Developer Gears Up for 480,000-SF Mixed-Use Project

WOODINVILLE, WA-MJR Development of Kirkland, WA is preparing to submit plans to the City of Woodinville for a $50-million mixed-use development on 18.3 acres at the intersection of state Route 202 and Northeast 145th Street. The 480,000-sf development would be one of the first to combine production wineries, retail, commercial and residential uses. The tentative groundbreaking date is early 2005, with completion slated for early 2006.MJR principal Mike McClure tells GlobeSt.com that the project trumps the company’s previous plans for a winery-focused development on four acres adjacent to Columbia Winery. “The larger parcel allows us to accommodate more wineries,” says McClure, explaining that he already has letters of intent from four wineries for which MJR will negotiate individual build-to-suit-to-sale agreements. The irregular site will include five stand-alone winery buildings on one portion of the property and a residential-over-retail development on the remainder. The five winery buildings will total about 50,000 sf. The rest of the project will consist of 140,000 sf of retail, including restaurants, beneath about 270,000 sf of residential, most likely condominiums, says McClure.The equity investors in the project include two MJR principals, founder Michael Raskin and McClure, and Arthur Rubinfeld, founder of the Seattle-based retail advisory firm Airvision. McClure says MJR will submit plans to the Woodinville City Council in September. As part of the application, McClure says MJR will be requesting a zoning overlay for the residential piece.The project would be the larger of two retail developments trying to capitalize on the two million annual visitors who come to experience Woodinville’s 14 wineries. Further along in the approval process is a 5.3-acre open-air restaurant, office and retail complex by Silver Lake Winery in partnership with NWCV Associates of Woodinville. To be called the Northwest Wine and Culinary Village, the $20-million project is scheduled to open sometime in 2005 one-half mile north of the city’s two most popular wineries, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery.The north end of the development will be a 21,000-sf building that will house Silver Lake’s corporate offices, a winemaking facility and a tasting room. The rest of the complex will be leased to restaurants and retailers. Kirkland’s First Western Properties has the leasing assignment. A groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for the spring.