Downtown Revitalization in Bothell#

Bothell’s downtown transformation is one of the Puget Sound region’s most ambitious suburban-to-urban revitalization stories. Beginning in 2010, the city invested over $150 million in public infrastructure to move a state highway, rebuild its Main Street, and create the conditions for a walkable mixed-use center where strip malls and auto-oriented businesses once stood.

What downtown looks like today#

Downtown Bothell today bears little resemblance to what it looked like in the mid-2000s. Where SR 522 once bisected the city center, a curbless Main Street now hosts outdoor dining, movable bollards, and flex zones that can close to traffic for community events. Mixed-use buildings line Bothell Way NE, bringing over 1,000 housing units and ground-floor retail to what was previously low-density commercial land.

Key landmarks in the revitalized downtown include:

• McMenamins Anderson School – A 1931 junior high school converted into a 72-room hotel, brewery, movie theater, and event complex. Opened in 2015, the nearly five-and-a-half-acre property is the largest McMenamins location in Washington.
• Park at Bothell Landing – A 6-acre park along the Sammamish River featuring an amphitheater, playground, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and the Bothell Historical Museum. The park gained approximately 3 acres when SR 522 was realigned south.
• Bothell City Hall – An 83,000-square-foot civic building that opened in October 2015, consolidating six former city buildings into one. The approximately $46.7 million project, developed by an affiliate of Vulcan Real Estate, anchors the civic core of downtown.
• Main Street – A two-block, curbless shared street with 80 adjustable bollards, 16 flex zones for outdoor dining, and removable barriers that allow the street to convert to a pedestrian plaza for events.

Major residential developments#

The private investment following the public infrastructure has been substantial. MainStreet Property Group alone has developed four mixed-use buildings totaling over 600 units and over 60,000 square feet of retail space. Major developments include:

When fully built out, the city projected downtown revitalization would add 2,000 residential units and 1,600 jobs.

History#

Before the revitalization#

For most of the 20th century, SR 522 (the Bothell Everett Highway) ran directly through downtown Bothell, carrying over 44,000 vehicles per day through the city center. The highway created a barrier between Main Street and the Sammamish River, and the surrounding area was characterized by strip malls, surface parking lots, and auto-oriented businesses.

2006-2009: Planning phase#

Planning for the downtown transformation began in 2006. The city developed a Downtown Subarea Plan adopted in 2009, establishing the framework for the revitalization. The city purchased the former Anderson School for redevelopment in 2009 and sold it to McMenamins in 2010.

2010: Construction begins#

Construction launched on the Bothell Crossroads project, a $55.4 million SR 522 realignment that moved the highway one block south. The new alignment created two travel lanes in each direction with left turn lanes, sidewalks separated from traffic by tree-lined planters, and landscaped medians. Three new intersections at NE 180th Street, 98th Avenue NE, and SR 527 gave pedestrians new connections between downtown and the park.

The project also installed a precast box culvert beneath the new SR 522 alignment for the future re-channeling of Horse Creek, sealed at both ends and filled with streambed gravel so a future contractor could extend it without disrupting the highway.

2011: Bothell Way NE transferred to city#

SR 527 south of I-405 was decommissioned as a state highway and transferred to Bothell, becoming Bothell Way NE. City ownership of this corridor enabled the pedestrian-friendly boulevard redesign and mixed-use development that followed.

2015: City Hall and McMenamins open#

Two anchor projects opened within months of each other. The new Bothell City Hall opened in October 2015, consolidating city departments into a single downtown building. McMenamins Anderson School opened its 72-room hotel, brewery, and entertainment complex in the renovated 1931 school building, designed by Seattle architect Earl W. Morrison in a mix of Georgian, Art Deco, and Zigzag Moderne styles.

2016: Mercantile Building fire#

On July 22, 2016, a major fire at the Mercantile Building damaged or closed over 20 businesses. The state provided $4.7 million in aid for recovery. The fire accelerated changes already underway in downtown’s commercial landscape and ultimately led to the Mercantile redevelopment with 122 apartment homes on Main Street.

2017-2018: Main Street Enhancement#

The $5.9 million Main Street Enhancement Project rebuilt two blocks (approximately 1,000 feet) of Main Street with a curbless shared-street design. Funded by a $4.7 million state grant and a $1.03 million federal FHWA grant plus local funds, the project ran from April 2017 to April 2018. The design features 80 adjustable bollards, 27 parking stalls with flex zones, and the ability to close the street for events.

2019-present: Private development wave#

Mixed-use developments began opening along Bothell Way NE, including Six Oaks, The Junction, and The POP Apartments. The Alexan Main Street, a 369-unit, six-story building at the intersection of Bothell Way NE and SR 522, became the most prominent new development in the area.

How the city managed the revitalization#

Funding strategy#

The city assembled funding from multiple sources over the life of the program, combining federal and state grants, innovative state financing tools, and local funds to reach over $150 million in public investment. Key funding mechanisms included:

• Federal grants – FHWA grants for design and construction of street improvements
• State grants – Including $4.7 million for Main Street recovery after the 2016 fire
• LIFT (Local Infrastructure Financing Tool) – A state program allowing cities to capture a portion of increased tax revenue from redevelopment areas to fund infrastructure
• Brightwater mitigation funds – From King County’s Brightwater Treatment Plant project
• Local funds – City matching funds and bond proceeds

Land assembly#

The city acquired approximately 26 acres of land in the downtown core to enable the transformation. After completing infrastructure, the city sold 20 acres for private development, generating revenue while ensuring developments aligned with the subarea plan’s vision.

The 2009 Downtown Subarea Plan#

The Downtown Subarea Plan and Regulations adopted in 2009 provided the planning framework. It established zoning for mixed-use development, design standards, and infrastructure priorities. The plan is codified in BMC 12.64 and includes a comprehensive plan element, development regulations, and appendices documenting existing conditions and community engagement.

Downtown Subarea Plan Update (in progress)#

The city is now undertaking a Downtown Subarea Plan Update to reflect the substantial changes of the past 15 years. The update will create a new vision for downtown’s buildings, transportation system, public spaces, and economy for the next 20 years. The project launched in early 2025, with community engagement running through 2026. The next step is community “envisioning the future” activities. Follow the project on Engage Bothell for updates.

Data sources#

• City of Bothell Community Development – Permits, planning documents, and development regulations
• Downtown Subarea Plan & Regulations – The 2009 plan and current update information
• Engage Bothell – Community engagement portal for the Downtown Subarea Plan Update
• Imagine Bothell Comprehensive Plan – The 2024 comprehensive plan that guides citywide growth

Key statistics#

Related resources#

• Glossary: Housing & Zoning – ADUs, middle housing, upzoning definitions
• Glossary: Land Use – Comprehensive plan, subarea plan, SEPA terminology
• Glossary: Funding & Policy – LIFT, TIF, MFTE, and other funding tools
• Timeline – Key events in Bothell’s urban development history
• The Urbanist: Ambitious Planning and a Decade of Growth Are Transforming Downtown Bothell – In-depth 2022 feature article

Last updated: February 2026