$300-Mil Southport Mixed-Use Project Is Under Way

Wright Runstad & Co.'s contribution is the 778,000 sf of office space in three connected nine-story towers. A source at Wright Runstad tells GlobeSt.com that its towers, proposed for 6.81 acres purchased from SECO, are awaiting preliminary design approval from the City of Renton. Construction is already underway on SECO's two apartment complexes, The Bristol and The Park, and WR&C is on schedule to break ground for the office towers this August.

Floor plates will run in the 35,000-sf range, but with one captivating catch: It will be possible to transform the third and fourth floors of the three towers into two single-floor super-offices of 123,000 sf each. Additionally, the third levels have direct access to the roof of the parking garage, which will contain 1,850 spaces.

When asked to comment on the potential impact of Boeing's rumored closure of its Renton plant, Alex Pietsch of WR&C says, "Not to say we don't hope Boeing stays, but we like the project with or without it." As well Pietsch says the jobs that will be created by the office complex, hotel and other retail businesses will go a long way toward filling SECO's 400 apartment, such that a lack of Boeing employees wouldn't make that much of a difference.

Existing nearby amenities include the adjacent 2.5-square-mile Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park. If plans a possible marina project also is developed as part of Southport, some more-fortunate tenants could boat to work, or, fly there from the nearby Renton Municipal Airport.

Wright Runstad says the first office tower will be completed in late 2002, the second in early 2003 and the fourth shortly thereafter. The office space architect is Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, with structural engineering by Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire. The pre-construction contractor is Lease Crutcher Lewis, and the civil engineer is Coughlin Porter Lundeen. Electrical is by Sparling Inc., and Holaday Parks is handling the mechanical engineering.