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Placemaking Award Honorees

The BDA Placemaking Award recognizes individuals and organizations that make Downtown Bellevue a more vibrant urban environment.

2024

  • John Schoettler

2022

  • Mary's Place

2020

  • City of Bellevue | Meydenbauer Bay Park (Phase I)

2019

  • Cultural Vitality: John Su, Su Development for SOMA Towers
  • John Boespflug City Builder: Stacy Graven

2018

  • City of Bellevue | Rotary Club of Bellevue for Downtown Park “Complete the Circle” and Inspiration Playground
  • Kemper Development Company for Lincoln Square South

2017

  • Community Treasure: KidsQuest Children’s Museum, move and opening in Downtown
  • Community Treasure: Bellevue Boys & Girls Club, opening of new clubhouse

2014

  • Cultural Treasure: Eastside Heritage Center
  • Distinguished Community Service: Dr. Don Davidson

2013

  • Arts Champion: Mary Pat Byrne
  • Community Treasure: Bellevue Botanical Garden Society
  • Opening of the Year: Bake’s Place
  • Commute Champion: HNTB
  • Groundbreaking of the Year: Su Development
  • Cultural Catalyst: The Bellevue Collection
  • Leadership: Leslie Lloyd

2012

  • Community Treasure: Bellevue LifeSpring and Bellevue Rotary Club
  • Commute Champion: CH2M HILL
  • Deal of the Year: East Link Project Memorandum of Understanding, Sound Transit and City of Bellevue
  • Opening of the Year: Bellevue Braids Project, Washington State Department of Transportation
  • Place Maker of 2011: Visit Bellevue Washington
  • Leadership: Grant Degginger

2011

  • Residential Development: Avalon Towers Bellevue
  • Cultural Catalyst: Tateuchi Center Campaign
  • Move of the Year: Bungie to Bellevue
  • Opening of the Year: Seattle Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center
  • Commute Champion: Tetra Tech INCA
  • John Boespflug City Builder: Matt Terry

2010

  • Placemaking Award: The Bravern 
  • Hotel Expansion: Hyatt Regency Bellevue 
  • Downtown Employer: Microsoft Corporation
  • Office Development: City Center Plaza 
  • Skyline Award: elementsToo 
  • Residential Development: TEN20 
  • Commute Champion: Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Bellevue 
  • Community Service: YWCA Angeline's Eastside Women's Center & The Sophia Way 
  • BDA Champion & Leadership Recognition: Jill Ostrem 

2009

  • Civic Partner of the Year: Bellevue Parks & Community Services Department
  • Community Treasure: Bellevue Regional Library
  • Commute Champion: Symetra Financial
  • Lease of the Year: Microsoft Lease at City Center Plaza
  • Move of the Year: Expedia
  • Skyline Award: Bellevue Towers
  • John Boespflug City Builder: Suzanne Baugh

2008

  • Lease of the Year:  Microsoft at Bravern and Advanta 
  • Street of the Year:  Main Street 
  • Community Treasure:  Overlake Hospital and Medical Center 
  • Placemaker: The Meydenbauer Center
  • Commute Champion: PACCAR Inc
  • John Boespflug City Builder: John Valaas

2007

  • Community Treasure: Bellevue City Hall 
  • Gutsy Move of the Year: The Parlor Billiards & Spirits
  • Public Official of the Year: Ron Kessack, City of Bellevue Transportation Department
  • Tradition Builder: Group Health for the Group Health Ice Arena
  • Deal of the Year: Microsoft at Lincoln Square
  • Leadership: Peter Horvitz, Horvitz Newspapers
  • Corporate Citizenship: Symetra Financial

2006

  • Place Maker: Kemper Development Company for The Bellevue Collection
  • Community Builder: Bellevue Farmers Market
  • Transaction of the Year: Schnitzer Northwest, LLC, for Civica Office Commons
  • Tradition Builder: Jennifer Leavitt, Kemper Development Company, for Snowflake Lane
  • Phoenix Award: Stu Vander Hoek and the Vander Hoek Corporation
  • Business of the Year: PACCAR, Inc. 
  • Deal of the Year: Eddie Bauer Tower Lease with Ron Smith, Kemper Development Company; Jim Kinerk, The Broderick Group; Mark Borison, Eddie Bauer; and Patricia Loveall, GVA Kidder Mathews

2005

  • Deal of the Year: Symetra Financial Lease (Symetra & Equity Office)
  • Leadership: Mayor Connie Marshall
  • Groundbreaking Development of the Year: OHMC/Group Health Joint Venture
  • Downtown Steward Award: Charrette Steering Committee
  • Skyline Maker: Gerry Gerron
  • Tradition Builder: City of Bellevue Parks Department
  • Community Treasure: Eastside Heritage Center
  • BDA Booster: Joan Wallace
  • John Boespflug City Builder: Kemper Freeman, Jr.

2004

  • Deal Maker of the Year: Kemper Freeman, Jr.
  • Leadership: Suzanne Baugh
  • Community Treasure: Meydenbauer Convention Center
  • Gutsy Move of the Year: Rick Collette and the BAM Board of Directors
  • Miracle of the Year: Access Downtown Construction Management Team
  • Transaction of the Year: First Mutual Bank
  • Tradition Builder: Eastside Historical Center
  • John Boespflug City Builder: All Past BDA Chairs

2003

  • Deal Maker of the Year: Lisa Rowe, Bentall Capital
  • Community Treasure: Bellevue Art Museum
  • Tradition Builder: Wells Fargo Bank
  • Miracle of the Year: City of Bellevue’s Access Downtown Team
  • Gutsy Move of the Year: Chef John Howie
  • Leadership: City of Bellevue City Hall Team
  • Place Maker of the Year: CollinsWoerman & Streetworks
  • DIP Purple Heart Award: Stu Vander Hoek
  • John Boespflug City Builder: Bob Wallace

2002

  • Livability: John Su
  • Vitality: Kemper Freeman, Jr & Kemper Development
  • John Boespflug City Builder: H. Jon Runstad & John Nordby

2001

  • John Boespflug City Builder: David Schooler

2000

  • John Boespflug City Builder: Kirk Mathewson