When I took over as assistant editor I drove through Bothell and Kenmore with a critical eye. I live in the area and have driven those roads many times. But in viewing the area with a more critical eye, I noticed more of the development and changes taking place.

One of Bothell’s biggest draws is its downtown. It is plain to see that it has a rich history and soul. But when I returned to the office I asked a co-worker, “Where is Kenmore’s downtown?” She just laughed.

When I asked some people in Kenmore where the downtown was they just pointed me to State Route 522. Others pointed to behind Safeway in the general direction of Kenmore City Hall. No one specifically said Kenmore Village.

The purchase and sale agreements for the Kenmore Village properties are not perfect. Many people have complained in these pages and elsewhere that the city lost too much money on the deals. Elected officials and city staff state that the value will be realized when the projects are completed and surrounding properties are re-developed as well. There are other various arguments for and against the deals but this was the route taken.

The fact of the matter is that current elected officials and city staff tried to make lemonade out of lemons.

Local governments should not get involved in real estate transactions in the quest to spur economic growth. It rarely works out well. Kenmore is a perfect example. Not many people saw the  real estate crash coming in 2008. The crash made it difficult to get any kind of deal done and the city was left holding the land.

I think the people in Kenmore value the Kenmore Village land more than a developer. It is not on SR-522, therefore the 50,000 commuters that use that road won’t see the project every day. But Kenmore residents will. It will contribute to the city’s tax base, business community and resident’s everyday lives.

But the biggest issue for redevelopment is the fact that officials are trying to create a downtown for a city that currently has none. It is not easy to start from scratch and it is a journey the city has been on since incorporation in 1998.

Hopefully that journey is over. Hopefully city officials are right and the redevelopment of Kenmore Village will bring even more redevelopment and spark the creation of a downtown core that will strengthen Kenmore.

Matt Phelps is the regional assistant editor of the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter.