Negotiations for Point Wells condos may be at an impasse

Published 12:01 am Thursday, September 15, 2011

Negotiations with Woodway and Shoreline over the Point Wells condo development may have come to an end, according to the developer who hopes to build the 3,081-unit project.

A lawsuit filed this week by Woodway and the homeowners group Save Richmond Beach has soured Blue Square Real Estate on talks to seek a compromise.

“This is particularly disappointing given that Woodway has not participated in meaningful negotiations for several months,” said Gary Huff, an attorney for the developer.

Instead, the developer might work with Snohomish County, the local government that has control over the site that sits entirely on unincorporated county land. The developer still intends to work with Shoreline on possible compromises.

The developer envisions a 20-year project to transform the old waterfront industrial site into a master-planned community with clusters of high rises reaching up to 17 stories.

The big concerns for neighbors have been traffic and how the project would affect the area’s character. The only way to reach Point Wells is a two-lane road through the Shoreline neighborhood of Richmond Beach, which is in King County.

County planners accepted an initial application for the development in March. Shortly after that, the state Growth Management Hearings Board ruled that the county’s zoning for Point Wells violated state growth laws and county planning policies. The developer and county officials have said the project can move forward under the existing rules, though that’s a point of contention in the lawsuit.

The suit in King County Superior Court names Snohomish County, as well as BSRE Point Wells, a local Blue Square affiliate. The companies are part of an Israel-based conglomerate.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com.