The allure of downtown Bellevue is undeniable. Sparkling high rises against the city skyline, glamorous restaurants, decadent shops, and easy access to work and play make moving to the city a tempting option for many local suburban and country dwellers.
At least, the Ferguson’s thought so.
“As empty nesters, we were looking for an opportunity to downsize and upscale at the same time,” says Scott Ferguson, a retired Microsoft employee from Woodinville, whose townhouse purchase at Washington Square closed last month. “We thought we might give urban life a try for the first time in our lives.”
But for these suburbanites, maintaining the space and privacy of a traditional home was a must –a tough bill to fit for homebuyers eager to move to a densely populated, vertically expanding neighborhood like downtown Bellevue.
In a land flush with condos and apartments, Washington Square is the only high-rise project in downtown Bellevue to offer multi-level, street-entrance townhomes with the amenities and convenience of a condominium. Each townhouse offers a private two-car garage with extra storage, a personal garage-to-residence elevator, and spacious garden patios providing ample outdoor living space.
“After seeing [the private garages and personal elevators] and the quality of the townhomes, we knew where we would end up,” says the Ferguson’s agent, Mike Sampson with John L. Scott Bellevue.
Ranging from 1,700 to over 3,400 square feet, each townhouse also features a private second-story balcony, gourmet kitchen with Viking appliances, a walk-in master closet and gas fireplace.
“They are unique in their offering of square footage -who doesn’t want extra room to roam?” says Cherie Lang, Associate Broker at Windermere Bellevue and owner of the BellevueBlock.com website. “Their kitchens are stunning with classic, yet state of the art, layouts and appliances. Some even have double islands!”
Unlike the identical houses lining many planned residential projects, the townhouses at Washington Square are each unique, varying greatly in layout, design, color scheme and proportion.
For the Ferguson’s, keeping the design and individuality of a traditional home while gaining the convenience and easy upkeep of condo living made for an appealing option.
“Things like [Washington Square’s] common amenities and doing away with yard maintenance were also positive factors,” Ferguson says.
At Washington Square, both condo and townhouse owners enjoy the exclusive resident fitness center, spa, massage and stretching rooms, grand hotel-style lobbies, and 24-hour concierge or night doorman services. Building and ground maintenance are taken care of by the community’s Homeowner Association.
“We have really enjoyed the convenience of living in a townhome,” says Brian MacDonald, a Washington Square resident who owns a townhome with his wife, Suchada. The big difference for us is the ability to walk to work and services and live amongst all the restaurants, shopping, and cinema.”
Nestled in the heart of downtown Bellevue, Washington Square is just a couple blocks away from popular destinations like Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, the Bellevue Arts Museum, several corporate headquarters, and the new Microsoft offices.
“Townhome living provides the conveniences and amenities of living in a downtown environment surrounded by shops and restaurants,” says Doug Sonnenberg, a sales executive at Washington Square. “Bellevue has highly rated schools and is recognized regionally as a safe environment, which makes it very appealing to families.”
Only 26 of these unique townhomes were constructed at Washington Square. Since the project opened in 2008, Washington Square’s sales team has sold nearly 60 percent of their total inventory, placing them as the highest selling condominium in downtown Bellevue.
With 218 closed homes, Washington Square recently turned the Homeowner Association over to the project’s residents, a substantial milestone in the progress and stability of a condominium project.
For the Ferguson’s, the stable growth of the project was only another reason their search landed them at Washington Square.
“We looked at many regular condo suites at Washington Square and elsewhere,” says Ferguson, “The townhomes at Washington Square offered us the unique combination of the spacious feel of a traditional home with the location and ambiance that is intimately Bellevue.”
Popularity: 3% [?]
