The Bellevue City Council unanimously approved 172 units of affordable, artist-focused housing in the BelRed Arts District.
The development will sit next to the BelRed light rail station on city-owned land.
The council voted Tuesday, Sept. 8, to authorize Ordinance 6939, formalizing a public-private partnership with BRIDGE Housing Corporation, according to the city's council roundup.
Under a long-term lease, BRIDGE Housing will design and build the BelRed Arts Multifamily Project, a 100% affordable, mixed-use development on a 1.15-acre parcel in the 1500 block of 130th Avenue NE.
The city purchased the site in 2020 and designated it for affordable housing.
The agreement is expected to deliver about 60 of the planned 172 units, according to the city's developer-selection announcement.
The full project calls for family-sized apartments, dedicated arts and cultural facilities, public open space and a direct connection to the adjacent light rail station. The development supports Bellevue's goal to create or preserve 5,700 affordable housing units over the next decade.
When the city selected BRIDGE Housing as developer in September 2025, Bianca Siegl, director of Bellevue's Office of Housing, called it "a significant opportunity for the City of Bellevue, in both housing development and support of the arts and cultural ecosystem."
The new housing will include features that let artists create work in their living spaces.
BRIDGE Housing is also developing a separate 234-unit transit-oriented project next to Sound Transit's Spring District light rail station, according to 425 Business.
The BelRed Arts District is home to more than 100 creative businesses and cultural organizations.
Parking reform still in discussion
At the same Sept. 8 meeting, the council reviewed a proposed overhaul of Bellevue's parking regulations.
The vote was unanimous.
The Bellevue Planning Commission had unanimously recommended the changes after months of review. State law requires cities to reduce minimum parking requirements and eliminate parking minimums for small homes, affordable housing and properties near light rail or bus rapid transit.
The proposed update would set consistent minimum parking ratios citywide. It would also offer developers an incentive: wider stalls striped at nine feet or more would reduce the total number of required spaces.
Council members directed staff to return with more information before taking further action. No follow-up date has been set.
What comes next
The city has not announced a construction timeline or groundbreaking date for the BelRed Arts project. The council's agenda materials for Ordinance 6939 are available online for residents who want to review the full development agreement.
