• Target application is approved, turn lane can stay for now
• No further updates on Milltowner or Timberland (Kirkland) development tenants
• Former Shari’s building demolished, Chase Bank will build

Target application is approved, turn lane can stay for now

Washington County has approved the application to allow Target to move into the former Bales grocery location. There was considerable anxiety over a possible Land Use and Transportation (LUT) requirement to close the left turn lane from Cornell into the lot, but in a decision sent out on March 25, LUT has decided it can remain “on a temporary basis until such time as alternative access meeting the access spacing standards becomes available—providing that [they] continue to operate safely.”

As we showed in the March issue, closing the Cornell turn lane would seriously limit access to the site, for Target or any other commercial use of the property. 

We asked for some clarification about this, and received these answers from LUT:

What would cause the County Engineer to determine that the “interim access” is not operating safely?

“Accidents would be a key way to ascertain the safety of an intersection or turn lane,” said Stephen Shane, Principal Planner, LUT Current Planning. “Anecdotal evidence, including any submitted testimony to a development request, would also be another.”

Also, “construct an access that will meet the access spacing standards when alternative access becomes available” would mean what?

“Cornell Road is an arterial and has access spacing requirements accordingly – meaning new access locations are limited,” Shane said.

Is the County requiring removal of the outlying commercial buildings (frame shop, etc.) from the property to accommodate a new road at this time?

No (per Current Planning)

Which issues will a new access address?

It would address closure of the interim Cornell Road accesses and could address other site access issues involving Dogwood, if any, or to Saltzman, if any. Key is that it would largely address the current interim access to Cornell. (per Current Planning)

The only significant additional requirements in the approval are that street trees need to be planted at the south margin of the property east of the Cornell entrance, and the sidewalk between the Cornell entrance and the east property line (next to Grand Central Bakery) must be widened to 12 feet.

We’ll provide information about Target’s timeline for the new store when the information is available. It will likely take around a year if everything goes smoothly.

No further updates on Milltowner or Timberland (Kirkland) development tenants

Several leases are in the negotiation stage for tenants for the new Milltowner Center at the northeast corner of Cornell and Saltzman, but nothing that can be shared publicly. We can’t get any information from the leasing folks at the Kirkland center at the corner of 118th and Barnes. We’ll keep trying! We know how curious everyone is and the minute we have new information, we’ll share it! Like our Facebook page for timely updates.

Former Shari’s building demolished, Chase Bank will build

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been watching as the old Shari’s restaurant location on Cornell, near Trail, was torn down to make way for a new bank. Comments on several social media sites range from sadness and nostalgia over the loss of Shari’s, to surprise that we need another bank. The new Chase replaces a branch that used to be in the Walker Road Fred Meyer store. We don’t have a timeline for the construction, or how it might affect traffic in the shopping center parking area.