In late 2009, we provided notice of Sound Transit's plans to bring their rail system to our community. At that time we recommended the B7 alignment, positioned adjacent to I-405 as the best alternative. The study of B7 continues to be advanced and is the 'official' position of the City of Bellevue, supported by our neighbors of Surrey Downs, among others, including ourselves as the least intrusive and best alternative for our community.

Despite this near March in this year, Sound Transit advanced six options as their Preferred Alignments to bring the train into Bellevue. These options now on the front burner of Sound Transit's agenda, begin north of I-90 and move north on Bellevue Way onto 112th Ave. SE - in front of the Bellevue Club - into Bellevue crossing at Main Street. These options, in a period of public review, conclude this process with a final public workshop July 7th, 2010 in Bellevue City Hall. For those who wish to support the value of your membership we encourage you to attend this workshop and express your support. On July 22nd the Board of Sound Transit will select among the options provided a Preferred Alignment's to advance as their solution.

Of the options provided only those on the west side of 112th Ave SE protect the value of your membership and the Club. These are Options 2 and 6. Avoiding the property of the Bellevue Club is essential to preserve the use and enjoyment of it. This impact is substantial. Furthermore, the western alignment has the least impact to the street of 112th Ave SE and avoids disruption of other essential commercial interests. Unfortunately, two residences of Surrey Downs are adjacent the street on 112th Ave SE and these would be impacted as well as condos in the Carriage Place Condominiums, but the silver lining of the western alignment would be a green belt extension of Surrey Down's Park not utilized by the requirements of the train.

Unfortunately, the other Alignment Options 1, 3, 5 (center street alignments) and 4 (eastern alignment - on Club property), on 112th Ave SE, have a devastating impact to the value of your membership and your Club.

The impacts of the center and eastern alignments cannot be mitigated and permanently affect the use of the Club. Commencing with a construction period estimated beyond two years, excavation of 22,000 SF of green belt 635 feet long removes the west side of the property. The character of the our garden setting is blighted beginning with the removal of thirty year old pines on 112th Ave SE. More troubling is the loss of outdoor recreation areas, four tennis courts, pool decks, garden decks, water elements and patios all positioned most favorably on the west side of our property.

In short, our front yard becomes a side yard, buttressed by a retaining wall that on average is ten to twelve feet high. This same structure will be twelve feet from the western edge of our outdoor pool and thirteen feet from our new athletic building. Standing as a poignant reminder this wall eliminates two tennis courts on the south west side of the property. Under Option 4, the train traverses our property in an open trench that can be viewed from from our facilities and creates a second retaining wall.

Obviously, we cannot recapture that which was taken away. To provide for you some magnitude as to the consequences of these impacts, we engaged professional expertise to reconstruct resources that would be removed. Ignoring the disruption and risk of construction the estimates we have are $26 million and we fear more. Furthermore, the on-going value of the property could be impacted in the area of $20 million more. We believe Sound Transit ignores these costs in any estimates they provide.

None of those on 112th Ave SE embrace the intrusion of this train. Those north of Main Street have insisted this be put into a tunnel. The western alignment as it passes Surrey Downs would impact only two homes which is less than 1% of that neighborhood. As to the Carriage Place Condominiums north of Surrey Downs, from discussions we have had we feel, if appropriately compensated, would welcome selling.

Are their adjustments to the present options that would support the interest of all more fully? We think so. If the train passed the Bellevue Club on the west and it was not desirable to continue on that side, allow the line to move to a center or eastern alignment. This could cross at grade at Main and move to 2nd Street. As a cut and cover, the train could cross under Main and neither the east or west side of 112th Ave SE would in the end be impacted. We strongly advocate supporting as much as possible a win-win for all, as this may be possible.

The Bellevue Club that commenced thirty years ago is your community neighborhood. This unique resource that cannot be duplicated serves 5,000 memberships or 16,000 members from every eastside community and over 50 percent of these are in Bellevue. We are the largest neighborhood and unlike any other resource uniquely serve these communities. A loss of this will not only impact those whom it serves but the community at large.

We ask for your support of our position for a western alignment and for B7. Please confirm this by clicking the button below, or sign our petition located the Athletic Services Desk and Concierge Desk at the Bellevue Club. As expressed above B7 protects the interest of all most effectively and in lieu of this a western alignment protects the value of your membership and the Club.

Click here to show your support for the WEST SIDE alignment options.