Bellevue is a city in the
EastsideFile:Seattle-lakewashington-lakesammamish.PNG|250px|right|The Eastside is to the right of Seattle.# rough city boundariespoly 137 256 148 256 158 194 172 179 172 237 212 266 133 266Renton...
region of
King County, WashingtonKing County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, United States, across
Lake WashingtonLake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
from Seattle. Long known as a
suburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an
edge city"Edge city" is an American term for a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional urban area in what had recently been a residential suburb or semi-rural community...
or a
boomburbBoomburb is a neologism for a large, rapidly growing city that remains essentially suburban in character even as it reaches populations more typical of urban core cities...
. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.
Downtown Bellevue is undergoing rapid change. It is currently the second largest city center in Washington state with over 35,000 employees and 5,000 residents. Based on
per capita incomeWashington is the twelfth richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $22,973 and a personal per capita income of $33,332 .-Washington counties ranked by per capita income:...
, Bellevue is the 6th wealthiest of 522 communities in the state of Washington. In 2008, Bellevue was named number 1 in CNNMoney's list of the best places to live and launch a business. More recently, Bellevue was ranked as the 4th best place to live in America. The name "Bellevue" is French for "beautiful view".
History and growth
Bellevue was founded in 1869 by William Meydenbauer and was officially incorporated on March 21, 1953. Prior to the opening of the
Lake Washington Floating BridgeThe Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge is a floating bridge that carries the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 across Lake Washington from Seattle to Mercer Island, Washington. It is the second longest floating bridge on Earth at , whereas the longest is the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge just a few...
in 1940, Bellevue was a rural area with little development. Once the bridge opened, access from Seattle improved, and the area gradually grew into a bedroom community.
Following the 1963 opening of a second bridge across the lake, the
Evergreen Point Floating BridgeThe Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge—Evergreen Point is the longest floating bridge on Earth at and carries State Route 520 across Lake Washington from Seattle to Medina.The Evergreen Point of the bridge's original name is the westernmost of the three small Eastside...
, the city began to grow more rapidly. It has since become one of the largest cities in the state, with several high-rise structures in its core and a burgeoning business community.
Reflective of Bellevue's growth over the years is
Bellevue SquareBellevue Square is a shopping center in Bellevue, eight miles east of Seattle. The mall has 180 retail stores, including anchors JCPenney, Macy's, and Nordstrom, specialty stores like LEGO, Tiffany and Co. the Apple Store, Armani Exchange and Williams-Sonoma, Lacoste, and restaurants like P.F....
, now one of the largest shopping centers in the region. Opened in 1946, Bellevue Square underwent a significant expansion in the 1980s. More recently, an expansion to Bellevue Square along Bellevue Way called "The Lodge" and the new
One Lincoln TowerOne Lincoln Tower is a luxury hotel and condominium building located within the Lincoln Square complex in downtown Bellevue, Washington. Construction began on June 27, 2000 and topped out on July 13, 2005. It is home to 148 condominiums and the Westin Bellevue, a 303 room hotel. It is also...
promise to strengthen downtown Bellevue's role as the largest Seattle
EastsideFile:Seattle-lakewashington-lakesammamish.PNG|250px|right|The Eastside is to the right of Seattle.# rough city boundariespoly 137 256 148 256 158 194 172 179 172 237 212 266 133 266Renton...
shopping and dining destination.
The city's long-term plans include the Bel-Red Corridor Project, a large-scale planning effort to encourage the redevelopment of a large northern section of the city bordering the adjacent town of
RedmondRedmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
. Patterned after what many civic leaders consider the successful redevelopment of the downtown core, early plans include "superblock" mixed use projects similar to
Lincoln SquareLincoln Square is a mixed-use complex located in Bellevue, Washington, completed in November 2005, and owned by prominent local developer Kemper Freeman Jr, who took over construction of the project in 2003 after several delays. Lincoln Square consists of retail and restaurant space, a 148-room...
. Premised on the 2008 approval of the extension of
Link Light RailSound Transit Link Light Rail is a rapid transit project in the Greater Seattle region, originally approved by a ballot measure in November 1996. Two lines are currently operating as of 2009: Tacoma Link, which uses 3 vehicles built by Škoda, and Central Link, which uses 35 vehicles built by Kinki...
to the Eastside, the city hopes to mitigate transportation problems impeding earlier efforts in redeveloping the downtown core; viewed as an economic development opportunity by many in the business and building development community, the process has focused on infrastructure and the encouragement of private construction in a large-scale urban renewal effort.
Geography
Bellevue is located at 47.61°N 122.2°W (47.597554, -122.159245).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 33.9 square miles (87.8 km
2), of which, 30.8 square miles (79.6 km
2) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.2 km
2) of it (9.29%) is water.
The city's name is derived from a
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
term for "beautiful view". Under favorable weather conditions, scenic vistas of the
Olympic MountainsThe Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
and Cascade Mountains can be viewed from hilltops (and strategically positioned high-rise buildings) within the incorporated city.
The city lies between
Lake WashingtonLake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
to the west and the smaller
Lake SammamishLake Sammamish is a freshwater lake east of Seattle in King County, Washington, United States. The lake is long and wide, with a maximum depth of and a surface area of . It lies east of Lake Washington and west of the Sammamish Plateau, and stretches from Issaquah in the south to Redmond in...
to the east. Much of Bellevue is drained by the
Kelsey CreekKelsey Creek is a creek in Bellevue, Washington on Seattle's Eastside. Originating in the wetlands in the Lake Hills Greenbelt between Phantom and Larsen Lakes, it flows through Kelsey Creek Park and becomes the Mercer Slough just west of Interstate 405...
watershed, whose source is located in the Larsen and
Phantom LakePhantom Lake is a small lake inside the city limits of Bellevue, Washington. A 2.6 mile long pedestrian trail circles the lake, and according to Bellevue city government, the city's oldest and largest trees can be seen there....
green beltA green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
and whose outlet is near where Interstate 90 meets Lake Washington's eastern shore. The city is bisected by
Interstate 405Interstate 405 in Washington is a stretch of freeway that bypasses Seattle east of Lake Washington. The northern terminus is in Lynnwood and the southern terminus is in Tukwila...
running north-south, and the southern portion is crossed from west to east by Interstate 90. The
State Route 520State Route 520 is a state highway and freeway in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends from Seattle in the west to Redmond in the east.-Route description:...
freeway roughly delineates the upper reaches of Bellevue.
South of I-90 the city surrounds an unincorporated part of King County called
EastgateEastgate is a census-designated place in unincorporated King County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,958 at the 2010 census....
. South of Eastgate, the city continues up
Cougar MountainCougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is a regional park in King County, Washington, near the towns of Bellevue and Issaquah. The park was established in June 1983 to protect the central core of Cougar Mountain...
. On top of Cougar Mountain, there is another unincorporated King County island called Hilltop. To the west of Cougar Mountain, Bellevue includes the
Coal CreekCoal Creek is a creek in Newcastle, Washington, on Seattle's Eastside. It is named for the coal mining industry prominent in the area in the 19th century. There is a popular trail which parallels the creek, allowing views of defunct coal mining equipment and even some bits of coal sitting on the...
and
FactoriaFactoria is a mixed-use urban neighborhood in south Bellevue, Washington and is one of the city's significant commercial districts. Originally timberland from the 1890s to 1920s and later envisioned as an industrial center, Factoria has since the 1960s evolved into commercial and residential...
neighborhoods.
Bellevue is bordered by the cities of
KirklandKirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
to the north and
RedmondRedmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
to the northeast along the
OverlakeOverlake is the name commonly used for a region comprising parts of eastern Bellevue and southern Redmond, Washington, in the vicinity of Microsoft's main corporate campus. It is officially defined as a neighborhood consisting of the parts of Redmond lying south of Northeast 60th Street and between...
and Crossroads neighborhoods. Across the short
East Channel BridgeThe East Channel Bridge is a bridge carrying Interstate 90 from Mercer Island, Washington, to Bellevue, Washington, over the East Channel of Lake Washington, which separates Mercer Island from the rest of the Eastside....
, I-90 connects Bellevue to Mercer Island to the southwest. Issaquah is to the east, down I-90 at the south end of Lake Sammamish. The city is also bordered to the west by the suburbs of
MedinaMedina is a city located in the Eastside, a region of King County, Washington, United States. Surrounded on the north, west, and south by Lake Washington, opposite Seattle, Medina is bordered by Clyde Hill and Hunts Point, as well as the satellite city of Bellevue. The city's population was 2,969...
,
Clyde HillClyde Hill is a city located in the Eastside, a region of King County, Washington, United States, and part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The town of Kirkland lies to the northeast, while the satellite city of Bellevue is located to the east and south. Lake Washington is also nearby, providing...
,
Hunts PointHunts Point is a town located in the Eastside, a region of King County, Washington, United States, and part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The town is located on a small peninsula surrounded by Lake Washington, and is near the suburbs of Medina , Clyde Hill , Yarrow Point , and Kirkland , as...
and Yarrow Point. The south end of Bellevue is bordered by the city of
RentonRenton is an Eastside edge city in King County, Washington, United States. Situated 11 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington. Founded in the 1860s, Renton became a supply town for the Newcastle coal fields...
, and to the southeast, the relatively recently incorporated city of
NewcastleNewcastle is an Eastside city in King County, Washington, United States. Its population was 10,380 at the 2010 census.Although Newcastle was not incorporated until 1994, it has been an important settlement and town since the late 19th century and played a major role in the development of Seattle...
.
Cityscape
Communities within Bellevue include Bridle Trails, Crossroads,
EastgateEastgate is a census-designated place in unincorporated King County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,958 at the 2010 census....
/Cougar Mountain,
FactoriaFactoria is a mixed-use urban neighborhood in south Bellevue, Washington and is one of the city's significant commercial districts. Originally timberland from the 1890s to 1920s and later envisioned as an industrial center, Factoria has since the 1960s evolved into commercial and residential...
, Newport, Northeast Bellevue, Northwest Bellevue, Sammamish/East Bellevue, Somerset, Sunset, West Bellevue, West Lake Hills, Wilburton, and Woodridge.
Climate
Surrounding cities
Transportation
Bellevue is the main
EastsideFile:Seattle-lakewashington-lakesammamish.PNG|250px|right|The Eastside is to the right of Seattle.# rough city boundariespoly 137 256 148 256 158 194 172 179 172 237 212 266 133 266Renton...
hub for both the local transit authority, King County Metro, and
Sound TransitSound Transit has been the popular name of Washington state's Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since September 19, 1999. It was formed in 1996 by the Snohomish, King, and Pierce County Councils...
, the regional transit system. The Bellevue Transit Center, which serves both Metro and Sound buses, is located in the heart of the downtown business district and is connected to Interstate 405 by NE 6th St. and a direct-access
Texas TA Texas T, also called a T-ramp, is a T-shaped highway ramp that combines entrance and exit ramps into a single structure that allows entrance and exit to the left lanes of an expressway...
HOV ramp. Local buses run into Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Renton, and the University District; regional buses go to Bothell, Lynnwood, Everett, Seattle, Renton, Kent and Auburn, among other cities.
The
East LinkEast Link is a planned eastern extension of the Sound Transit Link Light Rail system, spanning about 22 miles from Downtown Seattle to the city of Redmond...
light rail line is planned to run from Seattle through Mercer Island and Bellevue before ending in Redmond. A measure including this and other regional road and transit projects went before voters on November 4, 2008 and was approved. However, the financial uncertainty of the area's other numerous transportation projects reflect the political fragmentation of the Puget Sound area. What is becoming apparent are the increasing costs associated with the central Puget Sound's regional transportation infrastructure.
The Bellevue City Council has lobbied hard for Sound Transit—a regional transit authority—to construct its light-rail line underground through Bellevue's rapidly growing downtown. But the cost of doing so would exceed the budget that voters approved for that project. Sound Transit has agreed to keep the tunnel option in play during the final phases of design, and Bellevue promised to devote between $104 million to $150 million toward a potential tunnel in the form of cash, services, free access to rights-of-way and one-time tax revenues that result from the East Link project. Bellevue City Council member Claudia Balducci is a member of the Sound Transit board of directors.
The City of Bellevue has undertaken an extensive "Bel-Red Area Transformation" process which seeks to plan some 900 acres (3.6 km²) in the northern portion of the city, all of which is premised on the extension of light rail to the Eastside under Sound Transit 2. The top-down and highly integrated land use and transportation planning is similar to earlier planning for the Downtown.
Bellevue is also served by a railroad, a Burlington Northern branch line known as the
Woodinville SubdivisionThe Woodinville Subdivision is a railroad line that was formerly owned by BNSF Railway and takes its names from one of its original end points in Woodinville, Washington, United States. The line extends approximately in east King County and Snohomish County. The line's ownership has been...
, which includes the historic
Wilburton TrestleThe Wilburton Trestle is a historic wooden railway trestle in Bellevue, Washington. Measuring 102 feet high and 975 feet long , it is the longest wooden trestle in the Pacific Northwest....
. This local freight line is the subject of debate over whether to railbank the line and construct a multi-purpose trail. As of March 2009, the Port of Seattle had to postpone its acquisition of the corridor because of instability in the bond market.
Government and politics
Bellevue has a Council-Manager form of government with seven, non-partisan council members elected at large for staggered four-year terms. The City Council selects a Mayor from among its members, who serves as council chair but has no veto power. As of 2010, the mayor is Don Davidson, the Deputy Mayor is Conrad Lee and the city's manager is Steve Sarkozy.
The position of Mayor is largely ceremonial in Bellevue as the City Manager runs the City's day-to-day operations. The mayor runs council meetings, helps choose the issues that get on the council's meeting agendas, and serves as the city's most visible spokesperson. The position of Mayor is part-time. In practice, operational authority is held by the City Manager, the position that supervises an employee/consultant form of municipal authority. Indeed, more consideration is given the selection of City Manager than many candidates for City Council, the position of Mayor is elected not by popular vote but by the seven members of Council.
In the
2004 U.S. presidential electionThe United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, Bellevue residents cast 57.10% of their votes for
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
John KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
.
Education
Bellevue is home to Bellevue College (BC) and City University.
The city hosts the
Bellevue School DistrictBellevue School District No. 405 is a public school district in King County, Washington, USA that serves the communities of Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Medina, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Beaux Arts Village, and portions of Newcastle, Kirkland and Redmond. As of October 1, 2010, the district has an...
. There are four main public
high schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s - Bellevue High School,
Interlake High SchoolInterlake High School, also known as IHS, is a public high school in Bellevue, Washington. The school is one of the six high schools in the Bellevue School District. It is known for its diversity, its students' scholarship, and the International Baccalaureate program located at the school. The...
, Newport High School, and
Sammamish High SchoolSammamish High School is a public secondary school in Bellevue, Washington, USA, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is part of the Bellevue School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. The school is known as the Totems, and the mascot is the...
, as well as two alternative high schools, International School and Robinswood High School, which closed in 2010. Newsweek's 2010 ranking of U.S. public high schools places five of Bellevue's high schools in the top 100 public high schools in the nation. Portions of Bellevue also lie within the boundaries of
Lake Washington School DistrictThe Lake Washington School District #414 is a public school district in King County, Washington. it is the fifth-largest school district in Washington. It serves the region to the east of Lake Washington, one of the wealthiest in the Puget Sound area...
, Renton School District and
Issaquah School DistrictIssaquah School District No. 411 is a public school district in King County, Washington, USA, serving the city of Issaquah as well as portions of Sammamish, Renton, Bellevue, and Newcastle....
.
At the elementary level, Bellevue is home to the Eastside's only Waldorf Education, at Three Cedars School, and to several Montessori schools, as well as Bellevue Christian School.
Economy
With its immediate proximity to
RedmondRedmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
, home of
MicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, and direct highway access to Seattle via Interstate 90 and State Route 520, Bellevue is now home to the headquarters of many small and large businesses, many of which are technology companies that started in the 1990s. The city has numerous thriving commercial districts, including three major shopping centers aside from Bellevue Square: Factoria Mall to the South, Crossroads Mall to the East, and the Overlake Shopping District in the North.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 109,569 people, 45,836 households, and 29,060 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,563.6 people per square mile (1,375.8/km
2). There were 48,396 housing units at an average density of 1,574.0 per square mile (607.7/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.33% White, 1.99% African American, 0.32% Native American, 17.39% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 2.54% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.32% of the population.
According to the 2008
American Community SurveyThe American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
, the city's population was 72.9% White (64.2% non-Hispanic-White alone), 27.4% Asian, 2.6% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.9% from some other race and 5.6% from Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Additionally, 4.6% are two or more races. 33.1% are foreign born. 34.5% of the population 5 years and over speak a language other than English at home.
There were 45,836 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 21.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $81,184, and the median income for a family was $99,822. Males had a median income of $66,456 versus $47,124 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $56,905. About 3.8% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
In 2006 Bellevue was rated one of the 25 safest cities in America, based on the per-capita incidence of violent crime.
Recurring cultural events
Bellevue is the site of the popular annual Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair (originally Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Fair), held since 1947 at the end of July. The biennial Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition draws thousands of visitors to the
Downtown ParkBellevue Downtown Park is a park located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, WA. The park was designed for passive and unstructured use, and as a "respite from the activities of busy urban life."...
to view up to 46 three-dimensional artworks from artists around the country. In celebration of its strawberry farming history, Bellevue holds an annual Strawberry Festival. The Bellevue 24-Hour Relay has also been hosted every July in Bellevue Downtown Park.
Places of interest
The
Bellevue Arts MuseumThe Bellevue Arts Museum traces its roots back to street fair art in 1947. After several temporary locations, it moved to the third floor of Bellevue Square, a large shopping center in the center of downtown Bellevue, Washington in 1983...
first opened in 1975, then moved to Bellevue Square in 1983. In 2001 the museum moved into its own building, designed by
Steven HollSteven Holl is an American architect and watercolorist, perhaps best known for the 1998 Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland, the 2003 Simmons Hall at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the celebrated 2007 Bloch Building addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City,...
. The museum subsequently ran into financial difficulties and was forced to close to the public in 2003. After a lengthy fundraising campaign, a remodel, and a new mission to become a national centre for the fine art of craft and design, the museum re-opened on June 18, 2005 with an exhibition of teapots. The
Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll ArtThe Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art is an art museum in Bellevue, Washington, USA. It features a permanent collection of over 1,200 dolls. The museum was founded in 1994 and has won a number of awards for its collection, including the Jumeau Trophy for best private doll museum in the world.In...
contains one of the largest doll collections in the world—more than a thousand dolls—displayed on two floors of a Victorian-style building. The
KidsQuest Children's MuseumKidsQuest Children's Museum is a 501 non-profit organization that provides hands-on education and experiences to children birth-8 years, located in Bellevue, Washington...
is located in Factoria Mall. The museum's primary visitors are mothers and care givers with children from pre-crawlers to 12 years of age. Its 10000 square feet (929 m²) space houses play and discovery areas, exhibits, offices, educational activities and classroom space. Near Interstate 405 is
Meydenbauer CenterMeydenbauer Center is a convention center in Bellevue, Washington. It is a prominent landmark from nearby Interstate 405 . The center opened in 1993. It has a fully carpeted and recently renovated exhibition hall, a meeting room, a 410 seat performing arts theatre which can also host business...
, a convention center that brings corporate meetings and charity events to the downtown area. Meydenbauer also includes a 410-seat theater which attracts operas, ballets, and orchestral performances.
Sports and recreation
Since the 1970s, the city has taken an active role in ensuring that its commercial development does not overwhelm its natural land and water resources. Today, the Bellevue Parks and Community Services Department manages more than 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of parks and open spaces, including the Downtown Park and the
Bellevue Botanical GardenBellevue Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at 12001 Main Street, Bellevue, Washington. It is open daily; admission is free.The garden area includes display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands...
, as well as several playgrounds, beach parks, and trails. More than 5,500 Bellevue residents participate in volunteer activities through this department annually.
Bellevue was home to the
American Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
team, the
Bellevue BlackhawksThe Bellevue Blackhawks were a professional basketball team affiliated with the American Basketball Association and owned by former attorney and KONG_TV President and General Manager Michael Tuckman. The team was based in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, WA...
. The Blackhawks in 2005, despite being ranked 13th in the league, made it to the championship game in front of 15,000 fans in
Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. The team has been inactive since 2006.
Notable people
- Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
, co-founder of HeartHeart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
- Alan White
Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
, drummer of progressive rock band YesYes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
- Nancy Wilson
Nancy Lamoureux Wilson is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer who, with her older sister Ann and lead guitarist Roger Fisher, became the core of the Seattle/Vancouver rock band Heart.-Life and career:...
, co-founder of HeartHeart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
- Rob McKenna
Robert Marion "Rob" McKenna is the Republican Attorney General of Washington and was elected in November 2004 for a term beginning in January 2005. He won re-election in November 2008 with over 59 percent statewide...
Attorney General of Washington
- Megan Hilty
Megan Kathleen Hilty is an American stage and television actress.- Early years :Hilty was born in Bellevue, Washington and is the daughter of Jack and Donna Hilty. She attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School in Redmond,...
, BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
Actress
- Jeremiah Slaczka
Jeremiah Slaczka, also known by his nickname Miah, is a video game designer/creative director and co-founder of 5TH Cell, a video game developer in Bellevue, Washington...
, Co-founder and Creative Director of video game developer 5TH Cell5TH Cell is an independently owned video game developer founded in 2003 as 5TH Cell Media, LLC. by Joseph M. Tringali, Jeremiah Slaczka and Brett Caird and currently develops video games for the Nintendo DS and Wii.-Overview:...
- Gabe Newell
Gabe Logan Newell is the co-founder and managing director of video game development and online distribution company Valve Corporation.-Work:...
, Co-Founder of Valve Software
- William S. Ayer
William S. "Bill" Ayer, 52, is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group which is the parent company of Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier Horizon Air....
, President and CEO of Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
- Layne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the...
, lead singer of rock band Alice in Chains (1967–2002)
- Marty O'Donnell
Martin "Marty" O'Donnell is an American composer known for his work on video game developer Bungie's series, such as Myth, Oni, and Halo...
, lead composer for Bungie Studios
- Ricky "Horror" Olson, Motionless in White
Motionless in White is an American metalcore band from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2005, the group is known for its dark horror-themed lyrics and physical appearances, that of which heavily correspond to gothic imagery. Motionless in White is currently signed to Fearless Records and have...
bassist, vocals (2009–present)
- Peter Horton
Peter Horton is an American actor and director. He played the role of Prof. Gary Shepherd on the popular television series Thirtysomething until 1991.-Early life:...
, 6' 2" actor from Children of the Corn"Children of the Corn" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the March 1977 issue of Penthouse, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift.- Plot summary :...
.
- Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
Lead singer of NirvanaNirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
Sportspeople
- John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
(former MLB baseball player)
- Evan Meek
Evan David Meek is a right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was named to the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. His nicknames include Super Meek and Evan Almighty-Early career:Meek attended Inglemoor High School in Kenmore, Washington...
, MLB (baseball player) Pittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
- Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , and Cincinnati Reds...
former major league baseball player
- Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
MLB player and starting pitcher for the San Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
- Aaron Curry
-Seattle Seahawks:On August 8, 2009, Curry signed a six-year, $60 million contract including $34 million guaranteed, the most money ever guaranteed to a non-quarterback rookie in NFL history....
, Linebacker for the Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
, former NBA player for the Seattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
- Michael Brantley
Michael Charles Brantley, Jr. is a Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the Cleveland Indians. He is the son of former MLB player and coach Mickey Brantley....
, outfielder for the Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
- Edgar Martinez
Edgar Martínez , nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and designated hitter. He spent his entire 18-year Major League career with the Seattle Mariners. He is the cousin of Carmelo Martínez.-Seattle Mariners:On December 19, 1982, the Seattle Mariners signed...
, former MLB player for the Seattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
- Martin Harrison
Martin Allen Harrison is a former American football defensive end who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for the University of Washington...
, NFL Linebacker for the Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Newport High School grad in 1985, UW 1990.
- Deon Butler
Vincent Deon Butler is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State....
, Wide Receiver for the Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
- Golden Tate
Golden H. Tate III is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football and college baseball at Notre Dame.-Early years:Tate was born in...
, Wide Receiver for the Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
- Sigi Schmid
Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...
, Seattle Sounders FCSeattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
head coach
Sister cities
Bellevue has the following sister cities:
Hualien,
TaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
Yaois a city in Osaka, Japan.As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 271,454 and the density of 6,510 persons per km². The total area is 41.71 km².Yao is home to a general aviation airport, Yao Airport.The city was founded on April 1, 1948....
, Japan
KladnoKladno is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague. Kladno is the largest city of the region and holds a population together with its adjacent suburban areas of more than 110,000 people...
,
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
LiepājaLiepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
,
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
External links