Two Big Housing Projects Set For Liberty Lake

The Liberty Lake area is the site of two separate development projects that together would bring close to 1,600 residential units and 270 acres of commercial and light industrial development to the area.

Highlands Plaza, which has already received the county’s stamp of approval and is about to enter construction phase, will be located on the site once proposed for the Cafaro mall, south of Interstate 90 and west of Liberty Lake Road.

Liberty Lake Meadows, still in the planning stages, will be located south of I-90 and north of the easternmost section of the MeadowWood development. The project requires some rezoning.

Highlands Plaza, much of which is soon to be renamed Liberty Lake Commerce Park, received county approval in October. Bill Rademaker, a member of Seattle’s Boeing family, is the developer.

F.J. Dullanty, who represents Rademaker, said the project should be under way this spring.

The 198-acre commercial and industrial park, which is being marketed by Tom Quigley of Kiemle & Hagood, is zoned for neighborhood and community businesses as well as light industry. That area of the project will involve the extension of Country Vista Lane which will be used as the park’s main arterial.

The residential portion of the project will be called Highlands and involves 640 single-family lots planned for 581 acres. Approved by the county a year ago, it is expected to cost $28 million. It will include homes in several price ranges, said brokerage owner Bryan Walker.

Dullanty wouldn’t put a dollar amount on the entire project.

The project is expected to be finished in phases over 15 years.

The second project, Liberty Lake Meadows is owned by the Kennett Partnership, which includes developer Bob Tomlinson.

The developers have requested a rezone of approximately 240 acres in the 300 acre-project, said county planner Francine Shaw. The land is currently zoned I-2 for light industrial-type uses.

The commercial portion of the project will be contained to 29 lots on 75 acres.

Approximately 500 single-family homes, 32 duplexes and five separate parcels for apartments are planned, said Shaw. The multi-family lots could add more than 500 apartments to the area.

“We hope it’s the kind of project that will assist people to live, work and play in the same area,” said James Craven, the attorney representing Kennett Partnership.

The project is outside the urban growth boundaries recently set by county commissioners. But because the project’s initial application was submitted before the boundaries were approved, it will not be governed by them, Craven said.

, DataTimes