Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today? Yes, I want to support My Edmonds News!
More than 50 people gathered on Friday afternoon at 614 5th Ave. S. for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the 14-unit Pine Park Townhomes project.
“Pine Park has been in progress for about five years,” explained developer and Edmonds resident Augie Bukowski. “Permitting came first, and that took about a year. The property had been derelict for more than a decade, and when we first got into the existing buildings they were completely rotten, full of mold, lots of asbestos and other bad stuff. It took some time at the beginning to finish abatement, clean them up and tear them down.” (For more information, see My Edmonds News’ initial coverage of the project here).
Bukowski went on to highlight how this project brings a number of benefits to Edmonds, including the revitalization of long-vacant land, an affordable opportunity for homeownership that will benefit both first-time buyers and existing residents wishing to downsize and stay in the community, and a rare opportunity for business owners to own their business location, live upstairs and operate a street frontage business in their basement. Several of the residential units have garage-to-top-floor elevators, offering people with mobility issues the opportunity to enjoy the views and sense of privacy that townhome living offers without having to navigate stairs.
“I really love living in Edmonds,” Bukowski said. “I moved here six years ago, and I instantly got the bug. One of the first things I saw is that there’s a missing market for people who need a more affordable living alternative. With homes around downtown typically larger than 3,000 square feet and costing $2 million or more, and with a lot of people — especially those in the middle-age/empty nest demographic — who don’t necessarily want to have the upkeep of these big lots and big houses, Pine Park offers an alternative that’s both a great place to hang their hat and at the same time have easy access to downtown and all the amenities it offers.”
The project has not been without controversy, with some citizens voicing concerns about issues ranging from increased traffic and congestion to trash collection, summarized in a June 2023 Reader view published in My Edmonds News here.
But Bukowski remains bullish on the project and on Edmonds.
“I understand that there are people who might not like the prospect of a project like Pine Park,” he said. “Maybe they don’t like the Pine Park concept because it’s different. But we also need to understand that we are changing and we need more options. If I can take something that’s old, decrepit, not up to snuff and turn it into something that works for a new generation of people, I want to do that. Edmonds is such a great community. We have festivals at the parks. We have Oktoberfest, we have the Fourth of July parade, we have boardwalks — and I see Pine Park as offering new options to be part of this community. I love Edmonds and I truly think there’s not another neighborhood like it.”
For more information on Pine Park and to schedule a tour, visit TourPinePark.com.
$1.2 million is not affordable!
$2395. Monthly rent excludes lower income
Individuals and families. That comes to over
$25,000. Per year plus utililities, damage deposit
Most of which even middle class incomes will barely support this pricey dig.
This architecture has the flavor of a sand milkshake. And why would the builder offer these as “affordable” ? Miss Baskin’s & Robbins.
Really glad these are complete. Like others, agree that $1.2 million is only relatively affordable. I’d love to see some genuine workforce housing in downtown Edmonds. These would house individuals with less than the area median income,(AMI) so that caregivers, baristas, retail and hospitality workers might be able to live closer to where they work. Maybe even walk to work. In Edmonds, the city, that income number is $116k. So 75% of AMI would be an annual income of $87k, or less.
Still a huge income for those living on an hourly wage. Note: WA state minimum wage increases to $17.13/hour tomorrow. That appears to be the Edmonds minimum wage as well. At 2000 hours/yr that is $34,260 before taxes. Food for thought.
I see the Reliable Floors building is coming on the market now. It’s probably the next former viable home town business facility that will become another square box full of million dollar one bedroom 8 or 9 hundred square foot “affordable” homes with nail salons, beauty shops, and lawyer offices on the ground floor off Main Street. It’s just a matter of time until a mayor and group of well meaning citizens of the Edmonds Community Round Table decides it would be a great idea to turn the whole downtown into a pedestrian mall and an overly compliant city council votes to approve it. It was just a minor miracle that Mike Nelson’s “Streeteries” didn’t become a permanent fixture. Edmonds is slowly but surely becoming the new Kirkland.
Urban evolution always sounds scarier when described exclusively in square footage and nail salons. You forgot the artisanal dog bakery. No redevelopment is complete without one ;-).
LOL once again, Jeremy. “Urban evolution.” Isn’t that wanna be developer speak for pricing the old crowd out to make room for the new crowd with bigger wallets? Or in other words, “gentrification.”
No, just a nod to what cities typically do. They change. Just think, if they didn’t change you wouldn’t be able to use the ‘back in the good old days’ nostalgic walk down memory lane in your day-to-day conversations from across the pond. The ‘good old days’ only exist because earlier versions changed too. As city evolution would have it, you can actually make sure growth is managed in a way that doesn’t push out the very people and businesses that gave the place its character. But, that actually requires thoughtful planning and compromise, something that our community struggles with.
Dana,
You said “I’d love to see some genuine workforce housing in downtown Edmonds.” The workforce you speak of is in the 0-40% AMI income bracket, per this chart (last updated in 2021):
https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/73940/Spring-2021-NOFA-Income-and-Rent-Limits—SnoCo?bidId=
My RV about “affordable” housing, written in December 2024 as Council was finalizing the Comp Plan per HB 1110 up-zoning of all single family zones, demonstrated that all proposed housing would be “market rate”:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2024/12/reader-view-the-myth-of-affordable-housing/
The finalized Comp Plan includes reference to 0-80% adjusted median income (AMI), ie: “market rate” housing. Unfortunately, no reference is made to those in the “workforce housing” income bracket you’d “love to see.”
Congrats! Glad to see the space put to use. My complaint, no setback from the sidewalk. It’s bad for the neighborhood and it’s bad for the residents.
Edmonds needs setbacks.
The building that casts shadows over its existing neighbors celebrated as an affordable urban evolution? 14 units warrants a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by the mayor and council? We have diluted the term affordable as it pertains to housing in Edmonds to the point where we are now drinking the kool aid of developer speak. I do think the building has been well thought out and is a lovely design. Just make no mistake this should not fall into any affordability discussions. Can’t the developer and our elected officials just leave it at that? What are they trying to rationalize?
Basically, “urban evolution” is where a bunch of people have it really good, know it, and like it just the way it is. Then a bunch of more well healed people from other places like California, Bellevue, and anywhere else that is over populated, too expensive, or crime ridden and buy up any property they can get their hands on so they get a piece of the “good vibes” too. Pretty soon their “refuge” becomes just like where they ran away from and the first people who really loved it and wanted it not to change lose what they had, too, in the process. There are really no winners, just losers to the politicians and the self serving mega development types looking for ever more profit and public adoration. The first people either stay and put up with the greedy self serving and degenerative nonsense as best they can, or they leave if they are able.