Jun
4
Issaquah Highlands Gets Some Healthy News…maybe…
Written by: rebecca and filed Under Blog, Issaquah Highlands, Other Development, Retail Development |
A while back I posted an article discussing the retail development in Issaquah Highlands and the possibility of a hospital coming to our neighborhood. Specifically, I mentioned that Judd Kirk thought it was highly unlikely that ahospital would be built in that space because both applications from Swedish and Overlake were rejected in 2005 because the state Department of Health said there were enough beds on the Eastside to serve residents’ health-care needs for 10 years. In addition he thought it would take too long to develop.
My how things can change in two years. Swedish Medical Center received an approval Friday from the state to build a $207 million hospital in the Issaquah Highlands Area.
It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds. Nothing is set in stone yet and the article is still intentionally vague; referring to the “Issaquah Highlands area”. This could mean that Port Blakely might have changed its mind on how it plans to develop the space originally allocated for a hospital and that they will need to find an alternate location.
Stay tuned as this story unfolds…
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4 Responses to “Issaquah Highlands Gets Some Healthy News…maybe…”
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It seems that the highlands residents are enthusiastic about the hospital. I’m considerably less excited. I’m envisioning ambulance sirens all day & night, and frequent helicopter landings & take offs. Does anyone have reason to believe this will not be the case?
Thank You!
Charis Biesold
Charis,
Your concerns are certainly ones to think about but I throw this out for your consideration: we already have a fire station in our neighborhood and I for one rarely ever hear any sirens coming from it. I don’t think a hospital will pose as much of a noise pollution problem as you think it might.
I have to agree with Charis Biesold about the potential for sirens and helicopters.
Three Questions:
1) Will this hospital have an ER? Then ambulances (and Life Flights?)will be common.
This will result in dropping property values and sleep deprivation for the area’s residents. I did not buy a house next to Harborview. The hospital would better serve the community at-large by being on the lower elevations of Issaquah where access would be safer and quicker.
2) How will ambulances get up the icy grade from the Sunset Interchange with cars blocking the way as in winters past?
3) Why a signal just before the top of the grade on Highlands Drive from Sunset interchange? Is Swedish prepared with a non-toxic solution to the icey roads to the top of the hill?
Points to think about.
Roberta,
Thanks for your contributions. I don’t know the answers to those questions at this time, but I will do some digging and see if I can find out anything on this issue too.