334 affordable units debut in Federal Way

Silver Shadow is dead. That old apartment complex has been subsumed into Redondo Heights, at 27606 Pacific Hwy. S. in Federal Way.

Multi-Service Center and developer Shelter Resources announced last week that the complex was open. It includes the old garden apartments, now fully renovated, with their 132 units.

To the west are eight new buildings with 202 units, designed by Bumgardner and built by GenCap Construction. Work began two years ago, with financial backers including the Amazon Housing Equity Fund — which supplied about $20 million.

MSC’s Amanda Santo said in a statement, “MSC is excited to be bringing more affordable workforce housing to South King County. Not surprisingly our recent Community Needs Assessment identified affordable housing as a top need in the community. This project will help meet some of that need, while also providing additional support for those residents who need it.”

MSC will operate a food bank there, along with providing community resource navigation. Community-wide amenities include a playground and garden.

Rents are to be affordable to households earning in a range from 50% to 60% of area median income. Featured monthly rents include $1,260 for a studio with 569 square feet. A three-bed with 921 square feet can be had for $2,261 per month.

An open house was held last week for new and current renters. The phased renovations allowed some new tenants to move in last year. Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell and other dignitaries attended the ceremonial opening.

There’s a generous amount of surface parking (around 500 stalls), with the Redondo Heights Park & Ride a few steps to the north. There’s also a nearby RapidRide A Line stop. Redondo Heights is also about a half mile west of the future Star Lake Station, where light-rail service should begin next year on the extension to Federal Way.

GenCap rates the new construction at 222,600 square feet. A Shelter-related arm separately did the Silver Shadow renovations. Shelter estimates the total cost about $165 million. Other money came from the state, county, Enterprise Community Loan Fund (and its related arms), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, JLL Real Estate Capital, JPMorgan Chase and US Bank.

The Redondo Heights team also included KPFF, surveyor and civil engineer; Shelterwood Consulting, environmental; Swenson Say Faget, structural engineer; Building Envelope Engineering; Emerald City Engineers, MEP; GeoEngineers, geotechnical; and Communita Atelier, landscape architect.

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