Courtyard Off Main in Downtown Bellevue.
Vander Hoek’s 1990s courtyard building sits half a block south of Main on 102nd Ave SE, just outside the downtown core — 110 one- to three-bedroom homes, now run by Essex, a short walk from Old Main’s restaurants.
Courtyard Off Main is a 110-home apartment building at 136 102nd Ave SE, half a block south of Main Street in Old Bellevue — just outside the Main Street edge of the downtown core, with Main Street’s restaurants around the corner and Downtown Park a block and a half north. Essex Property Trust owns and leases it. The homes run from one-bedrooms (several with dens) to three-bedrooms, with in-home laundry, quartz counters and, depending on the plan, fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and patios or balconies; the King County Assessor puts the average home at close to 1,000 square feet. The building earns its name with a series of courtyards and a barbecue area, and adds a resident lounge, a fitness center and an on-site dog park over a resident garage, with shops at street level. Essex pitches it as a quiet retreat between Old and New Bellevue.
Vander Hoek Corporation, the family-owned Old Bellevue developer behind Main Place and the permits for what became Venn at Main, built it as a mixed-use apartment building: the King County Assessor records it as completed in 1998, and Vander Hoek dates the project to 1999. Essex bought it in 2010. It turns up in DBN’s archive mostly through its storefronts — ZenRock Fitness announced its private training studio for the ground floor in November 2021 and opened in February 2022, and by 2026 that Suite 101 studio was a check-in stop for the Old Bellevue Spring Wine Walk — and in DBN’s 2024 coverage of Vander Hoek’s North of Main, which named this building among the developer’s earlier work.
It suits renters who want space — three-bedroom plans, dens, fireplaces — within a short walk of Old Main, in an older low-key building rather than a new tower; see how it compares in our guide to every downtown Bellevue apartment building.
Homes & Amenities at Courtyard Off Main
Floor plans up to three bedrooms, the courtyards the building is named for, and a dog park — from Essex’s current listing.
One-, Two- and Three-Bedrooms
One-bedrooms (several with dens) through three-bedrooms, with in-home laundry, quartz counters and stainless appliances; fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and patios or balconies vary by plan.
Courtyards & Barbecue Area
The name is literal: a series of courtyards with seating and places to sit out, plus outdoor barbecue grills and dining space.
Resident Lounge & Fitness Center
A resident lounge with an oversized TV viewing area and an on-site fitness center, behind controlled-access entries with elevator service.
On-Site Dog Park
Essex lists the community as pet-friendly and gives dogs their own park on site — with Downtown Park a block and a half north for longer walks.
Street-Level Retail
Ground-floor shops on 102nd, including ZenRock Fitness in Suite 101, the private training studio DBN covered when it opened in 2022.
Courtyard Off Main Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is Courtyard Off Main’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
Boutique Gym Specializing in Personal Training to Open in Downtown Bellevue
ZenRock Fitness announced its second Eastside studio for the building’s street-level retail, around the corner from Main Street on 102nd Avenue SE and a block and a half south of Downtown Park.
New Gym Offering Private Training and Yoga to Hold Grand Opening Feb. 26th
The five-room personal-training and yoga studio opened at 136 102nd Avenue, just off Main Street, beside Medina Optical and Vanity Pham Salon.
Residential Project in Bellevue’s Main Street Planned for Two Phases
Covering Vander Hoek Corporation’s eight-story North of Main project at 103rd and Main, DBN noted the family-owned Old Bellevue developer had earlier built Courtyard Off Main and Main Place.
Old Bellevue Spring Wine Walk Scheduled for Thursday, May 14
ZenRock Fitness, in the building’s Suite 101, served as a check-in and VIP tasting stop for the Old Bellevue Merchants Association’s spring wine walk.
Browse all Courtyard Off Main coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting Around & Living Here
You are just south of the downtown line here, on a side street off Main: Old Bellevue around the corner, Downtown Park a block and a half north.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: Residents park in the building’s garage: Essex says assigned garage spaces may be available to rent, and any additional parking is first-come, first-served, with no guarantee of availability — ask the leasing team before signing. No guest parking is published.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then walk southwest across downtown to Main Street and turn south on 102nd Ave SE (East Main Station, then west along Main Street, is about as far) — see our light rail guide
- On foot: The entrance is on 102nd Ave SE, half a block south of Main. Old Bellevue’s Main Street shops and restaurants start at the corner; Downtown Park is a block and a half north up 102nd, and Bellevue Square is beyond it up Bellevue Way.
What It’s Like
This is a side street rather than a shopping strip: the building sits on 102nd Ave SE rather than on the Main Street strip, and Essex sells the building as a serene retreat between Old and New Bellevue. Its courtyards set it apart from the podium towers to the north, and the Assessor’s average home size is close to 1,000 square feet. It suits people who want Main Street dinners and Downtown Park on foot without living above a busy corner, and households who need a second or third bedroom.
What’s Nearby
You are around the corner from Old Main, so the neighbors are easy: try Monsoon on Main between 102nd and 103rd for Vietnamese, Cantinetta just west on Main for Tuscan plates, or Carmine’s up 102nd at the edge of Downtown Park for family-style Italian.
Good to Know
As of September 2026: pet-friendly with an on-site dog park; tours are self-guided and by appointment only; Essex requires renter’s insurance and publishes its application rules on the community’s Leasing Info page. Watch the address — it is 102nd Ave SE, south of Main, and at least one news listing has printed it as Northeast. The building is just outside the strict downtown core. No income-restricted homes are listed on the official site. DBN does not print rents; Essex’s page shows live availability.
Courtyard Off Main FAQ
Where is Courtyard Off Main in Bellevue?
At 136 102nd Ave SE, about half a block south of Main Street on 102nd Avenue in Old Bellevue — just outside the Main Street edge of the downtown core. Main Street’s restaurants are around the corner, and Downtown Park is a block and a half north. Note the SE: the address is south of Main, not on 102nd Ave NE.
How many apartments are in Courtyard Off Main, and when was it built?
110 homes, per both the King County Assessor and developer Vander Hoek Corporation. The Assessor records the building as completed in 1998 (Vander Hoek dates the project to 1999), and Essex Property Trust has owned it since 2010.
What amenities does Courtyard Off Main have?
As of September 2026 Essex lists a series of courtyards with seating, outdoor barbecue grills and dining space, a resident lounge with an oversized TV viewing area, a fitness center, a dog park, controlled access and an elevator. Homes have in-home laundry and, depending on the plan, fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and patios or balconies.
Is there parking at Courtyard Off Main?
Yes. Essex says assigned garage spaces may be available to rent, with additional parking on a first-come, first-served basis; availability is not guaranteed, so confirm with the leasing team before you sign.
Does Courtyard Off Main allow pets, and how do you tour?
It is a pet-friendly community with an on-site dog park. Tours are self-guided and by appointment only, booked on the Essex community page or by calling (425) 990-8115.