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Lake Hills: Monthly Update Archives
September 2010
The new Lake Hills Library opened on September 11 with a record crowd of more than 1,000 people at the ribbon-cutting and open house event. A number of dignitaries attended, including Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson, KCLS Board Member Rob Spitzer, several Bellevue City Council members, King County Councilmember Jane Hague and State Representative Ross Hunter. Once the doors officially opened, attendees toured the library and enjoyed refreshments sponsored by the Bellevue Friends of the Library.
August 2010
Construction of the new 10,000 square foot library is nearing completion. The Library is scheduled to open to the community on Saturday, September 11, 10am, with a ribbon-cutting and open house event.
July 2010
Construction is nearing completion and staff will soon begin preparing the interior of the library for the reopening. The new library will reopen to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Saturday, September 11, 10am. Once the doors open, community members are invited to tour the facility and enjoy refreshments and musical programs.
June 2010
Construction of the new library continues and is anticipated to be completed in mid-August. Once construction work is completed, staff will begin preparing the interior of the library. The new library will reopen to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Saturday, September 11, 10am.
May 2010
Library construction continues and the updated construction schedule from the contractor calls for completion in mid-August. Once the building nears completion, the interior of the library will be prepared for the library to open to the public.
April 2010
Construction continues and the new Library is expected to open this summer. The existing Library is located on property that was donated to KCLS and held for a time by the City of Bellevue. The property is now for sale and a public informational meeting was held for potential buyers. The meeting was well attended and several parties expressed interest in purchasing the property.
March 2010
KCLS’ contractor has started working on the interior of the new Library, now that the shell of the building is nearly completed. The new 10,000 square foot Library is anticipated to open this summer.
February 2010
Now that the shell of the building is nearing completion, KCLS’ contractor has started working on the interior of the new Library. The library is anticipated to be completed in late summer.
January 2010
Construction of the interior Library space is scheduled to start in January, once the shell of the new building is finished. The project is anticipated to be completed by May 2010. An opening event is expected to be scheduled in late summer.
December 2009
The developer continues to construct the building shell. A public meeting to gather input on the project is set for Tuesday, January 19, 6:30pm at the Lake Hills Library.
November 2009
The developer continues to make progress on construction of the building shell. Bids for the tenant improvements for the new library space are due November 19. Construction of the library interior will begin shortly thereafter. A public meeting to get input on the project is set for Tuesday, January 19, 6:30pm at the Lake Hills Library.
October 2009
The developer continues to construct the building shell. Tenant improvements for the Library’s interior work went out to bid this month.
September 2009
Construction of the building shell is well underway. KCLS finished working with the consultants on finalizing interior designs and the tenant improvements are now in for permitting.
August 2009
KCLS continues to work with consultants to finalize designs for the interior Library space in preparation for permitting.
July 2009
KCLS continues to work with a consultant to finalize drawings of the interior library space for permitting. The developer has already started construction of the building shell.
June 2009
The developer has started construction of the shell for the new Library that will be part of the redeveloped Lake Hills Shopping Center. KCLS is working with a consultant on finalizing drawings of the interior space for permitting.
May 2009
A groundbreaking event was held for the new Lake Hills Library on May 20. Mayor Degginger and several other elected officials joined a crowd of more than 250 to celebrate the start of construction. The developer will be building the shell of the building and KCLS will complete the library interior build out. Drawings for the Library are being developed. KCLS has received some leads from the Bellevue City Manager on potential buyers for the current Lake Hills Library. It looks like it will soon be time to market the property.
April 2009
The groundbreaking for the new library and shopping center is set for Wednesday, May 20, 1pm. The developer, Cosmos Development, has permits to begin construction of the first phase of the Lake Hills Shopping Center project, which will include the shell for the new 10,000-square-foot Library. In the first phase, Library parking will be available below the Library building and at an existing lot that can hold up to 500 cars. In the second phase, the area under the Library and an adjacent commercial building will be leased to retail tenants. In the last phase of the project, 90 units of condominiums will be built on the edge of the site. KCLS held a community meeting regarding the project on April 21 and a crowd of about 30 people showed up to view the plans and provide input. Construction of the shell and the Library interior is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2010.
March 2009
The interior floor plan is being developed for the new Lake Hills Library. KCLS anticipates starting construction in Summer 2009. A public meeting for community members to review the preliminary designs is set for Tuesday, April 21, 6:30pm, at the Lake Hills Clubhouse.
February 2009
The lease has been finalized with Cosmos Development for the Lake Hills Library at 156th Avenue and Lake Hills Boulevard. The interior floor plan is being developed and KCLS anticipates beginning construction in Summer 2009.
June 2008
KCLS’ negotiations with Cosmos Development for the Lake Hills Library reached
a breaking point during the past few weeks. After conducting an analysis of lease
rates for properties throughout the Bellevue area, KCLS identified the maximum
lease we could pay for the Library at Lake Hills. When the developer responded
with a higher rate, KCLS contacted the City of Bellevue’s Planning Department
to let them know that the negotiations were not going well and that KCLS wanted
the City’s help in finding alternative sites. However, City officials encouraged
the developer to retain the Library in the plans for redeveloping the Lake Hills
Shopping Center and Cosmos Development agreed in a letter of intent to accept
KCLS’ lease rate. According to the agreement, Cosmos will start construction
no later than May 1, 2009.
May 2008
KCLS staff is in touch with the developer of the Lake Hills
Shopping Center project and is negotiating a lease agreement for the
10,000 square foot library. If an agreement is reached, the developer
believes that construction may begin before the end of the year.
April 2008
KCLS staff is in touch with the developer of the Lake Hills Shopping
Center project and is negotiating a lease agreement for the 10,000 square foot
library. If an agreement is reached, the developer believes that construction
may begin before the end of the year.
April 2007
The developer is negotiating with the City of Bellevue for
a building permit. This project is temporarily on hold until the developer
completes this process.
December 2006
Staff met with the developer’s architect and KCLS
architect on November 21. Conceptual designs were discussed and the
developer indicated construction could start as early as spring 2007.
Negotiations with the City of Bellevue for sale of the existing Lake
Hills library have started.
August 2006
The Lake Hills Library is scheduled to be replaced with a new library in the redeveloped Lake Hills Shopping Center. The project developer offered to create a condominium arrangement for the new library in which KCLS purchases the building shell and the property, and manages tenant improvements. The current library and property would then be surplused. Since the current library is located in the Lake Hills greenbelt, next to a Bellevue Parks building, the City is a logical buyer. At one time, there was a plan considered in which that property would be exchanged for the cost of planning and developing the Bellevue Regional Library parking expansion. Given the number of major projects in progress for the City, the Ashwood site improvements will not be on their agenda for some time.
April 2006
ZGF Architects is the successful architect chosen for this project, which involves relocating the existing library to a new development on 156th and Lake Hills Boulevard. Initial meetings have taken place and the architects are working with the developer on building design layout. The developer will submit exterior designs to the City of Bellevue on May 10. Initial design will start in early May and relocation in 2009.
March 2006
ZGF Architects was the successful architect chosen to design the new library being relocated to a new development on 156th and Lake Hills Boulevard. Initial meetings have taken place and the architects are working with the developer on building design layout. Initial design will start in early April. Relocation is anticipated to be in 2009
January 2006
The architectural firm of ZGF was chosen for the Lake Hills Tenant Improvement project from a short list of four candidates.
December 2005
Three finalists were short listed for the Lake Hills Library Tenant Improvements. The finalists (Buffalo, Lewis and ZGF) will be interviewed on Friday, January 6.
November 2005
Advertisements for architects to submit their statements of qualifications brought in 11 submittal packages. The committee to interview and select the finalist should plan to be assembled by mid-December for interviews as early as can be scheduled.
October 2005
KCLS issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architects to assist us in working through the development of a 10,000 square foot library in the new Lake Hills Shopping Center.
September 2005
The City of Bellevue has issued a zoning variance to the development company for the complete redesign of the Lake Hills Shopping Center, which will be a mixed use development including residential spaces and the library. Initial discussions of timing for this project indicate that KCLS needs to have a consultant team ready to work on the interior design and coordinate with the design and planning for the new building. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be issued in October.
April 2005
Cosmos Development Corporation has continued to work through community and City issues to develop an acceptable plan for the revitalized Lake Hills Shopping Center. Oscar del Moro reviewed the current status with KCLS and also presented the plans to the Community Council. There appear to be positive sentiments about the plan thus far and some excitement about the library being a part of it.
