What’s happening at University Place site that’s been set for redevelopment for years?
A University Place corner is starting to show signs of pre-development, but at least one project on the site is still years away.
Developers who own parcels near the 27th Street West and Grandview Drive area have been doing some abatement work ahead of planned demolition, according to Kevin Briske, director of the University Place Community and Economic Development Department.
Grandview DLP Development LLC, affiliated with Dobler Management, took ownership in February of parcels that include Lefty’s Burger Shack, 8317 27th St. W., and a large vacant building.
Briske told The New Tribune via email in response to questions that developers “have applied for demolition permits for the large vacant building in the back of the site. Abatement work has begun on this building.”
It is unclear what’s next for Lefty’s or adjacent parcels.
“That is a private lease between the owner of Lefty’s and the new owner of that portion of the site,” Briske wrote.
Neither Dobler nor Lefty’s responded to requests for comment.
Dale Fonk, the previous owner of the parcels now owned by Grandview DLP, had hoped to build an assisted living facility there, according to News Tribune archives.
LONGTIME SHAG PLAN STILL ON BOOKS
Briske told The News Tribune that long-planned senior housing is still in the works.
“The City is reviewing a building permit for a proposed Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations (SHAG) project that will be located on the corner of 27th and Grandview,” he wrote. “The project will consist of 184 multi-family senior housing units and about 5,000 square feet of commercial space.”
The address for the proposed site is 8411 27th St. W.
Lorin Jacobs, director of marketing and leasing with SHAG, told The News Tribune the project remains a few years out.
“We do have that project that’s on the books, but we have another one that’s going to be before this, and we are just finishing up a community that we opened up in June in Auburn,” she said, “so it will be a little bit of a wait before we get to University Place.”
She added, “I’m looking forward to it. I live in the South Sound myself and I’m looking forward to having a short commute.”
Jacobs did not offer any further details on the timeline for the University Place project.
According to its website, Legacy Plaza Senior Living in Auburn’s one- and two-bedroom apartments are open to those age 55 or older, and at least one household member must be age 61 or older by the end of the current year, or disabled.
Rents range from $1,455 to $1,815 for the one bedroom/bath units at 569 to 745 square feet, to $1,675 to $1,985 for the two bedroom/one bath units at 740 to 888 square feet.
A resident screening application is required and proof of income stating two times the amount of monthly rent, according to the website. A small percentage of units is reserved for seniors whose incomes are at or below 50 percent of the area median income levels.
The Auburn development surrounds the Sun Break Cafe, which has been in business since 1982.
The University Place collection of mostly vacant parcels has been in limbo for redevelopment to senior housing dating back at least to 2014. The SHAG project at that time was smaller, calling for a 142-unit senior housing apartment complex with ground floor retail. The project became stalled over contaminated soil from a former dry cleaning business, with insurance companies battling over cleanup costs, The News Tribune reported in 2016.
In November, the development entity that works with SHAG took ownership of two parcels directly north and adjacent to the corner site, giving it ownership of parcels all along that side of the immediate undeveloped area. For the transaction, the developer’s listed LLC is Grandview Plaza Phase 2 Development LLC. State filings show the LLC managed by Pacific Northern Construction and Bryan Park, company president.
BACKGROUND ON SHAG
SHAG describes itself as the largest nonprofit provider of affordable rental apartment communities for low- and moderate-income seniors in the Puget Sound region. In 2021, it affiliated with senior living nonprofit Transforming Age, based in Bellevue.
In May, Transforming Age launched a new affordable housing arm, merging SHAG and two other affiliated entities (Community Life Foundation and Downtown Action to Save Housing) to form CIRC.
The combined communities represent more than 6,000 residents in 39 communities throughout Puget Sound, according to a May announcement.
Transforming Age, in its May announcement, said, “Going forward, CIRC will continue to develop, own and operate affordable housing communities and provide resident services and programs to communities owned by external partners, much as CLF did. Over time, all existing communities will be rebranded as CIRC communities.”
Transforming Age envisions CIRC as paving the way for it to become one of the nation’s leading affordable housing providers.
“We’re taking the successful integrated housing and services approach pioneered by SHAG and expanding it,” said Torsten Hirche, president and CEO of Transforming Age, in the May release.
“We’ll be able to provide affordable housing, management services and resident support to other affordable housing providers as well as to our own communities. We’re taking the best practices of all our affiliates and bringing them together.”
