Urban Partners announced last week that it is moving forward with the full architectural design of Burien Town Square Phase II.

The next step in the development of Town Square in downtown Burien follows what Urban Partners described as "the success of Burien Town Square Phase I."

The firm noted in a news release that "nearly one-third of available condominium homes [have been] sold a full year before scheduled completion."

Urban Partners is set to begin construction of Phase II in fall of 2008.

GGLO of Seattle is the residential and retail design architect of Phase II, which will consist of approximately 169 housing units and about 20,000 square feet of retail.

Completion of construction is scheduled for summer of 2010.

Burien Town Square, a unique mixed-use redevelopment project that brings together public and private entities, is the centerpiece of a quarter-billion dollar revitalization of downtown Burien.

Construction began in the spring of 2007, with Phase I scheduled to open in late 2008.

Phase I private development consists of a seven-story building with 124 condominium homes and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail with 209 parking stalls.

Public development of Phase I consists of a three-story joint Burien City Hall and King County Library at the corner of Southwest 152nd Street and Fourth Avenue South, which is scheduled to begin construction in March 2008, as well as a new one-acre city park.

"Burien Town Square is not only instilling a revived sense of community pride, but it's also serving as a catalyst to inspire additional new private investment, including restaurants, new shops and a brewery," said John Gunn, Urban Partners development executive.

"Dozens of new businesses have opened up in Burien since the groundbreaking, and many are within walking distance of Burien Town Square."

Urban Partners is currently in negotiation with a variety of retailers for Phase I. Uses will likely include a coffee house, a salon and day spa, a bank, both upscale and casual restaurants, and boutiques.

Urban Partners will also continue to meet with other retailers interested in being part of Phase I.

New businesses that have appeared in the immediate vicinity of the project since Urban Partners was selected as the developer in 2003 include Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub, Bistro Baffi, Mick Kelly's Restaurant & Pub, 909 Caf/, Mark Restaurant & Bar, Osteria da Primo, Vino Bello, Cucina Poggi Bonsi and The Tin Room Bar and Grill.

In addition to the thriving business growth, Burien is seeing an upswing in other development.

The city is working with a major developer to build Burien's first full-service hotel. Highline School District is completing a $75 million school-building program in Burien.

A new transit center that will include transit-oriented development is planned, and a $23.3 million rebuilding of First Avenue South, the city's major arterial, will be completed in 2008.

"Five years ago, we made the decision to invest $6.5 million in pedestrian-friendly street improvements, new sidewalks and streetlights to provide for our main downtown shopping area, 152nd Street," said Dick Loman, Burien's economic development manager.

This gave "a much needed facelift ... to attract private capital to our downtown," Loman noted. "Today, at Burien Town Square alone, we are looking at a quarter-billion dollar capital investment and more on the way."

Gunn said investment in Burien Town Square is already producing returns.

"The city's downtown revitalization is adding local revenues to support schools, police, fire and other public services, which, in turn, is helping spur condominium sales at Burien Town Square."

The Burien Town Square Sales Presentation Center opened last July, across the street from the project site at 455 S.W. 152nd St.

A fully furnished one-bedroom-plus-den model home and a 10-by-12-foot scale model of the entire Burien Town Square project are featured inside the 4,000-square-foot Sales Presentation Center, as well as full displays of home finishes and floor plans.

The presentation center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Burien Town Square team includes the city of Burien, developer Urban Partners, King County Library System, King County Housing Authority, Real Estate Capital Partners LP and Westport Capital Partners LLC.

In addition to Town Square, the Los Angeles-based firm is the private developer for several Northwest projects, including Aspira, a downtown Seattle high-rise apartment and Kenmore Village by the Lake.