Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts

Aldercrest Field is the staging area for Sound Transit construction

Saturday, April 10, 2021

New entrance road from 25th NE
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Aldercrest Field on 25th NE in Shoreline has been leased to Sound Transit by Shoreline Schools, the property owner.

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Sound Transit's construction crews have prepared the soggy field as a staging area for their equipment during construction of the northern half of the Lynnwood Link light rail project through Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace.

Aldercrest Field last August 2020
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

To prepare the staging yard, Sound Transit:
  • Cleared the area of small shrubs and vegetation
  • Created new access roads and strengthened existing roads on the site
  • Built a stormwater retention pond
  • Added fencing around the entire site
Construction materials for the Lynnwood Link
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

What neighbors are seeing there now is equipment for form and falsework. Falsework is the temporary system that supports construction. There is also traffic control equipment.

Temporary fencing around the entire site.
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The field was originally part of the school grounds for Kellogg Middle School which was severely damaged in an arson fire in 1983. The undamaged parts of the building were used for special programs and then left vacant. The buildings were demolished in 2014.

The Aldercrest Elementary building across the street on NE 200th has been upgraded and is in use.

--Diane Hettrick



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Construction now underway on all parking and station structures for Lynnwood Link extension

Friday, February 26, 2021

185th station construction. Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Civil construction is now underway on all of the parking and station structures on the Lynnwood Link extension, as the project continues to progress steadily toward a 2024 opening. Overall, civil construction on the extension is now about one-third complete.

"The start of work on the stations and garages for the Lynnwood Link extension underscores how rapidly the project is moving along," said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. 
"With each passing day, the extension comes closer to reality, thanks to the dedication of the construction teams. This milestone is particularly remarkable given the extraordinary efforts those teams continually make to maintain a safe work environment during a pandemic."

185th station construction. Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The Lynnwood Link extension will include four elevated stations and three new parking structures that will add about 1,500 additional parking spaces.

185th station construction. Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Located just northeast of I-5 at the NE 145th Street exit, the Shoreline South/148th Station will connect to new Sound Transit SR 522/NE 145th Bus Rapid Transit service. A parking garage with approximately 500 new spaces is part of the project.

Located on the east side of I-5, the Shoreline North/185th Station will serve Shoreline Stadium, the Shoreline Center and the surrounding neighborhoods. Improved pedestrian pathways will connect the station to the west side of I-5. A parking garage with approximately 500 new spaces is part of the project.
Mountlake Terrace station. Photo by Sound Transit

Located east of Interstate-5 at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, the Mountlake Terrace Station straddles 236th Street Southwest, and is a short walk from the Mountlake Terrace Library, new city hall and future Gateway transit oriented development neighborhood. There will be no change to the number of parking spaces at the transit center.

Lynnwood City Center station. Photo by Sound Transit

The station at the Lynnwood Transit Center will serve one of the busiest transit centers in the region. A new garage will contain approximately 1,665 parking stalls in a five-story structure. Along with adjacent surface lots containing 226 stalls, the Lynnwood City Center Station will have nearly 1,900 parking stalls, approximately 500 more stalls than are on the current transit center site.

Construction of the parking garage at the Lynnwood Transit Center began last October. The parking garage is scheduled to open to the public in the spring of 2023, before light rail service to the Lynnwood City Center Station begins in 2024, in order to allow for the site work around the station to be completed, including the surface parking lots, landscaping, and other site amenities.

Stacy and Witbeck/Kiewit/Hoffman JV and Skanska Constructors L300 JV are executing the civil construction on the extension. 

Hoffman Construction is building the stations at Shoreline South/148th St and Shoreline North/185th St., while the garages at those locations are being built by Lydig Construction. 

Skanska JV is building the station at Mountlake Terrace and the station and garage at Lynnwood Transit Center.

185th Station construction. Photo by Steven H. Robinson

By 2024 Lynnwood Link and other extensions currently under construction will more than double the length of the region’s light rail system. After Lynnwood opens in 2024, passengers from the Lynnwood Transit Center will enjoy 20-minute rides to the University of Washington, 27-minute rides to downtown Seattle and 60-minute rides to Sea-Tac Airport. Trains from Lynnwood will also serve the Eastside and reach downtown Bellevue in 51 minutes.

The $2.9 billion project budget includes up to $1.17 billion from a Full Funding Grant Agreement executed by the FTA. In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau executed a $658million low-interest loan supporting the project. That loan was one of four loans captured in a Master Credit Agreement reached between Sound Transit and the USDOT at the end of 2016. The one-of-its-kind agreement should save regional taxpayers between $200 million and $300 million through lower interest costs.



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Irons Brothers Construction wins two awards from State Building Association

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

The Building Industry Association of Washington has announced the winners of its 2020 Excellence in Remodeling Awards. Irons Brothers Construction, Inc., members of the Master Builders Association of King & Snohomish Counties, took top honors in two categories.

The EIR awards program recognizes outstanding remodeling projects across Washington, ranging from additions and historic renovations to kitchen and bath updates to entire home transformations at a variety of price points. This year, remodelers from home builders’ associations across the state submitted 32 entries in 19 categories.

BIAW traditionally honors award winners at a live annual awards ceremony but COVID-19 restrictions forced the organization to cancel its live event for 2020.


Award winning bathroom remodel by Irons Brothers Construction

Bath $80,001+: Sweet Master Bathroom Addition

Irons Brothers Construction, Inc., Shoreline 
Melissa and Joseph Irons
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties

Parents of two boys, the homeowners in this remodel wanted to be close to their children while also having a private retreat to themselves so Irons Brothers added a master suite using creative reconfiguration of existing space. The remodeling team built an addition to the rear of the home using the family’s existing laundry room and expanding into their outside-corner covered patio.

They then filled the bathroom retreat space with luxurious elements to combine modern-day comfort with 1955 architecture, including a curbless, walk-in shower with a wide doorway for accessibility.

Oversized white tiles surround the large shower niche, while marine blue dimensional gloss tiles create a statement at the vanity. The rich walnut custom cabinets with white quartz countertops and silvery-gray plank floor are durable and timeless. A clerestory window at the top of the shower and a large skylight maximizes the use of natural light.

Master suite of award winning Aging in Place remodeling project
by Irons Brothers Construction

Aging in Place/Universal Design Over $80,001: Hendrickson Universal AIP Master

Irons Brothers Construction, Inc.
Joseph and Melissa Irons
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties

This third-floor master suite is the crowning glory of this redesigned home. Irons Brothers’ certified aging-in-place design team specified elements for the retired couple and their 120-pound pit bull terrier to age in place.

Exterior elevator to third floor master suite in award-winning
remodeling project by Irons Brothers Construction

The team added a new residential elevator to the west side of the home to access the master bedroom from all levels, placing the elevator shaft on the home's exterior to minimize the need for interior structural changes. This move also maximized the couple’s budget. The shed roof for the addition followed the site's slope, creating tall walls east of the master suite for clerestory windows that allow daylight without sacrificing wall space in the bathroom/closet area.

Indoor sauna is part of the 3rd floor master suite

This design kept western walls low to maximize the bedroom views. The master bathroom includes an easy-access shower, his-and-her wall-mounted vanities with motion-sensor lights, and pops of beachy blue for a spa-like feel. An extensive walk-through closet and indoor sauna completes the suite.

Other universal design features include wider doorways, slip-resistant flooring and reduced transitions, lever handles, and pocket doors for easy use.

The Building Industry Association of Washington is the voice of the housing industry as the state’s largest trade association with nearly 8,200 member companies employing approximately 265,000 people. www.biaw.com

Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is the nation’s oldest and largest local homebuilders association. www.mbaks.com



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New parking lot being installed at Ridgecrest Park this week

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Paving work is scheduled for this week at Ridgecrest Park 108 NE 161st St, Shoreline. 

Work hours are from 7:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. Night and weekend work may occur if necessary.

Part of the Lynnwood Link light rail guideway will be going through the original park. Sound Transit worked with the City of Shoreline on a new parking lot design.

Sound Transit contractors have begun installing the new parking lot at Ridgecrest Park. 

A temporary path has been constructed, and pedestrian access to the park will remain open through temporary walkway and fencing (see map).

Work is weather dependent, as always. 

Here's the planned work:
  • Sidewalk and curb will be poured.
  • Backfill will occur, which will cause vibration and noise.
  • Parking lot will be closed during striping. 
  • Lighting and landscape work will continue to take place over the next few months.


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LFP City Council COW will continue discussion of draft code and design amendments for parking garage

Saturday, November 21, 2020

The Lake Forest Park City Council Committee of the Whole will meet virtually on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 6pm

They will continue review of draft code and design guideline amendments to Planning Commission recommendations regarding the Free-standing Parking Structures and the Administrative Process, and review of Commission's new recommendations.

See the agenda for links to staff documents, and instructions on making comments.

Link to the meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94593763552




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Noisy night work will close ramps on the east side of the SR 104 - I-5 interchange next week


Sound Transit has received a noise variance for work planned on the ramps on the east side of the freeway at SR 104, possibly starting on Monday, November 23, 2020.

Work would start as early as 8pm and extend as late a 7am, for approximately four days.

The work is weather-dependent and might need to be rescheduled.


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Update on Dayton Ave trees

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Tall evergreens line the street on Dayton Ave N, bordering the WSDOT headquarters


By Jamie Holter

For several months, there has been a back-and-forth discussion about the 104 trees slated to be cut as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation building remodel on Dayton Avenue North, just east of Shoreline Community College.

The City-permitted remodel requires WSDOT to build out sidewalks (and also drainage) on Dayton Avenue North, 160th Street and 155th Street. The challenge has been how to meet the requirements of the permit and limit the number of trees cut. The Save our Trees group has been very active in their effort to save as many of the 104 trees as possible. WSDOT, as well, wants to preserve as many trees as possible at the Regional Headquarters.

The news is that the two sides are very close to an agreement that could change the type of sidewalk – away from the traditional concrete sidewalk on Dayton - to a boardwalk-style walkway to preserve the root systems and therefore reduce the number of trees that need to come down.

If the boardwalk concept is approved, it would reduce the number of Dayton trees removed down to 24 – five are dead already. The City, for its part, is comfortable with the boardwalk concept and confirmed it’s just a matter of details to get the project permitted and moving forward.

There are still more sidewalks to be added - 155th Street gets a five-foot sidewalk on the south side with two trees removed and 160th Street would get an eight-foot sidewalk with 30 trees removed.

There is no published timetable for construction.



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Kellogg (Morgan) Middle School: demolition photos May 29, 2020

Wednesday, September 2, 2020


By Diane Hettrick
Photos by Steven H. Robinson

Every time I publish articles about Kellogg Middle School, I get comments from readers that - it's not Kellogg - it's Morgan!

The Kellogg buildings had indeed been Thomas Hunt Morgan Junior High School. According to the history of the Shoreline School District "Shore to Shore and Line to Line" it opened in 1953, along with two other junior high schools.


Named after Nobel prize winners, the schools were Morgan, Nicholas Murray Butler, and President Thomas Woodrow Wilson.

Morgan opened with 600 students in grades 5, 6, and 7 under principal Elbert J. Honeycutt and vice-principal Lynn Waller.


During the school year 1953-54, Morgan was also used for evening recreation by U.S. Army troops stationed in Lake Forest Park. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church held services there before they built their own building.

During the twenty-plus years Morgan was open, the number of grade levels changed, other junior high schools opened and closed. Morgan had close to a thousand students for much of its life.


According to Shore to Shore, "Beginning in 1975, with the combination of the exodus of the Boeing workers and the conclusion of the WWII baby boomers passing through, the junior high enrollments in the Shoreline District began to decline."


At the end of the 1976-77 school year, Morgan was closed. It became district administrative offices for a time and then was closed and left empty.

Now, in 2020, the Morgan buildings have been completely demolished, to make way for a new Kellogg Middle School.

Source: Shore to Shore and Line to Line: A History of the Shoreline School District 1944-2004, by a writing group headed by Jack Rogers.




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Shoreline Planning Commission public hearing on code regulations for ground floor commercial development in North City Business District

Thursday, August 27, 2020



The Arabella I has ground floor commercial space that is used for other purposes.



Planning Commission - Public Hearing
Thursday, September 3, 2020, 7pm

Location: Council Chamber at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline 98133


Agenda Highlights
Agenda: 09032020 PC Public Hearing Agenda
The City has experienced an increase in multifamily housing development in the last five years, especially in the North City Business District. While the City requires that the ground floor of new multi-family buildings in commercial and mixed-use zones be constructed to accommodate commercial uses, it does not require commercial uses in that space. 

This has led to missed opportunities for commercial development and neighborhood serving commercial uses. It is important that new multifamily buildings in key nodes and corridors include commercial uses to serve new and existing residents

Link to Full Meeting Packet

- Comment on Agenda Items
- About the Planning Commission

Contact us:
Carla Hoekzema, Planning Commission Clerk, (206) 801-2514, choekzema@shorelinewa.gov



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Power shutdown set for WSDOT’s regional headquarters in Shoreline

WSDOT headquarters building in Shoreline. Photo by Jamie Holter.



Work won’t affect service to nearby residents or businesses, but people may hear generator noise Aug 29


Residents and businesses located near the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Northwest Region Headquarters may experience some additional noise this weekend.

On Saturday, August 29, 2020 Seattle City Light will temporarily shut off power to the agency’s main headquarters building and its Traffic Management Center at 15700 Dayton Ave N in Shoreline.

The outage only affects WSDOT’s campus and is required for ongoing building renovations. During the shutdown, SCL crews will switch over the facility’s main power to a new electrical system, while staff from design-builder Abbott Construction and their subcontractors help coordinate and monitor the work. Agency generators will maintain power for WSDOT’s onsite operations.

Noise details

7am to 5pm Saturday, August 29: Local residents and businesses may notice humming and buzzing sounds as generators provide temporary power to WSDOT facilities.

Electrical upgrades are part of a $46.5 million state-funded, full modernization of the regional headquarters building that began in 2019. The facility was constructed in 1974, and serves as the primary hub for coordinating WSDOT’s transportation, maintenance, construction and administrative activities across King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom and Island counties. ­­­


WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at wsdot.com/traffic or by dialing 511.



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Stormwater runoff system being installed at new Einstein

Tuesday, July 14, 2020


Photos by Steven H. Robinson

The large orange pipes collect stormwater runoff in a modular chamber system.



At the downstream end of this system, a riser with small openings will slowly release water to Boeing Creek – at the same rate as if the site were forested instead of covered with impervious surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete.



This system is large enough to hold stormwater from this site after a 50-year storm event. After several days without rainfall, this system will empty and be ready for the next rainfall. 



The boulders will be saved and used in the landscaping for the school.





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Goodbye to Thomas Hunt Morgan Junior High

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Demolition of the old Kellogg (Morgan)
Photo by Steven Robinson

Photo by Steven Robinson

The school building that was originally Thomas Hunt Morgan Junior High School is in the process of being demolished.

The building, which has been Frank B. Kellogg Middle School since 1986, is being demolished to make way for new athletic fields.

The Kellogg student body moved into the Morgan building, which had been closed, when Kellogg was heavily damaged by an arson fire. Kellogg was located at the site now called Aldercrest for another closed school.

When students are able to return to in person classes, Kellogg students will return to a brand new school .

The school is located at 16046 25th Ave NE, Shoreline 98155.



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Road closure at NE 185th and 5th Ave near Shoreline Stadium rescheduled

Sound Transit and City Light work to be performed at the 185th freeway overpass has been rescheduled to Monday, June 22, 2020.

After a nighttime closure to finish restriping the roadway, daytime traffic over the 185th bridge will be restricted to one lane, alternating directions.

Sound Transit crews will be realigning 5th NE and eventually creating a roundabout to 8th NE and the 185th transit station.



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City Light daytime work on NE 200th near 12th NE

Monday, June 8, 2020

As early as Monday, June 8, 2020 Seattle City Light (SCL) will assist Sound Transit's contractor with work that will support the construction of the guideway for the Lynnwood Link Extension. 

The SCL work will take place in the daytime. Sound Transit's contractor is currently working at night drilling shafts.

City Light will be de-energizing a transmission line. Power to homes will not be affected.

The work could start as early as Monday, June 8, 2020. Working hours are 7am to 3pm.

They will be working at the street end of NE 200th near 12th Ave NE. They'll have a crane, and flaggers. 

Nearby residents may hear back-up alarms from the SCL trucks and bull horns during the day.

Work schedule depends on weather.



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Prelude to construction in Ridgecrest: City Light moving light poles

Friday, June 5, 2020

City Light crews doing a private job in Ridgecrest


Story and photos by Patricia Hale

Arden Homes purchased a property in Ridgecrest at 16539 8th Ave NE with a single family home.

They are redeveloping the property and plan to demolish the existing house, clear-cut the trees and build 16 homes that will sell for $1 - 1.5 million each.

In order to create a central driveway to the homes, they had to hire Seattle City Light to move a light pole. SCL crews were hard at work on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.



The pole you see is the one to be relocated. The truck and its equipment are drilling the 10’ deep hole for the new pole.

They use a combination of drilling, suctioning and water power flushing to suck up the soil in the 10 foot deep hole being drilled. Everything goes into the contamination containment tanks on the back of the truck to be appropriately disposed of.



No idea at this point how deep they had gone. The had already been drilling for 1 - 1/2 hours. Soil conditions, how much rock, hard pan and soil compaction all affect how long this could take.



Once the hole is complete, big rigs come in to lift the new pole that is lying on the side of the road to perpendicular and lower it into the hole and secure it to stand alone. After a couple of days, when the pole is set, they will place cross beams and huge insulators.

Then specialized crews come in for the “high wire” act of transferring the high voltage lines from the old pole to the new one.



I am not sure if the voltage of these particular lines but have heard it is 15,000 Kv (kilo volts) of power or more. (A reader commented that it is 120,000 volts)

I imagine these guys know what they are doing, as Seattle City Light is the nation's 10th largest public power system and first carbon-neutral utility, serving more than 410,000 customers.



Arden has two projects on the same street and had to have poles moved for both projects. City Light crews worked on both projects at the same time. You can see the second crew in the background.



New pole is in place. Workers were getting the high tension lines ready to be transferred to the new pole when they return.




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Buddha Jewel Monastery building will undergo complete renovation

Sunday, May 31, 2020

The Buddha Jewel Monastery
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
The Buddha Jewel Monastery on the corner of NE 175th and 8th NE will be undertaking a complete renovation of their building.

They will be keeping the huge and historic stained glass window in the front of the building.

The existing building is the former Bethel Lutheran Church, whose congregation moved up the street to 15th NE in the heart of the business district. The two-story structure was built in the 1950s and is about 25,000 square feet.

"Turn The Dharma Wheel
To provide a serene and safe environment for all comers, a spiritual home of peace and enlightenment, we are now renovating the New Buddha Jewel so that we can provide a better environment for more people who wish to come and learn."

animation shows the new monastery after renovation
Per their website,

"The renovation includes various spaces such as Main Lobby, Meditation hall, lecture hall, Dining hall, Conference room, library, children’s room, etc., and entails optimization of all hardware to meet the current  functional needs and code requirements, such as high ceilings, comprehensive upgrades of mechanical, plumbing and electrical system and equipment, barrier-free facilities, addition of a new elevator and new landscaping.

"Our goal is to transform the existing church space into an environment suitable for meditation and the study of Buddhism. See a two minute animation of the new building

"In order to give back to the community, Buddha Jewel also actively cooperates with the Shoreline City government on the street improvement as well as environmental conservation in line with altruistic principle supported by Dharma teaching, “benefit self also benefit others”. "



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Progress on the new Einstein Middle School

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Aerial photography copyright Marc Weinberg

The remaining old Einstein can be seen in the upper left with the blue panels. The new school was constructed behind the old school.

Classes were still be held in the old buildings until the COVID-19 shutdown. It was originally planned that students would be moved into the new building at the beginning of the fall 2020 school year.

Aerial photography copyright Marc Weinberg

The new school will house 6th -7th- 8th graders. There will be a protected central courtyard. Note the arrays of solar panels on the roof.

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The buildings are being finished inside but the landscaping will be completed after the buildings are done. At this point it is estimated that everything, including landscaping will be done by December 2020.

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

From the front parking lot, the new buildings rise above the old walkway and building.


Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

The new gym at Einstein Middle School.


Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools


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Demolition at Einstein Middle School

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Photo by Mary Kate Horwood


Construction on the new Einstein Middle School began in June 2018 with an anticipated completion date of August 2020. The new 150,888 square foot school will have the capacity for 1,071 students. The architect for this project is Integrus Architects and contractor is Hoffman Construction. The total estimated cost for the project is $104,725,000.


Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

This is dramatic part, visible to the public on 3rd NW, as the front pods of the old school are demolished.

Aerial photography copyright Marc Weinberg

The building in the foreground will also be demolished.


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