Person Behind the Place: Cindy Ju

Person Behind The Place: Cindy Ju

Acquisitions & Development | Hines

For Cindy Ju, real estate wasn't the starting point - it was the destination. Her background in finance coupled with her passion for city-building became an introduction to the pivotal relationship between thoughtful planning and positive community impact. 

At Hines, Ju's current focus is a major mixed-use development that will thoughtfully bridge the city's residential and urban spaces. Her efforts reflect a deep commitment to not just creating high quality projects, but to shaping Downtown Bellevue's landscape to be accessible and enjoyable for all.

 

How have your past professional experiences led you to your current role? 

I had more of an indirect path to real estate. I started out in the investment banking/hedge fund world in a pretty traditional finance position. I then spent some time interning with city government in places like San Jose and Detroit, working in public finance or economic development, and issuing bonds for governments to build schools, airports, parks, and other things like that. So even though my career was initially very conventional, I started to wonder after a while whether there was a way to combine my passion for investing with my love for urban development.

When I decided to pursue that avenue, I went back to business school and discovered that real estate is a career path that combines both investing and urban development in a challenging, fun way. I really wanted to land somewhere where I had a lot of respect for the people, ethics, goals, and values of the company, and that led me to Hines. We’re the kind of company that walks the walk in terms of hiring the best people who will do right by their investors and clients.

Tell me a little bit more about your role and what you've accomplished since you've been at Hines. 

Right now, I’m primarily spending my time on a one and a half million square feet mixed-use project right in the heart of Downtown Bellevue. We’ve taken this project through four years of entitlements, and it's been a big accomplishment to take a really complicated site and work with designers, engineers, and the city to bring a complex development to such an important area of Bellevue. 

It’s in an interesting location, situated between the single family residential zoning to the south and the heart of Downtown. So, it can be really difficult to navigate the role of this project in its potential to bridge the gap between single family housing and the urban core. We've designed the project in a way so it pays homage to all of these different neighborhoods and stakeholders. There will be a multifamily, commercial, and public space component. The work has been difficult but incredibly rewarding.

How do you stay involved with the Downtown community? 

I’m on the BDA board, which is a great way to stay involved. There are so many different stakeholders – from local business owners to fellow developers to just folks who have been around or grown up in the community. It’s great to be around so many people who really care about the future growth of Bellevue -- who are invested in things like infrastructure, bike lanes, and mass transit. 

I’m also an avid consumer in the community! I love going to KidsQuest Children's Museum with my niece, walking around Bellevue Downtown Park, dining at Old Main, and getting Molly Moon’s. 

What are your passions outside of work? 

I care a lot about affordable housing. I serve on the board of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation Development Authority (SCIDPDA) in an effort to create more housing for people to live, breathe, and work, particularly in vulnerable areas like the CID. Even though it is still tangentially related to what I do for work, I feel an obligation as a member of the community to help make housing accessible across a spectrum of socioeconomic levels.

Above all, my biggest passion is my family. I love watching my son grow and learn new things each day, and parenthood has been our greatest joy. We also love the outdoors -- hiking, skiing, and being outside.

How do you envision the future of Downtown Bellevue?

I think Bellevue has so much potential, especially with the way business leaders, municipalities, and organizations like the BDA work together toward a common goal. It’s very powerful to have all sides engaging in open dialogue and communication, pushing the boundaries to make Bellevue work for all types of people. I'm really excited about the future of the Grand Connection and the light rail, and we'll definitely see even more people wanting to live on the Eastside.

The emphasis on public safety and cleanliness also ensures that employers and families will choose to be here. As long as Bellevue stays attractive to these large employers, the more people will be drawn in.  Even throughout the pandemic, Bellevue has done really well as a city, which is a testament to the businesses, schools, and public parks that are clean, safe, and appealing. I'm pretty excited to see Bellevue exponentially grow in the coming years in terms of attracting people, talent, and companies. 

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Person Behind The Place is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.