REPORTER
Mercer Island
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
Sports Calendar INSIDE THIS ISSUE BACK TO SCHOOL SPORTS PREVIEWS
Labor Day closures Monday, Sept. 3
By Reporter Staff
In honor of the Labor Day holiday on Monday, Sept. 3, there will be various closures around Mercer Island. City offices and Mercer Island schools will be closed. The post office and Mercer Island Library will also be closed.
MIHS football home opener this Friday
City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 4 The Mercer Island City Council will hold its first meeting of September on Tuesday, Sept. 4, because of the Labor Day holiday. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
MISD board meeting Thursday, Sept. 6 The Mercer Island School District Board of Directors will hold a study session meeting on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. to continue discussions on the North Mercer campus planning.
Russian Chamber Get atthe music MIPClatest Sept. 14
news, sports and... [more-online
The Russian Chamber Music Foundation begins its second year with a performance at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 14, at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. For information, contact Natalya Ageyeva, artistic director, at nageyeva@russianchambermusic.org.
www.MI-Reporter.com
Contributed Photo
The Mercerwood Shore Club Midlakes team won its eighth league title in the last 10 years in late July during the championship meet at the King County Aquatic Center. Over 100 swimmers competed at the league meet for the Manta Rays.
New mixed-use development proposed for Town Center Building must include affordable housing to go to fifth story By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
The property on the northwest corner of S.E. 27th Street and 76the Avenue S.E., occupied for many years by the Islander Pub, True Value Hardware, the former Washington state Liquor Store, Mercer Island Pediatrics and other businesses, could soon become the address for another residential housing development. The Hudesman property, home of the strip mall and large parking lot, was sold late last year. Half or more of the space in the mall is empty. According to the King County Assessor’s office, the 32,000-square-foot parcel sold on Nov. 8, 2011, for $8 million, about 10 percent over its assessed value, to an entity called MI 2615 LLC. The address listed for MI 2615 LLC is also the address of Keeler Investments Group, LLC offices, at 2448 76th Ave. S.E. on Mercer
Foundation | Page 5
REPORTER
The Mercer Island High School football team will begin the 2012 season with its first home game on Friday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. against Redmond. The Mercer Island marching band will perform at halftime.
Established in 1981, the Mercer Island Schools Foundation has raised millions of dollars for Island schools. It helps schools purchase new equipment and books, and funds enrichment activities for students. Yet now funds donated by Islander parents and corporate sponsors also goes toward making up for what has been lost due to state spending cuts. Over the past couple of years, its mission has expanded to blunt the effect of cuts in state funding for public schools. “Today, because of budget cuts, schools foundations exist across our state to provide critical resources for curriculum, textbooks, materials and staff development. The funding goes beyond what the state provides,” said Penny Yantis, executive director.
Contributed Art
Legacy Mercer Island, proposed for the land at the corner of S.E. 27th Street and 76th Avenue S.E., is designed for 215 residential units. Island. Longtime Island resident Allison Keeler is a principal at the firm. The project architect, Jim Bodoia, brought drawings of a seven-story mixed-use building similar to the recent projects on 76th Avenue S.E., which include Aljoya and the Aviara project that is under construction. If a fifth story (above ground) is approved, the building would include 215 living units (79 of which would be studios) with 299 parking spaces and commercial
space. Two of the stories would be parking below ground, with the ground floor level primarily filled with retail and commercial uses. Apartments would fill the remaining levels above. The architect, the property owner, Keeler and an attorney appeared before the Mercer Island Design Commission last week to introduce the project, emphasizing that the building’s configuration and design was preliminary
building | Page 3
Mercer Island
2012 Fall
MI Schools Foundation keeps focus in classroom
Champions again
One year $39, two years just $59
MI | THIS WEEK
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 | 75¢
SUBSCRIBE call (253) 872-6610
www.mi-reporter.com