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Part 1 of 5: New malls set to open in 1973 touted as ‘total living environment, walking community’ BY MATT PHELPS AND CARRIE WOOD Kirkland Reporter
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the lawsuit between them, the decline of the site and the economic impact to the city and residents and what might lay ahead for one of the most important pieces of real estate in Kirkland. This week we will explore the history of a mall that was originally called Totem Lake Center.
he Totem Lake Center was touted as completely modern and the only air-conditioned and all-weather climate controlled malls on the Eastside when it opened in 1973. Built in a style reminiscent of a Native American longhouse, the malls featured Totem Lake Center had a hand-carved benches and a huge impact on Kirklanders’ Native American motif that lives. It even had an impact drew shoppers from all over on the small lake that rests a the Eastside. stone’s throw to the south“It was very exciting,” said east, which is blocked from Bill Woods, who was Kirkview by a line of trees on Toland’s Mayor from 1969-73. tem Lake Boulevard during “We were convinced it was the summer and businesses going to be successful.” on the north side of Woods said that it was such “I am very excited N.E. 124th Street. “I tell everyone a hub for the about the new who will listen, community that center and hope some of the older it will regenerate Totem Lake was generation, 20 or traffic back to the named Lake Wit30 a day, would Eastside. This will tenmyer ...,” said Kirkland Heritage meet at the malls do the Kirkland Society President to walk around businessmen good, Loita Hawkinson. and visit with some housekeeping The lake was named each other: “It needs to be done. after Walt Witbecame a gatherWe welcome you to tenmyer, a former ing place.” Kirkland.” logger and city clerk But the difKirkland Mayor Bill in Kirkland. “It ferences from Woods, 1972 did have an Indian opening day name before that until now are but I do not know stark. it.” Many Kirkland residents In Kirkland’s earliest days have asked why Totem Lake the lake and surrounding Malls, as it is known today, continues to struggle while wetlands became part of other Eastside developlocal lore. Hawkinson said ments have thrived such the lake’s name was changed as Redmond Town Center, a third time in 1964 to Lake Woodinville Town Center, Watstine, but the reason is Crossroads Mall and Belunclear. Mudd Lake was a levue Square. nickname that stuck until the The Reporter will publish construction of the mall. a five part series on the site Jerry Rutherford lived that was once the pride of near Mudd Lake in the Kirkland. The series will in1950s. She said in an clude what is going on now, interview with the Kirkland a look at the two owners and Heritage Society, published
A lake unseen
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Elephants, camels, Zebras and other animals occupy the upper mall parking lot of Totem Lake Malls for a circus during 1982. The current Chevron and Fred Meyer can be seen in the background. COURTESY JOHN FLESHMAN
A photo of the inside of the mall during its first year. EASTSIDE JOURNAL PHOTO
The first buildings in Totem Lake Malls had a Native American motif. EASTSIDE JOURNAL PHOTO
The first Totem Lake Mall sign is hoisted into place near the lower mall and fit the Native American theme. EASTSIDE JOURNAL PHOTO
in the January 2009 newsletter, how children were kept away from the lake by telling them the bodies of all the people that fell out of boats were on the bottom. The name was officially changed when developers did not want to build near
“Mudd Lake.”
Developing the center The mall was the second phase of a large project proposed in 1968 that consisted of the construction
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of Evergreen Medical Park, which included the current hospital and some apartment complexes. “Totem Lake Center is a new concept. It’s a total living environment,” the president of the Puget Sound Land Company, John Stuart, told the Eastside
Journal newspaper in 1972. The PSLC was the original owner of the land and the $3 million development. “We hope, eventually, one can bike or walk to all these facilities. They’ll all be in one place.” The 220,000-square-foot [ more HISTORY page 11 ]
Windermere Real Estate/Central, Inc.