the city of Kirkland and other changes to services provided by King County in 2012 need to be addressed now.
This is only a brief synopsis of each priority, a lot of discussion went into getting to this point and there is a lot more meat on the bones of each priority.

I’d like to thank the City Council for some good brainstorming at their retreat. As a resident of Kenmore and a Real Estate Agent, I’m encouraged by the Council’s focus on business development while at the same time working to preserve Kenmore’s landmarks and natural resources. 2010 is going to be a challenging year. I sincerely hope some of you out there get involved in making Kenmore a 21st Century City.

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The Kenmore Crows Are Back!

Dr. John Marzluff Knows Our Crows

Dr. John Marzluff, Professor of Wildlife Science

During the winter months, the residents of Kenmore are “blessed” with the presence of thousands of crows. Kenmore has a number of natural habitats that the crows love. Sometimes the sky is literally filled with these wonderfully animated (and noisy) pranksters. I’ve written about the crows in previous posts and a couple of days ago a reader asked the following question:

“Tonight we were walking down by Cascadia Community College on the trail. Thousands and Thousands of crows filled the sky until it was dark. We saw their flight lines. At one point, it was a little frightening for our daughter, however, we were so mesmerized, she too was in awe. Every morning we see them fly South, every evening they fly North. I think their roosting spot are the wetlands and trees in front of the college.

I’ve always liked crows for their personality, however, I’ve never seen numbers like these in the last twenty years I’ve lived in Bothell. I’m hoping they don’t feast too much on the baby robins in the Spring. I would love a blog from professor John Marzluff to tell us why the numbers have gone up so much.”

Well, this really piqued my curiosity, so I wrote Professor Marzluff,  who lives in the area and who is a world renowned crow guru, to see if I could sit down with him and “talk crow!” We will  be meeting at the UW in the near future and he graciously sent me some responses to questions he’s received recently from a Bothell High School student. She was wondering why there are so many crows in the area:

1. What are some possible causes of this increase in crows populations?

2.  How would this might effect the community like in Bothell?

3.    Due to this change, what else if affected and how?

The crows  fertilize the grounds below their roost.  This has been shown to be significant in Japan, for example.  So, in the place they are now roosting they are adding fertilizer (crow feces) to the restoration planting site FOR FREE–this is what we call an ecosystem service.  It should make the plant grow taller, quicker and beautify the Bothell surroundings.

I’m really excited at the prospect of sitting down with Professor Marzluff. If any of you have burning questions about crows or other bird species and their relationship to our local environment, please let me know and I’ll ask him.

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Bastyr University – Kenmore’s Greatest Asset!

Thinking Out Loud about Bastyr University

In a recent press release by Bastyr University, it was announced that the City of Kenmore approved a master-plan which will nurture a greater level of cooperation between this famous University and the city. Click on the link below to read the whole press release:

KENMORE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES BASTYR UNIVERSITY MASTER PLAN

To me, this is really good news. There is no other institution in the City of Kenmore that commands national and, indeed international recognition as Bastyr. I feel it’s time to take the relationship one step further and have the city leadership approach Bastyr with a plan to create a satellite campus in the current Kenmore Village. This is not my idea. I’ve spoken with a number of residents who believe this would be both feasible and beneficial to everyone.

Think of the possibilities: The University could offer classes and also have a “store front” that might offer acupuncture, homoeopathic or herbal medicines and other products/services that are a reflection of Bastyr’s mission!

I would love to hear any other ideas Kenmore residents have about forming a deeper relationship with Bastyr University. Oh, and for some other Bastyr news:

BASTYR UNIVERSITY HOSTS 12TH ANNUAL SPLASH AND DASH
Students, faculty and staff plunge into new year with icy swimming tradition

These are some tough honchos and honchettes!!!!

ATTEND THE INNOVATIVE SERIES: BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, NATURE AND MEDICINE

BASTYR HOSTING SERIES ON SPIRITUALITY AND HEALTH
Events presented by the Bastyr Center for Spirituality, Science and Medicine

The Bastyr University Center for Spirituality, Science and Medicine is pleased to present “Body, Mind, Spirit, Nature and Medicine: A Series of Conversations.” This innovative series brings together Bastyr experts and leading local authorities on physical, mental and spiritual health to discuss how each focus area is vital to whole-person health and health care. Presented in early 2010, the three talks will focus on “body,” “mind” and “spirit” respectively. They will be moderated by Warren Etheredge, founder of The Warren Report.

The Jan. 11 talk will focus on “Body” and include the perspectives of Seattle physicians Christine Adams, MD; Cathy Rogers, ND; and internationally recognized mind/body expert Joel Levey, PhD. The Feb. 1 event will cover “Mind” and feature Bastyr University faculty member Brad Lichtenstein, ND; Seattle naturopathic physician Sheila Dunn-Merritt; and Robert V. Taylor, author of I’m Spiritual Not Religious: Making Sense of Finding Meaning. The discussion on Feb. 8 will revolve around “Spirit” and include Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD, co-founder of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue in Seattle; Terrill L. Gibson, PhD, pastoral psychotherapist; and Leanna Standish, ND, PhD, LAc, FABNO, medical director of the Bastyr Integrative Oncology Research Center (BIORC).

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Preliminary Kenmore Real Estate Statistics – 2009

Kenmore Home Sales Were Up in 2009

If 2008 ended as the “winter of our discontent,” then 2009 ended on a “kinder and gentler” note. Overall, residential real estate sales in the City of Kenmore were up 18% for single-family homes: 177 homes sold in 2008 and 214 in 2009.

Single-Family Home Sales in Kenmore 2008

Single-Family Home Sales in Kenmore 2009

Condo Sales in Kenmore

Condominium sales in 2009 were basically flat as compared to 2008: 52 in 2008 and 51 in 2009.

Sales in 2008

Sales in 2009

Home Sales in December 2009

The 21 home sales in Kenmore last month is downright magnificent as compared to the 13 that sold last December. Of course, for those of you who live here, you’ll recall we were in the midst of one of the worst winter snow dumps in Puget Sound history. In fact, my wife and I were stuck in our house for quite a number of days after Christmas last year. It was a December that, simply put, was not exactly friendly to buying or selling houses.

If you have any questions regarding the Real Estate market here in Kenmore, WA or the surrounding communities, please consult with me. I am a Realtor® who specializes in the Kenmore residential market.

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A Vision + Alpacas = A Truly Amazing Kenmore Property

ALPACAS IN KENMORE! HOW COOL IS THAT!

Meet Lyle Lovett!

 Back in 2003 I was working with a number of home buyers who were interested in purchasing “waterfront” properties. In the world of Real Estate, waterfront can mean a lot of things. Here in the Seattle area we have Sound-front, lake-front, slew-front, river-front, stream-front and creek-front properties. My clients wanted to find a unique, waterfront property in Kenmore or Kirkland and one particular property kept coming up in our searches: On the 193rd block of 73rd Avenue NE is a Spanish-Style home (with a Sante Fe flavor) that lies on a 4.9 acre lot and is transversed by Swamp Creek.

The Hess Property: An Incredibly Interesting Property!

 As a Realtor® I have found that clients love to look at “interesting” properties but are often intimidated by the scale and scope of land that comes with complex components. This particular property includes the 4700 square foot home, Swamp Creek, a number of outbuildings, 2 bridges (one of which was over 60-years old) and a huge pasture. At that time, the home was listed over $1 million. In the end, my clients found it hard to wrap their heads around what to do with the place and I never had the chance to take a stab at it.

Outbuildings

This bridge replaced the old 60 year-old structure....$$$$$$

Swamp Creek

THEN CAME PAUL AND JANET HESS!

In 2005 my wife and I moved from our long-time residence in Shoreline to Kenmore and that same year Paul and Janet Hess purchased “the one that got away!” As it happens, we currently live a short distance from the Hess property and for the last couple of years we’ve noticed something really interesting down in the pasture: ALPACAS!!!! Every morning, when I take my wife over to the Kenmore Park & Ride, we’ve been noticing a growing population of what we thought were llamas. Finally, I decided to go over and meet the owners and find out if they would let me “meet the critters.” As it turned out, Paul Hess graciously allowed me to come over last Thursday to meet the herd and talk about all of the things he and his wife have done to transform the property into a truly amazing place.

Paul is an wonderfully engaging person and we talked about how he and his wife were able to align some of their personal passions with various facets of the property. We talked about the challenges of Swamp Creek, replacing the original bridge, environmental issues, (some) local politics and, of course, the herd of alpacas. When we went out to meet the animals I was surprised at how approachable they were:

The alpacas were extremely curious and seemed to have no fear of me. Even the mothers and the babies came right up to me. I have to say this was a lot of fun!

Today the Hesses have 18 alpacas and 2 romney sheep. Alpacas produce one of the most valuable fleeces of any animal and clothing made from their fleece is highly sought-after and expensive. Janice has a wonderful workshop where she processes the fleece and produces handmade products.

My visit with Paul Hess was a real treat because I have both a personal and professional connection to this unique property. Personal, because I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a neighbor with the vision and enthusiasm to transform a complicated property into a working compound. Professional, because I tried to sell this property. You know, it is always the obligation of real estate professionals to recognize the “highest and best” use of a piece of property and I can say with confidence that the Hesses are genuine stewards who have made their property a truly magical place.

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