Major Projects

Downtown Revitalization

The City's highly-focused efforts to revitalize downtown are recognized through the public and private projects that have been taking shape within our urban core. These efforts were launched in 1996 when the City relocated existing downtown car dealerships to a new automall. The City acquired the land as a catalyst for new residential, retail, transit, and open spaces as part of the revitalization. Highlights include:

• Relocating auto businesses from the downtown to the new Automall on Grady Way;
  
  
• Designed and built a pedestrian friendly street with urban amenities such as benches and sidewalk treatments;
  
  
• A beautiful new urban park, the Piazza, which provides a space for community-wide special events and activities;
  
  
• Construction is currently underway for a new Regional Transit Center in downtown, a partnership the City and King County Metro Transit.
  
  
• Worked with the private sector, specifically Dally Homes, to establish three multi-family development projects near the urban core, bringing people into the heart of our City.
  
  
• The Renaissance is a mixed-use development featuring 110-residential units, a parking garage and 6,000 square feet of retail space. According to Mr. Dally, this project was rented out faster than any other development he has built.
  
  
• Burnett Station, currently under construction, is a 58-unit urban-style residential mixed-use development with 5,000 square feet of retail space. It is expected to be complete by fall of 2001.
  
  
• Metropolitan Place, a transit-oriented development featuring 90 apartments and a two level park-and-ride lot, represents an innovative solution to both the housing and transportation issues facing our community. By providing attractive housing adjacent to the Transit Center, Metropolitan Place creates livability without requiring dependence on the automobile, establishes activity and vitality in our urban core, and creates community by establishing urban living in downtown Renton.
  
  
• Created a community partnership to raise capital funds for a new Renton Community IKEA Performing Arts Center. The Center will open in early 2003 as the final phase of a $30 million renovation at Renton High School.

These new investments in downtown have encouraged the development of other projects surrounding the area including a Super Safeway, Walgreens, and a new three-star restaurant. As the revitalization is taking place, many additional office, multi-family, and single-family housing projects are proposed for the downtown area.

A VISION 2020 award from the Puget Sound Regional Council honored Renton for its exceptional downtown revitalization efforts. The award spotlighted the efforts that support a strong community, efficient transportation and a healthy environment for the central Puget Sound region.