Brand new streetscape set for Kingston

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2006

KINGSTON — Kingston’s downtown is primarily what tourists see when they visit or drive down Highway 104. Cute little shops, restaurants and bars are featured throughout the district.

But if community leaders have their say, it won’t end there.

In an effort to improve the downtown area, Kingston stakeholders and downtown property owners have devised a beautification plan that will mark the first work in the district in nearly two decades.

Developers say construction of two 500-foot buildings is expected to start any day, as soon as the final permits come through.

“There’s been no commercial construction in Kingston since about 1987,” said Rick Lanning, co-owner of Ohio Ave Partners and owner of Homeland Construction, which respectively own the land and will be handling the construction. “Nothing’s happened down there in 20 years. It’s exciting that it’s happening now.”

“It’ll be ready any minute,” said Peter Brachvogel, of BC&J Architecture, Planning and Construction Management. “The contractor is ready to jump on that as soon as we get confirmation.”

The two units will be on Highway 104, in front of the Harborview Plaza. The existing parking lot will be rearranged, but Lanning assures there will still be the same amount of spaces. The two units will be divided into about 260 square feet, providing space for four vendors, which is what Lanning plans to have in the spaces.

“I want the perfect four retail shops in there,” Lanning said. “I could lease them out right now, but I want the perfect businesses for the downtown area.”

So far, Lanning has leased one space to Blue Ribbon Bakery from Ballard. The business plans to offer different types of products, sort of like a gift shop of food, Lanning said.

“We are planning on sliding the parking lot towards the office building to create room,” Brachvogel said. “The buildings will follow the Kingston design standards created in the last couple of years.”

The community has reacted well to the redevelopment

“Amazingly, there has been no negative feedback,” Lanning said, noting that the community members who know about the project are supportive and happy to have downtown Kingston molded into a new downtown. Lanning said he and BC&J are working on a La Conner feel for the area.

The new Harbor View storefronts and the Oldtown Pedestrian Streetscape will hopefully be completed by fall, Lanning said.

“This is the next step to improving Kingston,” Lanning said. “It’s not driven by greed and money. I want to see Kingston progressing in a new way.”