Issaquah’s only locally owned newspaper
THE ISSAQUAH PRESS
117th Year, No. 36
issaquahpress.com
Thursday, September 8, 2016
1,800-home project finds few fans in the Highlands The High Street Collection would require rezoning to become reality By Lizz Giordano lgiordano@isspress.com
Since the annexation of Providence Point in 2003, a road project to improve safety for both motorist and pedestrians at the entrance to the community has been on the books. According to Deputy City Administrator Emily Moon, a lack of funding has prevented the plan from proceeding. “We have been sitting here and waiting,” said Patrick Rooney, community manager at Providence Point. Over 1,400 members live in
the adult community, which has two campuses stretching across Southeast 43rd Way. Rooney said crossing the busy street can be a challenge for residents, especially so close to a blind curve. The proposed safety improvement project at Providence Point, one of four projects in the $50 million transportation bond on the Nov. 8 ballot, would signalize the intersection and align the offset entrances. The project is estimated to cost $5.8 million. Currently, vehicles accessing the north Providence Point campus enter and exit on separate
streets. Offset to the west from this intersection, a single road leads in and out of the south campus. The proposed plan would create one intersection, with a traffic signal and crosswalks, so all cars to either campus, would enter and exit from the same spot on 43rd. According to Transportation Manager Kurt Seeman, the project is 90-95 percent ready, but since the project was designed several years ago, a review is See INTERSECTION, Page 5
“I’m not really into the screaming trumpets. I like the beautiful sounds of classical music.” -Natalie Dungey
Spotlight shines brightly on teen virtuoso By David Hayes dhayes@isspress.com With school now back in session, many teachers ask their students to share how they spent their summer vacation. Natalie Dungey can list, among her other activities, sitting in to perform with a world-famous crooner. When American singer, songwriter and producer Josh Groban brought his international tour to Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Aug. 23, he was looking for a young local trumpeter to feature. So he asked professional violinist Winnie Dungey, who performed with him in the past as part of her experience with the Seattle Symphony and Fifth Avenue Theatre, if her daughter Natalie might be interested. “I said, ‘Oh, yeah. I’m definitely interested,’ ” Natalie said, a See VIRTUOSO, Page 12
Greg Farrar / gfarrar@isspress.com
Natalie Dungey was a featured soloist at Josh Groban’s Aug. 23 concert at Chateau Ste. Michelle.
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10th NE
This story is the first in a four-part series highlighting each of the transportation projects that make up the $50 million bond on the Nov. 8 ballot.
By Lizz Giordano lgiordano@isspress.com
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VOTE 2016
Third NE
Providence Point residents want intersection makeover
9th NE
Scott Stoddard / sstoddard@isspress.com
The Providence Point project would include aligning the entrances to the community, which has two campuses stretching across Southeast 43rd.
After two open houses hosted by a developer wanting to add 1,800 homes and over 300,000 square feet of commercial space to the Highlands, many residents still aren’t convinced the project is keeping with the vision of the community. High Street Collection property The developer, Shelter rk NE High Holdings, is Pa E N proposing a large-scale mixed-use project, nicknamed NE Ellis the High Street Collection, ry NE Dis c ove N along Ninth Avenue Northeast and Northeast Swedish Discovery Issaquah Drive. Sources: Esri, DeLorme, IPC, NAVTEQ, NRCan Approximately 30 residents gathered Aug. 29 at Blakely Hall for a community meeting organized by Highlands residents Chelsea Musick and Stacy Goodman, giving residents a chance to discuss the project without the developer present. Goodman is the current president of the Issaquah City Council. The organizers of the meeting stressed the project is still in the beginning stages and the developer has not yet applied for any permits with the city. The L-shaped piece of land, formerly owned by Microsoft, is currently zoned for commercial use. Only three housing entitlements exist for 22-acre property. If Shelter Holdings does go forward with its See HIGHLANDS, Page 2
Tibbetts Beach reopens after norovirus scare By Christina Corrales-Toy ccorrales-toy@isspress.com Tibbetts Beach at Lake Sammamish State Park reopened Sept. 2 after more than a dozen children reported getting sick there. Up to 15 children became ill with vomiting and diarrhea within 24 hours of going into the water Aug. 26. After conducting several tests last week, public health officials determined that there’s no ongoing risk of illness associated with swimming in the lake, according to King County’s Public Health Insider blog. “Based on their symptoms, the timing between when they swam and became ill, and the duration of illness, we suspect that the likely cause was norovirus,” health department officials wrote in a statement. Noroviruses are common and contagious. A person with a norovirus infection may feel sick with diarrhea and vomiting for days, but the illness is not usually serious. Norovirus leaves the body through the stool and vomit of infected persons and is easily spread from one person to another. Public Health — Seattle and King County reminds people not to swim in a public venue when you have a diarrheal illness. Officials temporarily closed the beach “out of an abundance of caution” Aug. 29. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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