Microsoft's new campus has been slated for the IssaquahHighlands development, a 2,223-acre mixed-use project located abouttwo miles northeast of downtown Issaquah and immediately north ofI-90. The purpose of tonight's meeting, according to Microsoftofficials and city planners, is to show the commissioners plans forphase 1 of the development, which would encompass approximately500,000 sf of office space.

Port Blakely Communities, the developer of the IssaquahHighlands urban village, has been working on the $133 milliondevelopment for four years. It has completed 450 high-endresidential units to date. Plans for the project, slated forcompletion in 2008, call for 3,200 residential units, up to 3.45million sf of office space, 425,000 sf of retail space and 1,400acres of open space.

Microsoft Corporation has an option to purchase 150 acres andbuild 2.95 million sf of office space, which could house up to12,000 employees. Judd Kirk, president of Port Blakely Communities,says he hopes to begin construction on the first phase of theMicrosoft campus by next summer and have it completed by early2002.