Kenmore’s newest downtown development breaks ground

The Flyway broke ground last week and aims to complete construction by February 2020.

By Kailan Manandic • April 4, 2019 8:30 am
Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.
Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Kenmore’s newest addition to downtown development, the Flyway, broke ground March 25 and aims to complete construction by February 2020.

The mixed-use, five-story building will feature 27 apartments and a ground-floor commercial space at the corner of Northeast 181st Street and 68th Avenue Northeast. MainStreet Property Group, the development team behind the Flyway and several downtown developments, aims to fill the space with four to six potential fitness, retail, office tenants or a restaurant.

“We’re thrilled to begin construction on the Flyway,” said MainStreet president Kelly Price. “As Kenmore’s revitalization continues and its downtown further grows and expands, residents at our communities here are not only living — but thriving. We’re excited to bring even more residential, commercial and retail opportunities to the area as the Flyway ‘takes it up another notch’ for Kenmore living.”

MainStreet has numerous completed and upcoming projects throughout Eastside cities, including in Kenmore, Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville, Redmond and Sammamish. Within Kenmore’s downtown, MainStreet has put up the Spencer 68 apartment community, the Seaplane Kitchen and Bar and the LINQ Lofts + Flats, which hosts EvergreenHealth.

Kenmore city officials have previously praised MainStreet as the city’s primary partner for downtown projects.

“Seeing our vision for downtown Kenmore coming to fruition is incredibly exciting,” Kenmore Mayor David Baker said in a press release. “MainStreet has been an incredible partner and it’s amazing to see the work they’ve done to revitalize this area. We’re very appreciative of their efforts and look forward to the completion of the Flyway.”

MainStreet developments have increased multi-family housing opportunities, created new pedestrian features and advanced Kenmore’s walkability. These accomplishments earned Kenmore and MainStreet the Washington State Governor’s Smart Communities Award in 2016.

“The Flyway site was once a mostly vacant strip mall without much economic activity — I’m so pleased to see it is all coming together just as we planned,” Kenmore city manager Rob Karlinsey said in a press release. “We’re proud to call MainStreet a partner. They’ve done an incredible job helping us realize our vision and delivering on what they’ve promised to create — a thriving, walkable downtown.”

MainStreet expects the Flyway to earn U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, which the LINQ building has already earned.

Gold certification is the second highest of four rating levels. LEED certification independently verifies a building’s green features by awarding points across certain criteria, including the integrative process, location and transportation, sustainability sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and regional priority.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.

Work crews construct the first floor of Kenmore’s newest downtown development, the Flyway. The building is adjacent to the Hangar, Kenmore’s community center, and will be a mixed retail and residential space.