Redmond Town Center is a mixed-use development and shopping center located in downtown Redmond, Washington. Owned and managed by Fairbourne Properties, Redmond Town Center has more than 110 shops, restaurants, lodging, and entertainment venues in an outdoor environment. It opened in 1997 on the site of a defunct municipal golf course along the north side of State Route 520.
DRA Advisors and JSH acquired the retail component of the Redmond Town Center in 2013, shortly after Shorenstein Properties bought the office portion, which is occupied by Microsoft and AT&T. In late 2019, the retail portion was sold to Fairbourne Properties.
History
The site was formerly Redmond Golf Links, an 18 hole golf course that opened in 1932. In 1978, Winmar, a real estate company owned by Safeco Insurance. Winmar eventually closed the 120-acre property, and planned to develop the site into a mixed-use shopping mall. The project, named Maingate, was planned to include 1,350,000 square feet (125,000 m2 ) of retail space, along with office spaces, 160 residential units, and 25-30 acres of open space.
This project was met with controversy of Redmond residents, as them and candidates running for City Council said that the project would've made it harder for people to walk around the city and feared that Redmond would become more of an automotive city than a walkable city. The mayor allegedly rezoned the property without any processes or public hearings with the rest of the City Council.
In 1988, the city conditionally approved the project. Four department stores, Mervyn's, Frederick & Nelson, The Bon Marché, and JCPenney were signed to be major tenants of Maingate and planning continued for the project, with a construction date announced.
By 1992, Frederick & Nelson went out of business due to bankruptcy and the owner of Bon Marché, Federated Department Stores, briefly went bankrupt. These two events made the project go on a downward spiral that led to the demise of the project.
However, also in 1992, the City of Redmond accepted another project on the same site by the same developer, Winmar. Redmond Town Center, which would've included a mixed-use town center that was similar to Maingate, but it was an outdoor center and it only had one department store. It included a decreased retail space, a walkable town center, hotels, and offices, and residential spaces This project was received more positively by residents and the City Council.
Groundbreaking for the development in 1995, with historical buildings being kept intact while everything else in the site was demolished.
Redmond Town Center eventually opened. The complex had two floors on the retail section, both directing to stores and dining. The development included 674,287 square feet (65,000 m2 ) of retail space, numerous office buildings, two hotels being owned by Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Residence Inn by Marriott, and The Bon Marché, Zany Brainy, REI, Larry's Market, Borders, Todai, and Cineplex Odeon as major anchors. Office spaces were leased by Microsoft, AT&T Wireless Services, and other tenants.
The development was built in stages, with the town center, offices, and hotels being built before the Bon Marché, as construction was officially finished by 2003. There were three strip malls connected to the development, Creekside Crossing along Redmond Way, a different center featuring Larry's, Cost Plus World Market, and Big 5 Sporting Goods, and a center including Zany Brainy, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other retail tenants.
After three year of opening, Zany Brainy shuttered from bankruptcy and FAO Schwarz dissolving the company in December 2003. Months after closing, Petco announced that they were moving into the former space in 2004 from Bear Creek Village, a shopping center nearby, to Redmond Town Center. It later opened in 2004 in its new space.
In 2005, as The Bon Marché was acquired by Macy's, the tenant was converted into Macy's. In 2008, Larry's Market shuttered as Haggen's bought the tenant, and briefly converted it into a Top Food & Drug in 2008 that closed in 2010. In 2013, the tenant was converted into a 24 Hour Fitness. In 2011, as a result of the company going bankrupt, Borders closed all their locations, including the Redmond location. It was left vacant until 2016, when it was divided into multiple tenants, with one being a Ducati dealership independently owned, a T-Mobile store opening, and an office building on the second floor location.
During 2010, Todai, a Japanese buffet, closed down due to unknown reason. In August of 2011, Haiku, another Japanese buffet. opened up on its former space.