Police Blotter
Police reports from Issaquah PD Page 5
Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
WWW.ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
Arts
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015
Citizens ask for more on skate park
WE ARE 12SAQUAH
‘Around the World in 80 Days’ a madcap laugh riot Page 6
BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Sports
Eagles throttle Knights in KingCo matchup Page 7
Daniel Nash, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter
Issaquah High School students gathered on the mall outside Eagles Stadium on Jan. 23 to rally for the Seattle Seahawks’ upcoming Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots.
Seahawks Pride
The Eagles band played and appearances were made by Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler, Issy the Eagle and even the legendary Sasquatch.
You submitted your Seahawks pride pics; now see them in print Page 8
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Making an official proclamation, in which students shouted each instance of the word “whereas” in unison with the mayor, Butler declared the city would change its name to “12saquah” on Feb. 1 to show solidarity with the team.
Sammamish Park Place sells to Talon for $128.25 million BY DANIEL NASH
ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Vulcan Real Estate announced Jan. 22 it had sold its Issaquah-based Sammamish Park Place office park to Talon Private Capital for $128.25 million. The 20-acre three-building park is home to divisions of Microsoft and Costco, the latter of which began its lease in August. The office park is fully occupied by the two companies. The sale will trade off a strong and steady income stream from the companies’ rents for an immediate boost to Seattle-based Vulcan’s capital coffers. That money will go toward new investment projects, said Ada M. Healey, the Vulcan Inc’s vice president of real estate. “Sammamish Park Place has been an excellent
investment for us with strong credit tenants and good cash flow,” Healey said. “As we rebalance our portfolio, we are raising capital for new investment opportunities around the region.” Responding to an inquiry from the Reporter, a spokesperson for Vulcan said the company could not share details of planned investments. But a forwarded response from Healey said investments would include ground-up development and the purchase of land and value added assets in the greater Seattle metro area. “We are targeting higher risk/reward investments on a go-forward basis,” Healey said. Talon Private Capital is a Seattle-based real estate investment firm with interests in commercial properties nationwide. The Sammamish SEE SALE, 2
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Work is anticipated to begin later this year on a new city skate park in Tibbetts Valley Park, relocating and replacing a former skate park that had become bogged down by maintenance issues and criminal activity. The former park, easily concealed by the trees and hills, is east of the Issaquah Community Center. The new park is all but confirmed to be a slimmed down version of the design presented to the public in summer 2014, a situation that has some skate park advocates from the Issaquah Drug Free Community
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Iss. Chamber chief resigns Matthew Bott takes job with Sound Transit, leaves behind legacy of public engagement The Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bott had resigned to become the East King County government and community MATTHEW BOTT affairs officer for Sound Transit. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve the chamber and the Issaquah community over the past six years and have appreciated the chance to work with so many talented and dedicated individuals,” Bott said. “I look forward to staying closely involved with the Issaquah community in my new role.” Bott took the reins of the Issaquah Chamber in Feb. 2009, on the heels of the SEE BOTT, 2
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