Business - Business News

POSTED: Wednesday, Dec. 03, 2008

Meridian Street shopping center will house United Furniture, Starbucks

Each week, The Bellingham Herald takes a look at an ongoing construction project in Whatcom County. This week: A new shopping center on Meridian Street.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Crews are working on grading the parking lot area for a new 42,888-square-foot retail center going in on the corner of Meridian Street and Stuart Road. The center, which has been under construction since February, will house the Canada-based United Furniture Warehouse and a few more tenants, said Douglas Landsem, architect who helped design the site plans.

The shell of a new Starbucks is also under way on site. Starbucks, which will have a drive-thru, will be located in its own building, separate from the main L-shaped structure where United Furniture will be.

The larger building will be painted beige with a dark gray trim and fitted metal canopies that will hang over the storefronts.

Landsem said the center's location is ideal for shoppers battling the traffic congestion of Meridian Street's retail hub.

"There's a stop light already right there, so it's easy for people to pull in here and then get back out on the Guide. It's a good corner," he said.

WHO IS DOING THE WORK?

Gert Christensen of Keystone Construction is the contractor on the project; Douglas Landsem Architect designed the plans.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

About $3.5 million.

SCHEDULED COMPLETION DATE?

End of January or early February 2009.

WHAT IS NOTEWORTHY ABOUT THE PROJECT?

Landscaping sets the shopping center apart from many of its Meridian Street counterparts. A little less than half of the 184,000-square-foot property will be devoted to wetlands or natural buffers planted with native trees and shrubs, Landsem said.

The west end of the property will be entirely set aside for wetlands, and a 25-foot strip will buffer the north side of the retail center.

To manage the center's runoff, crews installed two detention tanks underneath the parking lot and a rain garden on the site.