Eastside of Seattle

[the dufferz]

When people think about moving to Seattle, their first thought is "where in Seattle should I relocate to".

Seattle proper has housing that ranges from million dollar homes to $200,000 "shacks". But there surrounding areas around Seattle actually contain the majority of housing for this area. Here is a rundown on the area commonly called "the eastside".

Bellevue. This is the hub of the eastside. Back in the late 1950's, bellevue was a sleepy little town this a small business district and limited housing. To get to seattle prior to the building of the Mercer Island floating bridge (yes, it does float), the way to get to Seattle was either drive around Lake Washington, or take a small ferry from Meydenbaur bay.

With the completion of the floating bridge, the growth in Bellevue was slow, but by the mid 60's started to pick up. Today Bellevue is a thriving city of highrises and high end shopping (Bell Square). The home prices in Bellevue rival that of Seattle. There are now two floating bridges that connect The eastside to Seattle.

Kirkland is the oldest and most established of the Eastside cities. The old part of Kirkland has very nice mix of older homes and high end home. The building era of the 1960's to 1980's brought a lot of quickly built homes that are not high quality, and Kirkland has their share of that. Downtown Kirkland has developed into a pretty cool nightspot with warm evening bringing throngs of poeple out to want along the Blvd, and enjoy the nighlife.

Redmond is home of Microsoft, or is that Microsoft is the home of redmond. hmmm. Anyyway, redmond is a more traditional "bedroom community" with a downtown that has never developed. The addition of Redmond town center has brought a high end retail face to the city. Homes in Redmond range from the 1970's style rambler to the million dollar estates. Getting to the freeways from Redmond can be really tough, especially during rush hour.

[MyAzi]

I really like it here on the eastside. However even in the year and a half I have been here it has grown so much! The constant and needed road construction is a burden right now but will help in the long run! I have seen a lot of different areas in WA and every place has its charm... but give me the eastside anyday!

[Jenbar]

with a downtown that has never developed.

Oh, I totally disagree! I think it's intentionally been kept looking like an "Older" and "Quaint" little town. I think it's so cute. Reminds me of a ski town. I love downtown Redmond. If we had $700k to put towards a home, we would have moved there in a second. Great schools.

Seattle proper has housing that ranges from million dollar homes to $200,000 "shacks".

:p You can't buy anything - not even a condo - for $200k in Seattle anymore.

[scirocco22]

That's the first time I've ever heard anybody call downtown Redmond cute.

Like they say, I suppose there's a first time for everything.

Living in Redmond as long as I did, maybe you could've called it cute at one time. I think what ruined it for me was when they split the main east/west arterial and made Cleveland a one way street going east. To me, that's when it lost any of its cuteness.

Oh, aside from that one block of Leary inbetween Cleveland and Redmond Wy. ...okay, that may still be cute, I don't know.:p

--'rocco

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

That's the first time I've ever heard anybody call downtown Redmond cute.

Like they say, I suppose there's a first time for everything.

Living in Redmond as long as I did, maybe you could've called it cute at one time. I think what ruined it for me was when they split the main east/west arterial and made Cleveland a one way street going east. To me, that's when it lost any of its cuteness.

Oh, aside from that one block of Leary inbetween Cleveland and Redmond Wy. ...okay, that may still be cute, I don't know.:p

--'rocco

Actually I would agree with the whole split in the roadway as when Redmond got a little odd. I seemed to me that the Downtown part of Redmond was never designed well, and once you got outside the core of downtown, there was not much to it.

Now the redmond town center certainly brought some class to the area. Tie this into the marymoor park and this is a nice sector, but downtown still seem to be more of a place you drive through than a place to stop and shop.

So rocco, where in redmond did you live? Education hill like most everybody?

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by the dufferz

So rocco, where in redmond did you live? Education hill like most everybody?

Most everybody lives on Education hill?? Heh, I suppose one could get that impression.

No, I was just south of Grass Lawn Park. It was the old Morelli chicken farm land. In fact when the house was brand new in the 70s, the old chicken coups could still be seen from my kitchen window. Guess what's sitting on that land now? You guessed it, Microsoft RedWest! Man, I guess that's progress ...chicken coups to high tech IT.

--'rocco

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Most everybody lives on Education hill?? Heh, I suppose one could get that impression.

No, I was just south of Grass Lawn Park. It was the old Morelli chicken farm land. In fact when the house was brand new in the 70s, the old chicken coups could still be seen from my kitchen window. Guess what's sitting on that land now? You guessed it, Microsoft RedWest! Man, I guess that's progress ...chicken coups to high tech IT.

--'rocco

Ahhh! You lived in "bellevue" not Redmond. Yeah, I know, it is considered Redmond, but it might as well be Bellevue.

Just kidding. Back in the 70's and 80's Education hill was the main population area and I spent most of my time on my job visiting people in Ed hill.

[Jenbar]

I was on Ed Hill when I first moved to the area. My brother lives there and I was living with him. My mom lived off of Avondale. It's a really nice area! Yes, Redmond is cute! :p

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by the dufferz

Ahhh! You lived in "bellevue" not Redmond. Yeah, I know, it is considered Redmond, but it might as well be Bellevue.

*laughs* yeah, I suppose it could be considered Bellevue, after all, the Bellevue Municipal Golf course was almost across the street. But bottom line is that I paid all my taxes to Redmond and the L'dub school dist. so that has to entitle me to at least say that I "lived in" Redmond, right? *lol*

It's in one of the areas where the ridiculous boundaries occur. i.e. one side of 148th being Bellevue and the other being Redmond ...Sears being in Redmond and Fred Meyer being in Bellevue, etc.

Interesting fact I gleaned as I was in the process of selling my house. One of the older and more established areas of Redmond is actually just north of the main Microsoft campus. The Morelli farm was actually considered to be in that area before the freeway cut right through it. I'm talking about the area around NE 60th st on both sides of the freeway. In fact, I think there are some 40s and 50s houses still standing around the area bounded by NE 40th on the south, NE 72nd on the north, between the freeway and Lk. Sam pkwy.

edit: ...and okay, Jen, Redmond IS cute!

--'rocco

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

I was on Ed Hill when I first moved to the area. My brother lives there and I was living with him. My mom lived off of Avondale. It's a really nice area! Yes, Redmond is cute! :p

Is your mom in Friendly village?

If so, how did she fair with the big storm in December? I work for PSE and was on the phones for 8 straight days. Avondale was out for about 7 days and I was concerned about the village in that everybody is a sr. there.

[scirocco22]

Friendly Village? Wow, ya know, that used to be a trailer park at one time.

So it's a retirement home now? ...was that what all the construction was going on near Novelty Hill rd?

--'rocco

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

Friendly Village? Wow, ya know, that used to be a trailer park at one time.

So it's a retirement home now? ...was that what all the construction was going on near Novelty Hill rd?

--'rocco

No, it's still a mobile home park (don't ever say "trailer" around people who live in "modular" or "manufactured" homes).

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by the dufferz

No, it's still a mobile home park (don't ever say "trailer" around people who live in "modular" or "manufactured" homes).

oops, yup, my bad. I knew that too! I apologize profusely to those I offended. There are some extremely nice modular homes nowadays. In fact, I considered one at one time.

I think it goes back 20 years, perhaps even longer when that park wasn't a retirement center but a rowdy, crime infested "trailer court." There were many incidences of police activity there on a regular basis. That was then, now is now. I'm glad to hear that it's a park for modular homes in which retired folks are now living.

There was a similar "t" court that was in existence until just a few years ago located near 180th NE and NE 68th just off SR-202. It was good to see that one go. Lots of drug activity, meth labs, etc.

--'rocco

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

oops, yup, my bad. I knew that too! I apologize profusely to those I offended. There are some extremely nice modular homes nowadays. In fact, I considered one at one time.

I think it goes back 20 years, perhaps even longer when that park wasn't a retirement center but a rowdy, crime infested "trailer court." There were many incidences of police activity there on a regular basis. That was then, now is now. I'm glad to hear that it's a park for modular homes in which retired folks are now living.

There was a similar "t" court that was in existence until just a few years ago located near 180th NE and NE 68th just off SR-202. It was good to see that one go. Lots of drug activity, meth labs, etc.

--'rocco

That, my friend was a trailer park, you can say it loud and proud! Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.

Modular homes have come a long way from the tin boxes, but there still are trailer parks out there that work very hard for that distinction. Some of the new parks are extemely nice and look like the typical residential neighborhood, except that all the homes are one story.

There, covered myself too.

[Jenbar]

HA! Um, no she didn't live in a trailor park, or whatever else.

She lived in Essex Park, a condo/townhouse development a ways down from that. She moved here to Austin 2 years ago though.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

HA! Um, no she didn't live in a trailor park, or whatever else.

She lived in Essex Park, a condo/townhouse development a ways down from that. She moved here to Austin 2 years ago though.

So, I would guess that she weathed the storm just fine then.

There are some really nice condo/apt complexes along Avondale. That area has come a long way.

[Jenbar]

Is that "mobile home park" still there? I am not sure it is... A bunch of new homes are going (or maybe they are there now) in at the entrance to Novelty Hill RD, and Avondale...

and then to the left of that, is a new condo retirement community which looks very nice.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Is that "mobile home park" still there? I am not sure it is... A bunch of new homes are going (or maybe they are there now) in at the entrance to Novelty Hill RD, and Avondale...

and then to the left of that, is a new condo retirement community which looks very nice.

Friendly village? Far as I know it is there and will be there for quite some time. There are not many parks left out there, so there is a high level of sensitivity to removing these "affordable" homes