Remodeled Southcenter To Open July 25th

Come July 25th, shoppers and diners will be able to admire Mt. Rainier through a 90-foot glass facade while eating inside the $240 million remodeled Westfield Southcenter mall.

The addition brings the mall to 1.7 million square feet, making Tukwila the home of the largest indoor shopping center in Washington and Oregon, according to the Westfield Group, the company that bought the property in 2002.

The 400,000-square-foot upgrade is the most dramatic change to Southcenter since it opened in July 1968.

Among the mall’s new features will be an AMC Theatre with IMAX capabilities, 75 additional retail stores and five restaurants with outdoor seating: Joeys, Duke’s Chowder House, Blue C Sushi, Racha Thai & Asian Bistro and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse.

New retailers include H&M, Coach, Banana Republic, Sephora and White House | Black Market.

“Retail is what it’s all about,” said Larry Green, Westfield’s senior vice president of West Coast development, adding that Southcenter is “taking the level of fashion up another level.”

Other additions include parking garages, rooftop parking and family lounge play areas for kids and parents.

On Thursday, Westfield passed out hard hats and safety goggles to a group of reporters who toured the construction site.

Construction crew members operated two cranes within the atrium. The air inside was dusty, the floor was mostly unfinished and unadorned signs hung where stores will be: Kay Jewelers, Hot Topic, Limited Too.

The mall’s new layout will resemble a racetrack, with three connecting walkways into the existing section. The addition sits in front of the older section, giving the building an entire new front.

Andrew Ciarrocchi, Westfield senior general manager, noted that more than 1,000 pilings driven 180 feet into the ground support the new shopping structure. The old section will be spruced up with better lighting, new storefronts and fresh paint.

The Westfield executives’ statements Thursday didn’t match what retailers seem to be feeling nationwide.

In a recent survey by American Express, for example, business owners in the retail industry had the most negative outlook on the economy, compared with other industries. Retail business owners cited a downturn in the housing market, rising energy and gas costs, and the U.S. tax system as the main causes for their woes, according to American Express OPEN’s Small Business Monitor, a semiannual survey of business owners. The nationwide survey was conducted in March.

Green said that Westfield is concerned about what is going on nationally, but that the Seattle region has a healthy level of demand for new retail.

But “we’d like to see gas prices drop,” he said.

Westfield Southcenter is one of several regional retail centers that are expanding. Other developers have said the Puget Sound retail market is not yet saturated.

Retailers were lining up to be a part of Southcenter, but the center didn’t have the space to accommodate them previously, Ciarrocchi said. The center wouldn’t have expanded if it wasn’t sure that it could lease the space, he added, when asked whether the economy has affected leasing.

Westfield’s new space is 100 percent leased, but all the new tenants have not yet been announced.

SOURCE:

• The Seattle P-I

King County Municipal League Needs Volunteers

Do ya ever wonder how to figure out if that glad-handin’, baby-kissin’, door-to-door knockin’ political candidate you’re thinking of voting for would make a good elected official?

And how does one judge a good judge? By the material of their cape or what?

The answers to those and other important political questions have been answered every year for the past 93 years thanks to the hard work and efforts of local citizens who participate in the Municipal League of King County’s candidate evaluation process.

Now is your chance to help your fellow citizens be well-informed before they vote.

In case you were wondering, the Municipal League of King County is a non-partisan organization dedicated to informed decision making and open government. The Municipal League researches policy issues, evaluates candidates, communicates its findings and then mobilizes citizens to action when needed. The group is made up of diverse citizens from throughout King County who are united by a commitment to good government.

The Municipal League is looking for volunteers to evaluate political candidates for a variety of public offices. As a volunteer you will be asked to research work histories and references of candidates; interview candidates; and recommend candidate ratings. The final result is a Voter’s Guide designed to provide useful, nonpartisan information prior to the Aug. 21 primary.

Candidates are rated on four criteria:

• Involvement
• Character
• Effectiveness
• Knowledge

The league does not use partisan criteria and does not endorse candidates. You will be asked to evaluate candidates only to determine their fitness for office. This year, candidates throughout King County will be evaluated in races for the state legislature and judicial offices.

Having a group of volunteers with diverse backgrounds and views is important to ensuring high quality and unbiased candidate ratings. Volunteers must be able to leave their political leanings at the door. Knowledge of or interest in local politics is a plus. Prior experience is not necessary. Volunteer work takes place throughout June.

For more information and applications contact the Municipal League at (206) 264-1070 or visit their website at www.munileague.org.

And remember… good government doesn’t just happen. Good government is the result of good people like you (the astute, intelligent reader of this here Blog) getting involved!

Photos From The Centennial Spring Tea

The Tukwila Centennial Spring Tea took place on April 26th at the Nelson Historical Trust.

The Nelsen House is listed on the state register of Historical places, and is a beautiful example of turn-of-the-century Victorian Architecture.

This Spring Tea was held in honor of the Tukwila Centennial Celebration, and benefited the Tukwila Children’s Foundation general fund.  Over $1000 was raised.

Attendees included:

• Former Mayor Steve Mullet
• Mrs. Louise Strander
• Councilperson Verna Griffin
• Councilperson Kathy Hougardy
• Councilperson Joan Hernandez
• School Superintendent Ethelda Burke
• Betty Gully
• Helen Ives
• Mary Fertakis
• Jenny McCoy

The event sold out weeks in advance, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Here are some photos from the event, courtesy Sarah Vallieu:

Backyard Wildlife Festival Is May 10th

Saturday May 10th
9am – 5pm

The Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival is coming to the Tukwila Community Center Saturday May 10th, from 9am – 5pm, and all creatures, be they humans or backyard wildlife, are invited.

This is a free, all-day event to educate and inspire people to welcome wildlife – such as birds, butterflies, and other wildlife - into their backyards, gardens and communities.

The event will host a variety of activities and educational opportunities on how to attract and support wildlife through garden and landscape practices, and creating and preserving wildlife habitat in our region.

The 8th Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival is going green, so be sure to look for green-themed workshops, activities and more.