BELLEVUE, Wash. — In Old Bellevue, the contrast is hard to miss: an aging neighborhood sign sits near fresh construction as downtown growth pushes outward.
Longtime resident Boog Bookey, who grew up near 102nd Avenue Northeast and Main Street, remembers when the area was filled with orchards and there was “one building over two stories tall.” Today, Bookey calls it “so dense” and says new protections give her hope that the neighborhood’s character won’t disappear under a wave of redevelopment.
Councilmember Lynne Robinson, Bellevue’s former longtime mayor who now serves on the council, has been a leading voice in the effort to protect parts of the district. She has argued that Old Bellevue’s charm is one of the city’s most popular draws…