After its General Contractor filed for bankruptcy in January, developer Chun Lai Hospitality halted construction on Spring Plaza, adjacent the new Hampton Inn on Snoqualmie Ridge.
In May Chun Lai Hospitality CFO Jim Gilbert said the company had hired a new general contractor and thought construction would re-start in June, but the hiring of that contractor fell through and the project sat unfinished and idle much of the summer, surrounded by chain link fencing.
But there is some good news it seems. Hampton Inn General Manager Yvonne Gilbert said a new general contractor for Spring Plaza was finally hired in August and work is commencing on the project that many Snoqualmie residents have described as an ‘eyesore.’
Gilbert said the contractor is hoping to finish the building by the end of October. As of Friday morning, September 6th, crews were bringing in landscaping for the exterior. The building was about 80% complete when work came to a halt in January.
Once the interior and exterior are finished, built-out on the coffee shop slated to occupy one of the main floor retail spaces will happen.
The new coffee company is called America’s Best Coffee and run by the daughter the Hampton Inn and Spring Plaza owner. She owns four other coffee shops called Honor Coffee in Bellevue, Seattle and Federal Way. The new coffee shop is expected to have food options and will also do coffee roasting on site. No opening date has been set yet, though.
Gilbert said there is no word on what businesses might be leasing the other first floor retail space(s). The upstairs office space will be occupied by Chun Lai Hospitality. The owner, Mr. Hou, also owns Mountain Meadows Farm in North Bend.
Comments
Talking about jobs seems there is more work to be done around here than there are workers to do it!
It is an eyesore. The removal of those trees and the construction of that complex should not have been approved in the first place. Now it has sat unfinished for almost two years.
I personally love the hotel and plaza and everyone in my neighborhood speaks highly of it as well. Not sure why anyone would consider it an eyesore once complete. The handful of condos that currently have a view of it will soon have TREES growing up that will block the view of the parkway entirely. Also, I believe the Plaza seating area will be one of the most popular spots in town once finished. If it had been built out as a warehouse or another bland office building than I would understand the logic. And those sacred trees would of been cut done with whatever development was to happen. I would even estimate more trees are now growing on the site than what had been previously living there. If you won’t proof take a look at the aerial satellite shot on google which still shows the vacant lot. It was definitely an eyesore of a vacant lot based on that view. Development in any City is tough and relaxing codes is common and bumps along the way are normal operating procedure. Why aren’t we discussing the eyesores found along Railroad Ave? The City really needs to start making these locations clean up their act…. (FYI, the City comment is sarcasm)