Our city is on the cusp of stewarding in the largest project in downtown to date. While I have not been a fan of the scale of the proposed Parkplace, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am at the lack of design to the proposed plans. These are nothing like the developer paraded in front of citizens as he tried to get buy-in to the project that is larger than anything built in Kirkland to date. These building lack the architectural interests and variations promised to avoid the “block” appearance. They look like uninspired institutional buildings and would be completely out of scope and scale and appearance with the rest of downtown. They might fit into Northgate in Seattle, the other mixed used development Touchstone has done, but they will look positively horrid in Kirkland. Where are the inviting plazas and step backs, the plants and awnings. These are positively uninviting, cold and borderline hostile. I plead with you to hold the developer to his promises. I noticed they took the drawings they propagated last year off of their Web site — I can see why as there is no resemblance.
As the Design Review Board considers the impact such buildings will have on our park and pedestrian experience, we as citizen’s have an opportunity to add our concerns I believe citizens would have been outraged had this been the plan Mr. Howe and his cohorts lauded out at public meetings last fall. This is horrible and shows a complete lack of respect to our citizens and our design integrity, let alone his obvious lack of concern about what is best for Kirkland … clearly, it seems he is only concerned in maximizing the space and choosing what is best for him and his investors.
All along in this process Mr. Howe has refused to negotiate, meet or even consider the concerns of the citizen’s group opposed to the scale of his design. He bullied them and the city, posturing and threatening to sue or walk. When all is said and done, he will walk and Kirkland will be left holding the bag on an ugly scar that will forever mar our city.
Kirkland is worthy of better design than this. One that reflects our downtown and the geography. What we have now is better than what is being proposed here. As citizen’s we need to urge the DRB to send Mr. Howe and his designers back to the drawing board and ask for something closer to the promised plan—with step backs, open space, architecturally pleasing materials and a design that considered our park and town. The future of our town depends on it.
Cami Keyes, Kirkland
