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| Earthmoving equipment works across the former Sears property in Shoreline on November 5, 2026, as the site undergoes preparation for future redevelopment. Photos by David Carlos. |
By David Carlos
The former Sears property in Shoreline is undergoing a dramatic transformation as crews clear and grade the land that once housed one of the area's longtime retail landmarks.
Aerial photographs taken November 5, 2026, show a sprawling excavation site where the former department store stood.
Excavators, bulldozers, and earthmoving trucks are busy preparing the property for the next chapter of Shoreline Place, a mixed-use development envisioned to bring hundreds of apartments, new retail businesses, restaurants, and public gathering spaces to the area.
The Sears store, which opened in 1967 and closed in 2018, was once a familiar shopping destination for generations of local residents. Now, the site is being prepared for a very different future.
The larger Shoreline Place redevelopment is divided into several blocks, with Blocks C and D representing two major residential and commercial components.
Block C encompasses the former Sears department store property, where demolition has cleared the way for redevelopment.
According to a 2020 conceptual site plan, the property was envisioned to include 364 apartments and approximately 18,820 square feet of retail space. The development would combine residential housing with ground-floor commercial businesses and public open spaces.
The Sears store, which opened in 1967 and closed in 2018, was once a familiar shopping destination for generations of local residents. Now, the site is being prepared for a very different future.
The larger Shoreline Place redevelopment is divided into several blocks, with Blocks C and D representing two major residential and commercial components.
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| Earlier conceptual illustrations show the proposed mix of residential buildings, shops, and landscaped public spaces. The final design has not been confirmed. |
Block C encompasses the former Sears department store property, where demolition has cleared the way for redevelopment.
According to a 2020 conceptual site plan, the property was envisioned to include 364 apartments and approximately 18,820 square feet of retail space. The development would combine residential housing with ground-floor commercial businesses and public open spaces.
However, those figures represent an earlier proposal, and a final design for Block C has not yet been announced. The City of Shoreline has indicated that design work is continuing, with development expected to follow construction of Block D.
Block D, located on the former Sears Auto Center property, is further along in the planning process.
According to the City of Shoreline, the project is planned to include approximately 370 residential units, 16,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and a seven-story building with two levels of underground parking.
An April 2026 article in Shoreline Area News reported that the development would feature two mid-rise apartment buildings. Architectural renderings show a modern residential complex with storefronts at street level.
The city reported that Block D had completed administrative design review in October 2025 and was undergoing building permit review, with construction anticipated later in 2026.
The redevelopment is part of a broader effort to transform the former Aurora Square shopping center into a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood where residents can live, shop, dine, and gather.
While the architectural renderings offer a glimpse of the property's potential future, the final appearance of Block C remains subject to ongoing design and development decisions.
For now, the heavy equipment and freshly graded earth mark a visible turning point for a property that served Shoreline shoppers for more than half a century.
Where Sears once sold appliances, clothing, and Craftsman tools, a new residential and commercial neighborhood is expected to rise.
The old Sears is gone, but the next chapter of Shoreline Place is just beginning.
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| An architectural rendering illustrates the proposed mixed-use residential development on the former Sears Auto Center property. Rendering by Urbal Architecture. |
Block D, located on the former Sears Auto Center property, is further along in the planning process.
According to the City of Shoreline, the project is planned to include approximately 370 residential units, 16,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and a seven-story building with two levels of underground parking.
An April 2026 article in Shoreline Area News reported that the development would feature two mid-rise apartment buildings. Architectural renderings show a modern residential complex with storefronts at street level.
The city reported that Block D had completed administrative design review in October 2025 and was undergoing building permit review, with construction anticipated later in 2026.
The redevelopment is part of a broader effort to transform the former Aurora Square shopping center into a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood where residents can live, shop, dine, and gather.
While the architectural renderings offer a glimpse of the property's potential future, the final appearance of Block C remains subject to ongoing design and development decisions.
For now, the heavy equipment and freshly graded earth mark a visible turning point for a property that served Shoreline shoppers for more than half a century.
Where Sears once sold appliances, clothing, and Craftsman tools, a new residential and commercial neighborhood is expected to rise.
The old Sears is gone, but the next chapter of Shoreline Place is just beginning.
Sources: City of Shoreline, Shoreline Place Community Renewal Area redevelopment updates; Shoreline Area News, April 12, 2026; Shoreline Place conceptual site plan, 2020.
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