SHORELINE, Wash. – August 27, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Design-build real estate developer Opus Northwest, L.L.C. together with architectural partner LMN Architects, today announced completion of the first phase of the City of Shoreline’s $33 million, 67,000-square-foot City Hall and Civic Center, and the turnover of the city hall building.
The second phase of this government campus will be completed at the end of the year with the opening of the garage and public plaza, designed as the central gathering place for the community. The municipal real estate development project is expected to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification.
At the outset of this public-private partnership, Opus Northwest and the City of Shoreline agreed upon a strong, collaborative, management team approach.
“The combination of design-build, build-to-suit and lease-to-own methods ensured a focus on the guiding principles we developed with the community, while limiting our exposure to potential cost overruns for our new City Hall,” said Bob Olander, city manager for Shoreline, which incorporated in 1995. “I am pleased to say it more than meets the city’s smart-design intent, and demonstrates our commitment to customer service, transparency and accessibility for the entire community.”
To strengthen Shoreline’s sense of identity, designers created a council chamber with doors that open onto a plaza and outdoor amphitheater, a water feature and the stunning, four-story dogwood mural “Lime Light” by local artist Linda Beaumont.
“It is a special opportunity to be a part of creating a new front door and living room for a city. With Shoreline, our team worked passionately with citizens, constituents and community leaders to develop the vision and design that culminated in the creation of a municipal real estate project with a great sense of place and a clear statement about sustainability,” said PJ Santos, senior real estate director for Opus Northwest.
The commitment to green building resulted in a design that’s as educational as it is sustainable, and features a path called “The Shoreline Sustainability Stroll.”
“The idea for the Shoreline Sustainability Stroll came from our shared belief that changing paradigms and educating the community — especially young people — on the possibilities of green development is as important as achieving a LEED accreditation,” said Jesus Sanchez, Shoreline project manager. “This educational pathway is something to be proud of, and we hope others will follow this creative example in their projects. It’s just the kind of change we all need to implement to reduce our environmental footprint.”
The “stroll” will guide visitors through the project with interpretative signs that disseminate the sustainable elements of the project including rain gardens, a green roof topping the council chamber, solar shades, electric car charging stations, photovoltaic panels and pervious concrete sidewalks and bioswales.
Opus Northwest’s success with other cities and public agencies includes the award-winning mixed-use waterfront development, Bremerton Harborside, developed in conjunction with the City of Bremerton, Wash.; Harborview Medical Center’s Patricia Bracelin Steel Memorial Building located at 401 Broadway in Seattle; the 300,000-square-foot regional headquarters for the Environmental Protection Agency in Denver; as well as the Kitsap Credit Union Headquarters Building in Bremerton. These buildings all received the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association’s award for office development of the year in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Shoreline City Hall and Civic Center Project Team
- Developer: Opus Northwest L.L.C., of Bellevue
- General Contractor: Opus NW Contractors, L.L.C., of Bellevue
- Architect: LMN Architects of Seattle
- Landscape Design: Karen Kiest Landscape Architects of Seattle
- Structural Engineer: CKC Structural Engineers of Bellevue, WA
- LEED Consultant: ArchEcology of Seattle
- Soils Engineer: Terra Associates of Kirkland
- Environmental Consultant: URS Corporation of Seattle
- Plumbing and HVAC: MacDonald Miller of Seattle
- Electrical: Valley Electric of Seattle
- Lighting: Studio Lumen of Seattle
OPUS NORTHWEST, L.L.C.
Opus Northwest, L.L.C is a full-service design-build development firm serving the northwestern region of the United States. The company has offices in Minneapolis, Denver, Kansas City, Portland, Seattle, and St. Louis. With in-house expertise in office, industrial, retail, multifamily, government, and institutional projects, Opus Northwest has developed more than 84.8 million square feet of space. Committed to creating great real estate, Opus Northwest implements best practices in sustainable design and construction to maximize building performance and reduce environmental impact. For more information, visit www.opuscorp.com.
Media Contact:Nate Cole-Daum
(206) 323-3733
Opus Contact: PJ Santos
(425) 467-2722
