City of Bothell’s game plan includes expansion of roads, creation of park near Pop Keeney Stadium

With about 45 people in attendance, during an open house held earlier this month, Bothell officials expanded on plans to add and extend roads in the general area of the Northshore School District's Pop Keeney Stadium.

By Staff Report • December 16, 2010 8:16 pm
Here's a look at the city of Bothell's proposed plans for the area near Pop Keeney Stadium.
Here's a look at the city of Bothell's proposed plans for the area near Pop Keeney Stadium.

With about 45 people in attendance, during an open house held earlier this month, Bothell officials expanded on plans to add and extend roads in the general area of the Northshore School District’s Pop Keeney Stadium.

Plans also call for creation of a small, half-acre park near Pop Keeney.

City Project Engineer Khin Gyi said the work includes three major features:

• A Northeast 185th Street, 98th Avenue Northeast connector. The proposal is to extend 185th Street, connecting the city’s two state routes while creating two new city blocks, one on either side of the new street at the point it will connect with State Route 527. The idea is, of course, to open those blocks for development.

Gyi stated Bothell intends for the new street to primarily be used as a transit corridor, not as a cut-through route from state route to state route. The speed limit will be set at 25 mph to discourage use of the street by drivers seeking a short cut.

• A second new street will connect the extension of 185th with Pop Keeney Stadium.

• According to Gyi, the park or open space will sit adjacent and to the north of the existing Pop Keeney parking lot and the proposed new roadway. The park’s specific design and amenities have yet to be determined.

Gyi said Bothell initially planned on requiring developers to eventually build the new roadways and the open space. According to Gyi, officials had hoped to sell to a single developer the 18 acres along SR 527 that Bothell purchased from the school district. Instead, the city sold part of the parcel, namely the Anderson School and some surrounding buildings on SR 527, to brew-pub operators McMenamins.

McMenamins plans eventually to turn the school into a hotel, restaurant and entertainment complex. Gyi said Bothell now will establish the right-of-ways for the two roads and take the project forward through 30 percent of the design phase, with whatever developer steps forward finishing the plans. Actual construction likely will take place along with development.

Presumably as plans still are in the development stage, Gyi did not mention any specific price tags connected with the projects.

Gyi said residents at the public hearing generally were receptive to the overall plans. She added already established planning and zoning codes spell out what development can take place alongside the connector, what parking will be required, even what types of trees can be planted along the new roadways.

Besides setting the general right-of-ways for the two roads, starting design work on the projects will spell out the boundaries of the new blocks. Gyi said city councilmembers hope to declare those blocks as surplus early next year, opening the way for developers. She expects to be in front of legislators with the partial plans by January or February.

According to Gyi, the start of the project has drawn some excitement from among city officials who see the work as a major step in developing the area around SR 527.