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9/5/24: Mass excavation as well as shoring and lagging installation are nearing completion. Installation of the Geopier ground improvements is continuing. Structural excavation for the tower crane footing and the stormwater vault is now underway.
8/14/24: Mass excavation, material export and shoring & lagging installation is continuing. Installation of tie-backs is 50% complete. Monitoring of the dewatering wells is ongoing. Installation of the ground improvements began today and is expected to continue for 6 weeks. This includes installation of the rammed aggregate piers ("geopiers"). Neighbors may experience noise and vibrations related to this work. An image of the geopier installation at the site is included below.
7/29/24: Installation of the dewatering wells is ongoing - 40% of the wells are now operational. Mass excavation and installation of shoring are underway. Work is expected to commence soon on installation of tie-backs.
7/16/24: Work on the Xing Hua site continues. Abatement and demolition of the structures is now complete. Tree removal is underway and demolition of remaining asphalt is expected to be completed this week, followed by installation of dewatering wells. The fence line is also being moved to the outer perimeter of the site. Mass excavation of the site will commence soon.
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Development of the Xing Hua site is expected to commence this week. Demolition of the existing buildings is scheduled to begin Thursday June 27, 2024. Tree removal (including street trees) will occur as a part of the demolition process to clear the site for construction. The street trees need to be removed to realign and widen the sidewalk, as required by the town center code - they will all be replaced at the end of construction and special soils, sidewalk systems, and irrigation are required to ensure they remain healthy long term.
Excavation of the site is scheduled to begin the week of July 8. Once excavation is complete, the contractor will be installing 1,300 rammed aggregate piers (or "geopiers") into the soil to support the weight of the foundation. This work is anticipated to begin the week of July 22 and last for approximately 6 weeks. Further construction activities will then continue into the fall.
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Update: The demolition permit and construction permits were issued on 6/14/2024. Demolition of the existing buildings is expected in the coming days.
The City of Mercer Island will be issuing a Demolition Permit for the existing structures at the site of the proposed Xing Hua mixed use development. Since the Design Commission's decision to conditionally approve the proposal in late 2021, the City has been reviewing construction permit applications. It is anticipated construction permits will be issued in the near future - this page will be updated as new information becomes available.
The property owners have partnered with fire services agencies to allow for fire department training on the structure before the building is demolished. Eastside Fire & Rescue, along with crews from Kent, Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Auburn, will be conducting non-live fire destructive firefighter training. This will include the following:
- Vertical ventilation on the roof (cutting holes)
- Forcible entry
- Search and Rescue
This type of training provides realistic skill exercises allowing firefighters to conduct essential practice on actual structures. No fire, or water, will be used in this training. There will be onsite training officers during the training and the building will be secured each day until it is demolished.
Islanders may see fire services activity in the area throughout this week, but should know activity at this building is a training.
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On November 1, 2021, the City of Mercer Island issued the Design Commission's decision for the Xing Hua project, granting design review approval for the proposed development located at 2570 77th Avenue SE and 2885 78th Avenue SE in Town Center. The issuance of the decision had been delayed to address the potential presence of contaminated soil and groundwater associated with previous dry cleaner operations at the subject site, for which a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) addendum was completed.
The development is proposed to have a building height of 54 feet and will have a total above ground gross floor area of 162,990 square feet with parking spaces for 203 vehicles located below grade accessed from SE 29th Street. A service/loading area will be provided and will be accessed from 77th Avenue SE. The proposed scope of work includes demolition of an existing commercial building.
Initially submitted in early 2020, the processing of the design review approval request was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in late 2020. Key dates in the design review approval of the proposal include:
- January 25, 2021: Environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) was completed, resulting in the issuance of a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance.
- February 24, 2021: The Design Commission held a public hearing and voted to approve, with conditions, the project as proposed.
- April 28, 2021: The Design Commission reconvened to review minor clarifications and added a condition to their February decision.
- October 29, 2021: A SEPA Addendum was completed in response to supplemental information prepared to describe the monitoring to be used during construction and remedial excavation activities to address contaminated soil and groundwater associated with historical activities at the subject site.
For additional information, please read the project description or reference previous updates.
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On February 24, 2021, the City of Mercer Island Design Commission held a public hearing and voted to approve, with conditions, the proposed Xing Hua project, a new four-story mixed-use development located at 2570 77th Avenue SE and 2885 78th Avenue SE in the Town Center. A written decision of the Design Commission’s approval has not yet been issued.
Initially submitted in early 2020, the processing of the design review approval request was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in late 2020. As a result, some inconsistencies were created between the original document package submitted and select documents received later in the process. The packet of materials presented to the Design Commission in February 2021 contained a blend of older and newer documents presented as exhibits to the staff report.
The inconsistencies in the exhibits presented to the Design Commission led Jeff Thomas, the Interim Community Planning and Development Director, to seek clarification from the project applicant and to reconvene the Design Commission on April 22, 2021 to present a consistent packet of materials before a written decision is issued. Thomas noted, “It’s very important the Design Commission, as well as the public, understand exactly what is being presented for design review approval and what is going to be constructed in the Town Center.”
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The Design Commission voted to approve the design of the proposed Xing-hua Mixed-Use Development at a public hearing on February 24, 2021. This decision grants approval to the design of the project only, and it confirms that the design is consistent with Town Center regulations.
Design Commission approval is the first of two major steps needed before the project can begin construction; A building permit is also required to be reviewed and approved before construction can begin.
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Staff has now completed the first review of the Proposed Plans and provided review comments that explain the additional information that must be provided or further clarified, and alterations to the project design that are needed to comply with City code. Review comments address topics including: cultural resources, signage, transportation analysis, the mix of commercial uses, parking, street design, site design and landscaping. Please read the Staff Review Letter summarizing the review comments for more information.
After providing/clarifying information and/or redesigning aspects of the project, the applicant will submit a second draft of plans for staff review. Staff will then conduct a second review of the plans. This review and comment process will continue until the plans are in compliance with city codes. Then, a design review meeting will be scheduled with the Design Commission.
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An application has been received by the City for Design Review for a new mixed use building located at 2750 77th Avenue SE and 2885 78th Avenue SE . The proposed building will be 4 stories above grade with 164 apartments units, including 17 affordable units. Also included is 10,742 of ground level retail space, located along 78th Avenue (facing QFC) as well as 77th Avenue (facing New Seasons) and two levels of below ground parking, including residential parking and 35 retail parking stalls.
The proposal includes a through-block pedestrian connection extending between 77th Avenue and 78th Avenue. To make this connection more inviting, landscaping including trees and a water feature are being provided. The project is also proposed to include three public plazas. They will be located at the corner of 78th AVE SE and SE 29th ST, at the main entrance of the building along 78th Ave SE, and at the western end of the through-block connection at 77th Ave SE. These areas will be open to the public. They will contain landscaping including a water feature, pedestrian scale lighting, bike racks, picnic tables and other types of seating, and art.
In addition to the public spaces, a private courtyard is proposed for tenants. A service loading area for tenants move-in, food delivery and trash collection purposes is proposed, with access via a driveway off of 77th Avenue.
The proposed plans include several updates in response to Design Commission feedback in 2019, including the following:
- Revised the roof design so it did not create massing at the street
- Created more diversity among building sections
- Retail facades were reduced in height to be more pedestrian scale
- Provided canopies along the street frontages
- The south plaza was increased in size to feel like more of an amenity
- Enlarged north plaza at the through block connection
- Provided lighter materials at the north plaza at the through block connection to make it lighter and more inviting. Also removed columns that were proposed to extend from the building to the ground
- Added modulation of the building along the through-block connection
- Provided an extended roof toward 29th Street to provide emergency access to the roof as required by the Fire Marshal
The project documents, including the
proposed building plans, submitted by the applicant can be viewed in the
Project Document Cloud File. As the project review evolves and additional documents are submitted by the applicant, they will be added to the project folder.
The public comment period began on January 27, 2020 and extends until February 26, 2020. This project will be subject to a public hearing at the Design Commission at a future date. Public hearing notices will be distributed at least 30 days prior to the hearing. While the initial public comment period expires on February 26, 2020, public comments are welcome any time until the close of the public hearing.
Written public comments may be submitted by email , postal mail, or in person at the Community Planning and Development counter. Verbal comments may be provided to the Design Commission during the comment period at the public hearing. To become a party of record and receive future project notices, please submit a public comment or send a message to the project contact indicating that you would like to be a party of record.
