It’s been a long two years since the beginning of the pandemic, and after years of remote work, online shopping and at-home entertainment, people are ready to get out again. For downtown Bellevue in particular, the return to the office heralds a fresh start for local retailers, restaurants and arts spaces; now, they just need to figure out where to put everyone.
The city is seeing explosive growth thanks to investment from large tech companies like Amazon and Meta. Currently, more than 16 million square feet of commercial office space is being developed downtown; the project stages range from planning, construction, or near completion, spanning between now and 2035.