What's Happening

Chronic absenteeism affects schools across the nation. Here, on the Eastside, more than 4,300 students in the Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts were “chronically absent,” in 2017. Aligning our community organizations, businesses and resources around this work can make a difference. It can make a difference in employee satisfaction, in the lives of children and youth, and eventually for economic development.

Evidence of light rail coming soon to the Eastside is hard to miss in Bellevue, as construction comes more together, with a bridge crossing I-405 and carrying on behind Whole Foods. But how are things looking beneath the surface? The Bellevue Downtown Association is excited to share Sound Transit’s Loyal to Local contest. Seven lucky winners and a friend will win a private group tour of the tunnel in Fall 2018.

Nothing says 'summer' quite like sipping a fruity cocktail, grabbing a beer, or sharing a pitcher of sangria while sitting on a patio soaking up the afternoon rays during happy hour. When it comes to combining drinks, bites, and great patios, Downtown Bellevue has many options to choose from. 

From Friday July 27 to Sunday July 29, over 600 vendors will showcase their work at three different art fairs in Downtown Bellevue. Keep reading for more information about each fair, and details about what to bring, how to get here, and how to avoid road closures. We hope to see you there! 

Bellevue and our region continue to make huge progress on projects to improve access and travel times. However, this progress also means a busy summer construction season and some delays. For anyone looking for a quick guide to the longer-term construction-related closure in and around Downtown Bellevue, look no further! 

If you haven't noticed the construction for Sound Transit's East Link light rail around Downtown Bellevue...you probably haven't been spending that much time in Downtown Bellevue. But, did you know that the tunnel is more than 90% complete?

Are you an owner of a business that is looking for ways to cut your costs and to do more for the environment? Maybe you want to make a difference but have no idea where to start. If so, EnviroStars might be the program for you. 

Yesterday morning at our June BDA Breakfast, our expert panel gave us an inside look at market trends driving real estate decisions in and around Downtown Bellevue. Read our recap of the event for more details.

Our annual Four on the 4th Dog Jog & Walk is just around the corner and this is the perfect opportunity to talk about a sometimes hairy, always smelly issue....dog poop!

Supporting local charities, participating in community events, and volunteering time and resources fosters a healthier, happier neighborhood environment. After all, this is the place your business—and likely your family—calls home. Making an effort to connect locally also builds goodwill that can translate to more paying customers.

Whether or not you're an avid bike rider, you might have noticed some fresh paint on 108th Avenue NE. If you're wondering 'what's happening,' look no further! Starting June 10, the City of Bellevue began installation of a protected bike lane - the Demonstration Bikeway - along 108th Avenue NE.

The Bellevue Downtown Association is thrilled to welcome six new members this month, and one member under new ownership! The BDA supports over 260 members through advocacy, member events and marketing. Thank you to our loyal BDA members!

The Eastside Baby Corner Diaper Derby ended last week with SAP Concur crushing the competition. True to her word, Hansman got her head shaved this morning at EBC...and SAP Concur President Mike Eberhard was the one who did it! 

This Independence Day, dogs of all sizes and breeds will be flocking to Downtown Bellevue for the 6th annual Bellevue Four on the 4th Dog Jog & Walk, to kick off the Fourth of July and to show their support for local animal shelter Seattle Humane.

We had a chance to sit down with Camilla Carper and Janelle Abbott, the genius behind AMPM (2.0) – an exhibit which opened at the Bellevue Arts Museum last week. Learn more about these creative geniuses (who work together by mailing garments back and forth between Seattle and Los Angeles).

The Bellevue Four on the 4th Dog Jog & Walk is looking for this year’s Grand Doggie Marshal to join us for this furrtastic Independence Day celebration benefiting Seattle Humane in Bellevue. 

Did you know that the Bellevue School District is set to open a brand new elementary school just outside the heart of Downtown? The District is on schedule to open its 18th elementary school - Wilburton Elementary - this August.

We hear many of our families saying they want to move to Bellevue specifically – not Seattle, but Bellevue – and we need to rise to meet their needs. Yesterday morning at our May BDA Breakfast, our expert panel led the discussion and explored links between business, kids and building amazing places to play, learn and grow up.

The countdown for the 11th annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival has begun, with only one week until the event kicks off! Over 40 live free and ticketed performances will be happening throughout downtown Bellevue May 30 – June 3.

Whether you’ve known it or not, you have likely heard the work of Dr. Lonnie Smith. Hailed as a “Legend” and a “Living Music Icon” is he an authentic master and guru of the Hammond B-3 organ for over five decades, and has been featured on over seventy albums. Learn more about this legendary Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival headliner!

The Bellevue Downtown Association is thrilled to welcome 5 new members this month! Interested in becoming a new member? Learn more or contact us! 

The BDA offers its congratulations to incoming Bellevue Fire Chief Jerome 'Jay' Hagen and to the City of Bellevue! 

Deva Mahal is one of the artists headlining this year's Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival. Growing from her blues roots, Deva Mahal crosses generational boundaries with a blend of modern R&B, indie-pop, soul rock and gospel - learn more about this incredible talent before you see her perform live!

Embracing, celebrating, and protecting our diversity is incredibly important. To this end, if you've ever wondered what you or your place of work can do to be an ally, you should check out the Bellevue Police Department's "Safe Place" Initiative. 

Today is the first day of May - while today might be "May Day" for some of you, for us, it's the start of Bike Everywhere Month! The sun is starting to shine and we're starting to see more bikers around - why not join their ranks and see what all the fuss is about? 

Yesterday morning, at the April BDA Breakfast, we were joined by Bellevue Mayor John Chelminiak and Deputy Mayor Lynne Robinson who shared insights into the strategic plans for Bellevue's future. The Breakfast was divided into two segments - a State of the City address by the Mayor and a follow-up Q&A period with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Read our recap now!

Downtown Bellevue has endless options for both work and play. If you're looking for some of the best ways to entertain yourself "after hours," read on! 

The Bellevue Downtown Association is thrilled to welcome 4 new members this month! Interested in becoming a new member? Learn more or contact us! ​​​​​​​

Mayor John Chelminiak and Deputy Mayor Lynne Robinson will share insights into the strategic plans for Bellevue's future. They'll dive into the state of the city and explore the city's approach to advancing Bellevue as a global destination. 

In case you weren't already aware, a few months ago The Bellevue Collection released a new free app - Collection Eats - which serves as a directory/search for all the food spots within their locations. I was intrigued by the concept of a Bellevue collection specific food app and decided to check it out. Read on for some of the elements I enjoyed and to see pictures of what the app looks like! 

Why Bellevue? This was the focus of our March BDA Breakfast featuring Vulcan Real Estate. Read on for more insight into Vulcan's history in this area and its planned expansion to the Eastside. 

The Bellevue Downtown Association made the first step in its advocacy work on the Wilburton land use code update. Initiated by the BDA Land Use and Livability Committee, members convened to review Wilburton Draft Environmental Impact Statement and submitted a letter representing member feedback. Click the link to read the letter and learn more about Wilburton.

The BDA is thrilled to welcome four new members in March!

With adventures in the great outdoors come sprains, strains, broken bones, pneumonia, and more. While this shouldn't discourage you from enjoying the best of our region, it’s always a great idea to be prepared. 

"When you're sitting in your car complaining about traffic, remember - you are traffic." There are so many great reasons to take public transit - learn more about them!

Grab a drinking buddy, brush off your suspenders and come on out to Downtown Bellevue where the Guinness is flowing and the company is good.

It's almost that time of year where the birds start to sing, the flowers start to push out of the ground, love is in the air, but most importantly, it's the time where us deprived Northwest dwellers look at the first glimpses of sunshine, pull out our flip flops and take to the parks.

The Bellevue Downtown Association put together a program which would help attendees learn from the best about what it takes to attract and to retain talent. The panel, moderated by James Whitfield, President and CEO of Leadership Eastside, featured BDA Members recognized among the 2018 Best Places to Work on glassdoor.com.

The Bellevue Downtown Association is thrilled to welcome 9 new members this month! Learn more about who they are and why we're so excited they've joined our membership.

"Why can't I get that table?"
"I had a reservation. Why do I have to wait?"
"How much should I tip?"

Read on for restaurant etiquette rules, tricks for getting a table, etc...written from the perspective of an industry insider. Be warned: once your eyes are opened, you can't go back!

During the winter, it’s very easy to turn the heat up, stoke the fire, and forget all about being sustainable. Here are some small lifestyle changes that will help you start living a more conscious lifestyle. 

However you identify in the context of 'PNW Coffee Lover,' we've come up with the best coffee options in Downtown Bellevue for you. 

Tateuchi Center, which breaks ground this year and will have its grand opening in 2021, will feature a 2,000-seat Concert Hall, presenting nationally and internationally acclaimed music, theatre, and dance.

Last night, over 500 business and civic leaders gathered together at Meydenbauer Center at our 44th Annual Celebration. We joined together in celebration of Downtown Bellevue and the incredible growth and accomplishments we've seen over this past year. It was wonderful to have so many Downtown Bellevue 'movers and shakers' in one place. Please enjoy this recap of last night's program. 

The City of Bellevue conducts a biennial survey of local businesses to get a grasp of the current economic situation of businesses in Bellevue. We took a look at some of the key highlights from the 2017. Overall, the majority of businesses in Bellevue (69%) feel that the City is headed in the right direction.

The Lincoln South Food Hall seems to the the topic of everyone's conversation these days. Why wouldn't it be, when so many different gourmet lunch options under $10 are available in one place, less than 10 minutes' walk from most places in Downtown Bellevue? We took a look inside, took a look at the menus, and snagged some photos for your viewing pleasure! 

Carpooling app, Scoop, launches in Bellevue on January 29th. The TransManage team recognized this a possible solution to help ease the traffic in downtown.

Featuring traditional and contemporary cultural demonstrations including martial arts, music, dance, and visual arts.

The Transportation Commission on January 11 approved a recommendation to City Council supporting a demonstration bikeway along 108th Ave NE.  Due to time constraints, the Commission postponed its hearing on free-floating bike share to January 25, when they are expected to vote a recommendation to Council. 

The 21st annual Bellevue Magic Season Ice Arena presented by Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card closed for the season Monday, January 15 at Bellevue Downtown Park.