In November 2024, Pinnacle International Development submitted a design review application for the Pinnacle Bellevue South project, located at 10116 NE 8th Street and 10112 NE 10th Street in Bellevue. This mixed-use residential development is planned to consist of eight buildings ranging from 14 to 26 stories, covering approximately 1,675,346 square feet of residential area and 88,267 square feet of retail space.
If approved, the project will provide a total of 2,114 residential units, with 2,012 units designated as market-rate housing and 102 units designated as affordable housing for low-income residents earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
The development will also include a significant parking structure, providing 2,223 parking stalls across multiple levels, with parking available at both the ground level and three below-grade levels.
However, this major development is not without its controversies. The project is set to replace existing businesses, including the QFC grocery store and Bartell Drugs, both of which will be demolished to make way for the new buildings.
Pinnacle International reportedly paid $145 million for the two properties, which are located on a 265,200 square foot site at the intersection of NE 8th Street and 102nd Avenue NE, in the central Northwest Village District, just east of downtown Bellevue.
A Master Development Plan is currently under review to support the project’s design and zoning requests, with construction expected to begin around 2027 and occupancy by 2030.
Growing Concerns Among Bellevue Residents
While the project holds the potential to bring necessary housing to the region, many residents are expressing significant concerns over its scale, impact on local infrastructure, and the lack of sufficient public input. The Pinnacle Bellevue South development is one of the largest projects of its kind in Bellevue’s history, and its proposed size and scope have ignited fears about the potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods.
Residents in the surrounding areas, particularly those who were involved in earlier stages of the project, feel that they have not been adequately informed or consulted. Many residents who registered as “parties of record” in 2021—when earlier applications for these parcels were filed—report that they were not notified of updates to the project, including new permit applications.
City staff have stated that this is due to the complex nature of the development, with separate applications for different components of the same tax parcels, but residents have found this explanation confusing.
Key Resident Concerns:
Impact on Local Neighborhoods and Livability:
A central issue for residents is the scale and design of the project, particularly the 14-story building proposed for the western side of the property. Residents worry that the size and massing of the buildings will have a dramatic effect on the surrounding neighborhoods, particularly in terms of shadowing and privacy.
The development will create a “wall” of buildings that could overwhelm the area, blocking sunlight for several months of the year. There are also concerns about the reflectivity of the buildings’ materials, which could cause increased glare and heat reflection, raising heating and cooling costs for nearby homes.
Traffic and Parking Issues:
The project will add thousands of new residents and hundreds of commercial tenants to the area, exacerbating traffic congestion in downtown Bellevue and potentially increasing cut-through traffic in nearby residential neighborhoods. A key concern is the insufficient number of parking spaces.
Although the project plans to include 2,223 parking stalls, residents are concerned that this may not be enough to meet the demand. They worry it could lead to parking conflicts in nearby neighborhoods with restricted parking zones. Many fear the development will worsen traffic congestion in an already crowded area.
Construction Disruption:
Given the scale of the project, which could take over six years to complete, residents are concerned about the disruption this will cause to their daily lives. From construction noise to the potential for air quality issues from dust, the long construction timeline is expected to affect nearby businesses and residents.
Concerns also include the demolition of existing businesses, like the QFC and Bartell Drugs, which currently serve as community staples.
Inadequate Community Engagement and Transparency:
Several residents have criticized the city’s public engagement process, which they feel has been inadequate. Notifications for public meetings and project updates were limited and inconsistently distributed, leaving many in the dark about the project’s developments.
For example, HOAs such as Bellevue Park Condominiums, Lochleven Community Association, and Vuecrest HOA were not informed about the project, despite being directly impacted by it.
Additionally, some residents who registered as “parties of record” were unaware that their status as stakeholders had lapsed with new applications and permits.
Residents also expressed frustration with the lack of accessible information and miscommunication about key project details, including conflicting information from city staff regarding building heights. These issues have led to calls for greater transparency and for developers to be held accountable for any inaccurate or misleading information.
The Road Ahead: Community Recommendations
In response to these concerns, residents have outlined several recommendations for improving the engagement process and ensuring that the project is completed in a way that benefits all of Bellevue. These include:
- Creating a comprehensive project webpage to consolidate all relevant information and make it easily accessible to the public.
- Reaching out to past parties of record to ensure that all stakeholders are informed about new updates and changes to the project.
- Scheduling additional public meetings and hybrid public hearings to ensure that residents have an opportunity to ask questions and provide input, even if they cannot attend in person.
- Conducting a thorough audit of the application to address inaccuracies, including traffic and shadow studies, and correcting any misinformation provided to the public.
Recently, the City has acted on the recommendations by creating a dedicated webpage with information. However, much of the content still requires filing a public records request to access. While this represents a step toward greater transparency, the lack of widespread community awareness means it has not yet had a significant impact.
Many of these concerns appear to be reactionary and unfounded, given the transparency of the project. I have only recently followed its progress but have found it easy to access relevant information, both online and in physical postings. It seems that much of the opposition stems from a form of NIMBYism—a fear of losing privacy in a neighborhood that values exclusivity. I recall a comment during the design review meeting where a resident dismissed the idea of affordable housing in this area, implying that people of lower socio-economic status should not be welcomed in a community predominantly made up of single-family homes.
While the buildings are taller, it’s important to note that this is Downtown Bellevue, an area already home to high-rise structures. The project also appears to offer ample parking, and it’s worth noting that not all residents may own a car.
I do believe there could be further refinement of the view corridors between buildings to address specific concerns, but overall, this project complies with the City’s existing zoning and codes. Growth, particularly near transit-oriented areas like Downtown, is inevitable, and such development should not be opposed solely because of concerns over views or the socio-economic status of potential residents.
I’d like to stay informed and do what I can to support this Development!
I would like to know Nick’s background. He sounds like residents should not have
a voice. As far as community notices there are few. The properties are purchased, the plans drawn up, submitted, approved, previous buildings demolished, ground is broken and boom a new high rise, or
multiple high rises go up. By the time the Notice of Action sign is up, the project is already in the pipeline.
Maybe too late for neighbors to protest or propose changes.
There simply is no community engagement. But then…there is no major
newspaper and very little interest in opposing anything. I live downtown and
this is the first opposition to any project that I have encountered.
Why so many buildings,why don’t you consider doing a few towers 47-55 story towers like the suburbs of Vancouver b.c.Just spread the buildings in different parts.8 buildings eyesore to much high impact.Go up and spread out!!
Lame dirty hippies complaining about growth.
For anyone supporting the plan, please clarify which neighborhood you are from. What do you feel that everyday you need to spend 20min to go through DT to go to your own home? What do you feel that someone crashed into your car right outside your home? What do you feel when your school doubles the number of kids but no extra resource and space is allocated?
Not to mention that the current high rises are so expensive to maintain after 10 to 20 years. Nowadays $2000 HOA could easily become over $3000 a unit. Who is paying for that? Is the developer going to tear it down if it’s not selling?
I am not against new development, as long as we keep it under control, say 10% or 20% more residents. Not the 10X. Thousands more people? Are you kidding?
For any city council who supports the current plan, we the people are voting you out.
Brandon, one of the “lame dirty hippies” you reference in a 98 year old grandmother who has lived in VueCrest for over 50 years.
Thank you for writing this article. We could use more media to spread the word.
Apparently, folks like Nick, 1) Don’t live in one of the impacted neighborhoods, 2) Don’t have children in one of the 8 impacted elementary schools that feeds Chinook Middle School and/or doesn’t have children going to Sacred Heart Catholic School or Bellevue Christian School. 3) Don’t know that neighborhoods directly impacted have NOT been notified of public meetings or changes to the development. 4) Don’t shop at QFC, Bartells, or Bellevue Square. Because if he did, he would realize that the roads surrounding the 15 tower development (Yes, Pinnacle will be a total of 15 towers) are one lane each way. There are no plans to expand the roads. I suggest that Nick and city staff drive around the area during school rush hour and the Christmas shopping season. One last note: Affordable housing can be added to the development without building a 14 story tower just outside of the existing neighborhoods. The conversation should not be, “We need affordable housing, and therefore, the tower closest to the existing neighborhoods will be 14 stories high. Blocking sunlight and privacy for old neighborhoods.” The conversation should be, “We need affordable housing, so can please have a conversation about how to provide for one group without harming another.” This is exactly why it’s important to be transparent and let folks know what’s happening. When the city doesn’t notify impacted neighborhoods, it’s extremely harmful for relationships. Neighbors begin to loose faith in their elected officials. When city staff tell neighbors, “This meeting will not be on the record, and we will not have another meeting.” That dramatically harms relationships with neighbors. (BTW: I’m referring to a meeting that happened without the city staff notifying neighbors. Word of mouth is how we learned about the meeting.). When city staff tell neighbors that their traffic study with the 15 new towers (Yes, Pinnacle Development will be a total of 15 towers) did not show a significant increase in traffic, neighbors don’t believe them. Again, seriously injuring relationships. Unfortunately, the City of Bellevue has seriously lost its way. Putting the interests of developers ahead of existing neighborhoods. Existing neighborhoods should be considered part of the process not part of the problem. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Unfortunately, we aren’t given that opportunity via the City of Bellevue.
I’m concerned about losing two essential amenities: QFC and Bartell Drug. As a downtown resident and senior who no longer drives, I shop at these locations frequently and have come to depend upon them for the important services they provide. However, I haven’t seen anything in this article or elsewhere that says whether these two businesses are going to relocate and, if so, where. Are we going to permanently lose them? If someone is privy to any reliable information, please post what you know.
Did the article really need to give so much real estate to bog standard NIMBY pabulum? Surely there were proponents who welcomed new neighbors, walkable development, and cheaper homes?
I am concerned about congestion. I am a resident in the Clyde Hill area and my son goes to a school on other side of 405 highway. Every morning around 8:20am and every afternoon around 4pm, I need to drive by the QFC store. The street is very narrow and it is the only street that I can use to go through the downtown area to the school.
This project will greatly increase the traffic on the narrow street, creating a choking point for the traffic. My daily routine will be significantly impacted. I would no longer be able to send my son to school on time and would like to spend much more time on the commute, causing great stress on me and my son.
I would strongly request the Bellevue City Council to modify the plan and allow the community more time to reach a consensus.
I an also concerned about the temporary code changes that allow the construction of high rises in certain areas. If those code changes are made applicable to the Pinnacle project and the adjacent area, then it would cause a significant contrast with the residential area of single family homes. There is no transition or buffer zone between the Pinnacle project and Clyde Hill single family residentials. A lot of problems such as congestion, parking, crowd, and safety issues will arise, which will interfere with the quiet enjoyment of the residents in the neighboring area.
I would suggest the city council revise the plan and respect the residents desire and right to enjoy their home and their quality of life.
So many good points here. The loss of QFC/Bellevue, the wild idea that we should be creating more traffic and congestion when the way it’s set-up now isn’t working, and the crime and issues we will be bringing into the surrounding neighborhood. Us residents who have been here 20+ years aren’t afraid of change-look around-but this particular project makes no sense. They don’t even have the full lot! Are they going to build a high raise with those condos next door?