Demolition of the Gottschalks building to clear the way for development of the first of three residential buildings at Burien's Town Square is expected to begin in late February.

Preparations for marketing Town Square condominiums, including a full-sized one-bedroom model unit, will get underway shortly after demolition, Denna Cline and Beau Fong of Nyhus Communications told the Times/News last week.

Nyhus Communications is a Seattle public relations firm representing Urban Partners, the private developer for the Town Square project.

Urban Partners will construct the mixed-use buildings, which will feature more than 400 condominiums above shops and restaurants that will occupy up to 60,000 square feet of retail space.

The Educational Services District building at Southwest 152nd Street and Fourth Avenue Southwest is expected to be demolished at about the same time.

It will be replaced by a joint facility that will house both a new Burien City Hall and a King County Regional Library at the corner of Southwest 152nd Street and Fourth Avenue Southwest.

The Gottschalks building is immediately west of the educational services building.

A new one-acre city park will be the centerpiece of Town Square.

"I had no idea how excited people [in Burien] are about this project until I met with them," Cline said.

"Burien has not had a project like this before."

"This is the first condominium development in south King County with mixed use, where people can live, shop, work and play," Fong added.

"They can get al the amenities of urban living here in Burien."

Sales of the studio, one- and two-bedroom homes are expected to begin late this spring, with occupancy of the first building planned for summer 2008, according to information provided by Urban Partners.

The building will include a private residential courtyard and reserved gated residential parking that is separate from retail parking.

A storefront sales presentation center will be located at 455 S.W. 152nd St. The vacant retail space will be remodeled beginning in March.

It will feature both a 12 foot-by-12 foot full-scale model of Town Square and the full-scale, walk-in model condominium unit.

The Town Square residential sales presentation center is expected to open in late May or June.

Miller Condominium Marketing will manage residential sales.

Announcements of retail shops and restaurants that will locate in Town Square will be made as leases are signed, probably beginning this spring, Cline said.

"This is an economic revitalization of Burien that will benefit all the people of the city," she said.