Kenmore wins 2016 Governor’s Smart Communities “Smart Partnership” award

The City of Kenmore, in partnership with MainStreet Property Group LLC, a real estate development firm, has been awarded the 2016 Governor’s Smart Communities “Smart Partnership” Award for the Kenmore Village mixed-use development project.

The downtown project includes The Spencer 68 Apartments + Lofts, The LINQ Flats + Lofts, Spencer Square, and the Town Green and community building.

The Smart Communities program recognizes outstanding efforts of counties, cities and towns, and their partners throughout the state to create quality communities through excellence in growth planning. Kenmore is one of only seven cities statewide to receive a Smart Communities award this year.

The Kenmore Village project met all of the award criteria, including demonstrating innovative, thorough, and meaningful public participation, demonstrating tangible benefits to the community, achieving the community’s vision as articulated in the comprehensive plan; and demonstrating quality design and sustainability principles. See the project come to life in this flyover video and digital rendering of the future Town Center.

“Kenmore Village is a perfect example of a jointly-developed project that implements a local comprehensive plan. The innovative marketing process and careful joint development of the properties is a model for other smaller communities wanting to encourage economic growth and revitalize their downtown,” according to Kenmore Mayor David Baker.

Since incorporation in 1998, the Kenmore community consistently has made a downtown “center” part of the community vision. The City provided the land and park for Kenmore Village, then partnered with MainStreet over four years of project implementation.

In January 2016, MainStreet opened a 138-unit apartment community, The Spencer 68 Apartments + Lofts, with Phase II of the project (58 additional units) planned to open this winter 2016. Coming this fall, MainStreet will open the LEED Certified building, The LINQ Lofts + Flats, that will bring 94 residential units and 20,000 square feet of retail space leased to EvergreenHealth to the downtown core. In addition to the hundreds of new housing units –including affordable housing, new retail and restaurant space are also planned.

“MainStreet couldn’t be more excited to partner with the City of Kenmore to help fulfill their vision for growth, development and revitalization for the Kenmore downtown core,” stated Kim Faust, Senior Vice President of MainStreet Property Group. 

“The solid collaboration between MainStreet and the City has accelerated the pace of the downtown development and it’s exciting to see the sense of pride and community in the area.”

The Town Green and community building will create a year-round gathering place for residents to use and enjoy. Amenities in the Town Green and community building include a two-sided fireplace, meeting spaces, a food or coffee retailer, “hot rocks” for outdoor seating, a water feature, and a large door that can open to connect the building and the public plaza.

The development as a whole is providing improved pedestrian connections, sidewalks and street improvements. The high quality design of the buildings incorporates significant sustainable elements. Kenmore Village Town Green and community building are scheduled for completion this fall. The retail portion of the community building is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2017.