The City of Burien, in partnership with Merrill Gardens, Pillar Properties and Legacy Partners, celebrated the groundbreaking of the remaining phases of Burien Town Square at a June 25 event. Construction began on May 29 on the Merrill Gardens senior living community and is expected to be complete by late in the summer of 2016. Construction is also getting underway at the market rate apartments on the site. Legacy Partners and Pillar Properties are partnering on the development of both properties and Pillar Properties will manage the apartments upon completion.

Once finished, the two developments will complete the Town Square vision which already includes City Hall, Burien Library, Burien Town Square Condos, and Town Square Park. The two properties will bring intergenerational living to the downtown area with Merrill Gardens 126 independent, assisted living and memory care apartments alongside the 228 market-rate studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Both developments will include limited retail on the ground level as well as underground parking.

“These two major investments in Burien’s downtown core show how far our economy has come and how much potential Burien has to grow,” said Burien Economic Development Manager Dan Trimble.

Seattle-based Merrill Gardens currently has 25 operating communities in six states with ten new communities under development. The communities are located in Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Alabama and Georgia. Construction is currently underway in Auburn on a similar facility which is expected to open during summer 2016.

Legacy Partners has developed or acquired more than 70,000 multifamily units, both for rent and for sale, over the last 47 years. With offices in Seattle, Foster City, Dallas, Denver and Irvine, Legacy Partners currently owns and/or manages more than 15,000 apartment homes for its own account and for its institutional clients. Legacy Partners has had a continuous presence in the Pacific Northwest since 1973, and, including Burien, currently has six projects under construction in the Pacific Northwest

Seattle based Pillar Properties develops, owns and manages luxury apartment residences that express the unique personality and vitality of signature neighborhoods in the Puget Sound area. Pillar Properties goal is to deliver a ‘quietly awesome’ experience at every level with properties that embrace each neighborhood to create an iconic presence. With 1,000 units currently in operation, Pillar Properties has plans to develop one new apartment community each year. Pillar Properties is owned by the R.D. Merrill Company, a timber pioneer with roots dating back to the 1890’s.
The City of Burien is a vibrant and creative community, where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment. For more information, visit www.burienwa.gov.