A Bellevue developer plans to tear down Kent’s old Panther Lake Elementary School and put up a shopping center.
The SE Grainger Development Group submitted a permit application to the city of Kent in mid-January to build a shopping center with multiple retail and fast food restaurant uses and possibly self storage, according to city documents. The developer would demolish the school, parking lot and ball fields for the new project at 20831 108th Ave. SE on the East Hill.
The school closed in 2009 when the Kent School District opened a new Panther Lake Elementary School at 10200 SE 216th St. The school district and developer have not yet completed the property sale.
“The potential buyer is doing their own due diligence to insure they are able to secure the permitting they will need to go forward with their plans,” said Chris Loftis, school district spokesman, in an email. “Once that process is complete, we anticipate the sale to close in late spring or early summer.”
A SE Grainger Development Group representative did not return emails or voicemails from the Kent Reporter for more information about the proposal.
According to city documents, the property will be divided into seven parcels. Access to the shopping center will be provided via driveway connections to both Southeast 208th Street and 108th Avenue Southeast.
Although the final tenants have not yet been selected, the developer has indicated two possible development scenarios. The first would include two retail buildings, four fast food drive-thru restaurants and a drug store.
The second option would replace the larger of the two retail buildings with a three-story self storage building. Tenant interest will help determine which option the developer takes.
Founded in 1996, S.E. Grainger Development Group specializes in retail development; identifies sites; negotiates leases with national, regional and local tenants; entitles projects; acquires the properties, contracts and oversees the construction and ultimately holds the developed properties as long-term investments.
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