The future of the Parkplace neighborhood was changed forever on Dec. 16, 2008. On that date, Touchstone’s application to radically transform the Parkplace Shopping Center was approved by the Kirkland City Council.

As a result of the council’s action, approximately 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use office, retail and hotel space will eventually be constructed on the site. With buildings at eight stories and others at five, it will be substantially taller than any of its immediate neighbors.

When completed, it will – as many have observed – compare to projects in downtown Bellevue in its scale and height.

The Touchstone approval is yet another confirmation that the fundamental nature of downtown Kirkland is changing. Single story mom-and-pop storefronts, the most unique and endearing feature of our downtown, are gradually giving way to multi-story mixed-use developments.

While the recession will slow the pace of change – perhaps for an extended period – zoning code changes over the next few years will gradually (and inevitably) lead to the redevelopment of most of Kirkland’s downtown. In short, the future Kirkland will be more densely built and populated than it is today.

Articles and blog posts bemoaning this transition have understandably increased with the approval of Touchstone’s proposal. As an architect and volunteer member of the City’s Design Review Board (DRB), I too lament the change in Kirkland’s small and intimately-scaled downtown. However, as with all change, we have a choice; we can expend all of our energy struggling against it, or, we can embrace it and seize the opportunities that are presented to shape it to our advantage.

Despite the project’s scale, it presents us with the opportunity to add exciting and compelling new public space and amenities to the downtown area. It will be big, yes, but it needn’t emulate Bellevue’s narrow canyons of corporate steel and glass.

With the council’s approval of Touchstone’s proposal, the die has been unalterably cast. It will eventually be redeveloped. As citizens, our challenge will be to convert this opportunity into a net-positive for Kirkland.

It’s imperative now that we turn our attention to working with Touchstone to shape the project in a way that is sympathetic and responsive to our community. Although it is true that the era of intimate single-story shops is ending, we needn’t surrender the things we love about the current Kirkland – even when new development replaces old.

Since the council’s approval last December, the DRB has held several public hearings with Touchstone to review the details of their proposal. Due to the size of the project, hearings will continue throughout the remainder of this year and into 2010.

The DRB review process is still in its early stages and can only benefit from meaningful public input. I encourage the community to bring their thoughts and ideas to the conversation.

James E. Truhan serves on the City of Kirkland Design Review Board. For DRB agendas, visit www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/Planning/DRB_Meeting_Information.htm