Belcarra in Downtown Bellevue.
BRE Properties’ six-story, 296-home apartment block on NE 10th Street, opened in October 2009 on a former Cadillac parking lot and leased today by Essex — a mid-rise with a two-story gym, a dog park and a street-retail base on 106th, next door to the Ashton.
Belcarra is the six-story apartment block at 10688 NE 10th St, filling the north side of NE 10th Street between 106th and 108th Avenues NE, next door to the Ashton on the quieter north side of downtown Bellevue, a short walk from Bellevue Square. BRE Properties built it on what had been Cadillac’s overflow parking lot and opened it in October 2009 with 296 homes; Essex, which merged with BRE in 2014, leases it today as studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms. Shared space is the draw: a two-story fitness center and yoga studio, a clubroom with a chef-inspired kitchen, a resident lounge and shared workspace, outdoor lounges with firepits and grills, and a dog park. The ground floor on 106th Ave NE, addressed 1032 106th, is street retail.
DBN was there when the lot was fenced off in July 2007, reporting BRE’s plan for a six-story complex of about 320 homes over 15,000 square feet of shops, and counted its crane among the 18 over Bellevue in March 2008. By January 2010 the building had opened with 296 homes and was a third occupied; DBN toured the clubroom, the two-story gym and the outdoor fireplaces, and noted the energy-efficient windows and dual-flush toilets. The retail base filled in over the next two years — Via Vita Café & Wine Bar in November 2010, MIKI HOUSE’s first standalone U.S. boutique that December, Yuan Spa in 2011 — and in 2024 DBN reported that the planned Brizo tower on 108th will extend a through-block walkway past Belcarra and the Ashton toward NE 12th.
It suits a renter who wants a walkable mid-rise with real amenity space rather than a high-rise address, on a block where the Collection and the library district are both on foot. See how it compares in our guide to every downtown Bellevue apartment building.
Homes & Amenities at Belcarra
A mid-rise that puts its money into shared space: two floors of gym, a clubroom, a workspace and a dog park.
Studios, One- and Two-Bedrooms
296 homes across six stories, per DBN’s 2010 opening story. Essex lists quartz counters, wood-style floors, stainless appliances, in-home laundry, a patio or balcony, keyless entry and smart thermostats, with features varying by plan.
Two-Story Fitness Center & Yoga Studio
The two-story gym DBN noted at opening is still on the amenity list, now alongside a dedicated yoga studio.
Clubroom, Resident Lounge & Shared Workspace
A clubroom with a chef-inspired kitchen, a resident lounge built around an oversized TV, and a shared workspace for the work-from-home days.
Firepits, Grills & a Dog Park
Outdoor lounges with a fireplace and firepits, barbecue grills, a community courtyard and an on-site dog park.
Storefronts on 106th Ave NE
About 15,000 square feet of street retail addressed 1032 106th Ave NE, which DBN has followed from a European-style cafe and wine bar to a Japanese children’s boutique and a string of fitness studios.
Belcarra Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is Belcarra’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
Bre – Belcarra Apartments
DBN reported that the former Cadillac overflow lot at 1032 106th Ave NE had been fenced off for BRE Properties’ six-story Belcarra, with more than 15,000 square feet of retail planned.
18 Cranes Up in Bellevue
Belcarra was one of the construction sites on the city’s list of 18 cranes over Bellevue, alongside The Bravern, Bellevue Towers and TEN20.
Belcarra Apartment Complex Makes Home to Residents
Open since late October 2009 and already a third occupied, the 296-home complex showed off its clubroom, two-story gym, outdoor fireplaces and green-building details.
Via Vita Café & Wine Bar Now Open
A cafe and wine bar designed like an Italian piazza opened in Belcarra’s base at 1032 106th Ave NE, pouring European wines and scooping handmade gelato.
MIKI HOUSE Opens in Downtown Bellevue
The Osaka children’s fashion brand chose Belcarra’s retail base for its first standalone boutique in the United States.
8-Story Residential Tower Receives Design Review Approval
The planned Brizo tower on 108th Ave NE will extend a through-block walkway toward NE 12th, giving easier foot access to Belcarra and the Ashton.
Browse all Belcarra coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting Around & Living Here
NE 10th and 106th is a residential stretch a few blocks north of the shopping core; the notes below are for prospective renters and visitors.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: Residents park in the building garage; Essex lists assigned garage, compact and motorcycle spaces for rent, with additional parking first-come, first-served and availability not guaranteed. No guest-parking policy is published; visitors use street parking on NE 10th and 106th or the nearby Collection garages.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then north on 110th Ave NE and west along NE 10th Street to 106th — see our light rail guide
- On foot: The residential entrance is on NE 10th; the storefronts face 106th Ave NE. The Ashton is next door to the east, McCormick Park is just north toward NE 12th, and Bellevue Square and Bellevue Place are a few blocks southwest along 106th and Bellevue Way.
What It’s Like
NE 10th between 106th and 108th is a block of mid-rise and high-rise apartments rather than offices, so it runs calmer than NE 8th, with traffic building toward Bellevue Way. At six stories Belcarra looks up at its taller neighbors rather than out over the city, and its courtyard and dog park face inward. It suits renters who walk to jobs in the core, want a dog park and a real gym on site, and prefer a mid-rise to a tower.
What’s Nearby
The closest DBN-profiled stops: Black Bottle west on NE 10th at Bellevue Way, Paris Baguette a block east, on 108th just south of NE 10th, or Nordstrom at Bellevue Square, a few blocks southwest.
Good to Know
Pets: Essex lists Belcarra as pet friendly and it has an on-site dog park; confirm current limits with the leasing office. Essex backs its leases with a 30-day move-in satisfaction guarantee, and the building is smoke-free. Addresses vary: homes and the leasing office use 10688 NE 10th St, while the shops use 1032 106th Ave NE. Essex also runs Ellington at Bellevue on NE 11th and Courtyard Off Main in Old Bellevue.
Belcarra FAQ
Where is Belcarra in Bellevue?
At 10688 NE 10th St, on the north side of NE 10th Street between 106th and 108th Avenues NE, next door to the Ashton on the north side of downtown Bellevue. Its storefronts face 106th Ave NE at 1032 106th. Bellevue Square is a short walk southwest, and Bellevue Downtown light-rail station is to the southeast at NE 6th and 110th.
How many homes are in Belcarra, and when was it built?
296 homes on six stories, per DBN’s January 2010 opening story. BRE Properties broke ground in 2007, opened the building at the end of October 2009 and finished it in early 2010; Essex, which merged with BRE in 2014, leases it today. As of September 2026 Essex lists studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms.
What amenities does Belcarra have?
As of September 2026 Essex lists a two-story fitness center, a yoga studio, a clubroom with a chef-inspired kitchen, a resident lounge, a shared workspace, outdoor lounges with a fireplace and firepits, barbecue grills, a courtyard, a dog park, controlled access and on-site retail. Homes have in-home laundry, quartz counters, stainless appliances and smart-home features, varying by plan.
Where do residents park at Belcarra?
In the building’s garage. Essex lists assigned garage spaces, compact spaces and motorcycle spaces for rent, with any additional parking handled first-come, first-served; availability is not guaranteed, so ask the leasing office. No guest-parking policy is published.
Does Belcarra allow pets, and how do you tour?
Essex lists Belcarra as pet friendly and the community has its own dog park; ask the leasing office for current pet limits. Tours are self-guided by appointment, booked through Essex, and virtual tours are online. The leasing office number is (425) 454-5300.