Avenue Bellevue Sales Center Photos

Here’s our look at the soon-to-open sales center for Avenue Bellevue, a 98-unit luxury condo project that sits atop a 252-room Intercontinental Hotel with 85,000 square feet of retail (including a restaurant by a 3-star Michelin chef) on a 3-acre site at NE 8th Street and Bellevue Way.

Before we got a good look at the sales center we heard from the Avenue team about what makes their project special. To sum up hearing from all the different team members, this project is best defined in one word as luxurious. Andy Lakha, the principal and CEO of the developer, Fortress Development, is clearly passionate about building a luxury legacy project for him and his family that will lure the high net worth out of the suburbs into a bespoke urban experience where you’re living in a city within a city and life is an elevator ride away (I’m paraphrasing him and Bob Rennie head of his marketing firm). Andy lives nearby on Meydenbauer Bay and will have a home in the building and hopes his daughter will get married in the ballroom. And I agree with him, as a buyer you want to buy into a development where the developer really cares and pours their heart and soul into it versus an investment fund for whom it is just another investment.

The team behind Avenue broke away from the tradition of opening a retail sales center at ground level and instead is opening a sales gallery on the 22nd floor of Lincoln Square giving you a much more realistic sense of the view potential and it gives a bird’s eye view of their project which will break ground this summer. It was interesting to hear from the team about the challenges of building a full two-bedroom unit in an office tower – i.e. getting floor-to-ceiling window wall systems installed! Though before they built it, they first built a cardboard model to prototype out the kitchen and clearances for the living room and bedrooms. They also have the ceiling in the model unit set to where it is in the units, 9’8″, which we don’t often see.

When it was all said and done, sounds like the cost to build this sales center was in the $4-5m range! So be sure to appreciate it while you’re there. I suspect their sales center is the most expensive one out there. And be sure to sit on the $40,000 sofa (or should I say, couch?).

Their sales center also had something surprisingly low-tech, which I think makes a great sales tool – scale models of the units made out of wood. I’d love to see more sales centers with these! I suspect they give buyers a much better sense of proportions than floor plans or virtual reality.

The finishes are all high end and had me wanting to remodel my home (again):

• Ernestomeda, which has designed an exclusive line of Italian-made cabinetry called ‘The Avenue,’ created specifically for the Avenue Bellevue development.  Ernestomeda is the  first Italian kitchen manufacturer to receive the authoritative “Made in Italy Certification.”
• Antoniolupi bathroom layout and designs, as well as top-of-the-line lighting technology and shelving completely produced in Italy where each piece is artistic and tailor-made and combines creativity, innovation and style to suit each resident’s needs.
• Gaggenau appliances, such as stainless steel refrigerators, ovens, stovetops, and wine cabinets, from the renowned global company that has produced exceptional craftwork since 1683; their mix of tailored accents with contemporary designs brings ultra-luxury flair to kitchens.
• Gessi bathroom fixtures and showers that seamlessly integrate into the overall residence design, providing an oasis for wellness. Gessi is the recipient of the prestigious 2018 Designer Kitchen & Bathroom Award for the most innovative designer bathroom product of the year.
• Poliform custom walk-in closets and adaptive wardrobes, bringing an elevated concept to the sleeping area. Poliform offers advanced and exclusive solutions, essential lines and measured proportions for custom-made configurations.
• Rolls Royce of Bellevue will provide house cars for hotel guests and condo owners.

They haven’t released formal price guidance yet, but here is the starting prices they provided:

HOAs will be comparable to Seattle projects, so I’d take that to mean around $0.90-$1.00 a square foot a month.

The sales center will be open for private preview soon, and after a few weeks of preview they’ll start sales. They will not have a lottery system.

Construction is slated to take about 33 months. PCL is their general contractor. (PCL is also building Spire and built Luma, the Bravern, Gallery).

Too rich for you? Avenue Bellevue is building a west tour with 230 units that will average 800 square feet (versus 1,500 square feet here) so it will have much more approachable pricing. Details on that should be coming in the fall.

Below are the photos. If you’re interested in Avenue Bellevue, or new condos in general, get in touch, we’re happy to be your agent.