Yes! It's great to see that Northgate is finally making some changes for the better. The once old, and beat up Northgate Mall which was opened in 1950 as one of the nation's first suburban shopping centers. Until recently it had not been recognized at all for many years. But now it is being remodeled with about 100,000 square feet of added shopping space, and restaurants. A new library branch and a community center is also bringing more traffic to the area. Coming soon at the intersection of 5th Ave NE 125th street will be a 3.73 acres of new green urban park.
A huge new development project by the Lorig Management Service on 103rd st, and 5th Ave, which will be finished by this summer, and early 2009 will bring more activity and attention to Northgate as well. Northgate Commons will contain 50,000 square feet of retail space, a 14 screen cinema, 109 condominiums, and 278 apartments with about 800 parking space garage that can be used by bus commuters and moviegoers. Era living will have 127 rental apartments for adults 62 years and older. Seattle Public Utilities plans to build the Thornton Creek channel on 2.7 acres of land. The project will divert stormwater from Northgate Mall through a channel landscaped with soil and native plants to filter the water and slow it down before it reaches Thornton Creek. The bottom of the channel will keep its stormwater pipe to prevent flooding during heavy rains.
I'm so excited to see this new urban Northgate coming together. All these changes will not only make Northgate a more attractive neighborhood, but it'll definitely bring in more jobs and business to Seattle.