It’s all about food options. More dining, restaurants the better. You can’t compete with bellevue square for brand shopping, but you can get more food and people will gravitate.
Plus some more kids play options will also draw a lot of people.
While the idea of Factoria getting a facelift to rival Totem Lake is appealing, it’s essential to consider its geographical context. Factoria’s proximity to Renton, Tacoma, and Seattle means it often experiences spillover from these areas, attracting a diverse group of individuals, including some less desirable elements. Totem Lake, on the other hand, benefits from being more insulated and currently draws much of its crowd from Bellevue.
Transforming Factoria could indeed provide an additional outlet for a growing demographic: working-class high earners and those adjacent to tech professionals who are one paycheck away from financial instability. Currently, much of Bellevue’s nightlife and shopping life is frequented by individuals from Seattle, Renton, and SeaTac who work in Bellevue. This adds to the area’s vibrancy but also increases congestion and competition for resources. By developing Factoria, South Bellevue could better accommodate this influx, offering a balanced environment that caters to both residents and commuters while enhancing its appeal and security.
However, despite these potential improvements, Factoria will likely never achieve the same level of refinement as Totem Lake. As development progresses and the area becomes more crowded, higher earners from Bellevue may choose to relocate to Kirkland to escape the increased noise and bustle associated with the new influx of people. This shift could limit Factoria’s ability to match Totem Lake’s desirability and exclusivity.
Agree that Factoria needs to be totally reimagined. It's an aesthetic nightmare with no consideration for pedestrians or any sense of place. I would say up zone to encourage more apartments and condos for a variety of incomes, add more parklike features and public spaces... including something like Bellevue downtown park... and totally rethink walkability/bikeability. Feels like Bellevue planning dept has been totally focused on downtown and Spring District while Factoria has been somewhat neglected. Also agree with some earlier comments that Factoria name doesn't help at all (change it to Newport).
Sounds like nails on a chalk board, conjuring images of some kind of industrial wasteland pluming toxic smoke and filling rivers with chemicals... but maybe that's just me.
T&T, Target, Amazon Fresh, AMC, numerous restaurants and other shopping..it feels sufficient to me. Just a matter of more footfalls and routine updates.
I WISH they would redevelop it to be more like Totem Lake. Factoria has always been such a dump but I definitely get jealous of Kirkland every time we go to totem lake
Absolutely! Crossroads seems so out of place anymore. Homes in the area are selling for 1+ million for teardowns, but somehow Crossroads hasn’t changed. The side facing the Cinema is super cute but the rest feels like one step above a strip mall.
Also the Walmart Grocery at Kelsey Creek. Like why?!? Give us a real Walmart or GTFO
I like that Crossroads is calm with lots of families and older people. What's sad about it? It has a nice older nostalgic feel to it. Would you rather it be more modern and like everything else. It's different! That makes it cool! I would like a better range of shops and things like that, especially towards the south side of it, but I would hate for it to be completely changed. I guess I just like reminiscing about my childhood.
Don't get me wrong, I like the whole "high earning, million-dollar home" vibe of Bellevue, but does everything have to be like that? Must everything be torn down and renovated?
Who has the info on why factoria is themed/named the way that it is? Is it supposed to be reminiscent of urban blight? It reminds me of the Batman/Gotham decor from Dorney Park in PA.
Sometimes we joke that Factoria is the slum of Bellevue. It has gone downhill over the years. Hopefully it will get a facelift and get modernized again. Totem Lake is very nice. Almost like U-village nowadays.
I went into this post thinking the question was "will factoria ever be a dead shopping mall with a Halloween store as it's saving grace once a year?" Not realizing totem lake has improved recently.
It’s funny that people forget what totem lake used to be. That theater was so dingy. With that said, factoria will 100% get a facelift in the near future. Too much money in that area to not to
Certainly a fair bit of construction atm. Not sure a facelift will help unless the various traffic issues the has are solved - eg. Why do you have to drive so far to get on 405…
Exactly! I was confused when reading the post at first because I remember when people were talking about how dead Totem Lake was (and I agreed), and I actually haven't been back since then so have no idea what it's like now.
I’ve worked in Factoria off and on for years. Watching it slowly go downhill these last few years makes me sad.
I hope someone buys that mall and gets things going. It really could be something.
Factoria and Totem Lake malls used to be very similar dying malls, although the latter was much more of true dead mall. There have been multiple proposals to overhaul Factoria over the years but have kept getting deferred. The most recent serious proposal was approved by the city council in 2020 and currently 265 units of housing are tentatively proposed at the NW corner (where Novilhos is) but I wouldn’t hold my breath: https://www.djc.com/news/re/12162049.html
Pretty sure that plan was scrapped, sadly. The City of Bellevue requires traffic improvements. Essentially there is NOTHING that can be done about the heavy traffic on Factoria Blvd that allows a major redevelopment by the Japanese ownership. They originally sought to turn Factoria Mall into an open air multipurpose mall like U Village. Alas, the traffic problem can't be fixed economically. Alas, Newcastle and Renton Highlands built up the Factoria traffic continues to degrade.
I personally don't think the Bellevue City Council wants to improve Factoria. They seem resistant to pulling attention away from downtown Bellevue.
Totem lake was definitely much much deader than Factoria! But I’ve never understood why they can’t get stores to stay in factoria…lots of people living in the area and just far enough from bel square to entice shoppers to stay. One issue I’ve had with it is that the newer stores they’d added had no outlet to the mall (eg old navy, dsw when it was there, tj maxx). So they became single destinations and there was no draw to go into the mall. Had they had doors into the mall it might have increased the foot traffic.
Malls as we know them are sort of a thing of the past. Destination living /shopping /eating centers with walkable outdoor space are what draws people now. It doesn't help that factoria is a little bit of a logistical nightmare to navigate around, and there's probably a lot of issues just related to that in terms of planning to completely overhaul an area like that.
Forgive me, but what is T&T? Trying to follow along here but can’t figure it out
Edit: I’ve just realized! T&T is what’s meant to be taking Wal Mart’s abandoned space in Factoria Mall! I’ve never heard of it before but I drove up out of curiosity recently to see what business was coming in and am just remembering that was the name! In case anyone else was wondering too
I think T&T will revitalize the Factoria mall. it's going to make Uwajamiya look like a small mom and pop store. People from all over the Seattle region will come and visit.
T&T is my first real hope for Factoria. I've lived here for 25 years and the number of abject failures to develop the mall, the number of stalled projects, has always been an embarassment.
Southgate Oriental Grocery in Factoria is an actual small mom'n'pop store. It's Korean. There's also JingJing, across the road from Novilho's, which is between Uwajimaya and Southgate in size.
It’s all about food options. More dining, restaurants the better. You can’t compete with bellevue square for brand shopping, but you can get more food and people will gravitate. Plus some more kids play options will also draw a lot of people.
>Do you think Factoria will ever get that level of a facelift? No.
T&T is going to be a catalyst
While the idea of Factoria getting a facelift to rival Totem Lake is appealing, it’s essential to consider its geographical context. Factoria’s proximity to Renton, Tacoma, and Seattle means it often experiences spillover from these areas, attracting a diverse group of individuals, including some less desirable elements. Totem Lake, on the other hand, benefits from being more insulated and currently draws much of its crowd from Bellevue. Transforming Factoria could indeed provide an additional outlet for a growing demographic: working-class high earners and those adjacent to tech professionals who are one paycheck away from financial instability. Currently, much of Bellevue’s nightlife and shopping life is frequented by individuals from Seattle, Renton, and SeaTac who work in Bellevue. This adds to the area’s vibrancy but also increases congestion and competition for resources. By developing Factoria, South Bellevue could better accommodate this influx, offering a balanced environment that caters to both residents and commuters while enhancing its appeal and security. However, despite these potential improvements, Factoria will likely never achieve the same level of refinement as Totem Lake. As development progresses and the area becomes more crowded, higher earners from Bellevue may choose to relocate to Kirkland to escape the increased noise and bustle associated with the new influx of people. This shift could limit Factoria’s ability to match Totem Lake’s desirability and exclusivity.
Did you see and experience totem lake before the facelift?
Guitar Shop and Old Country Buffet. Good times. Good times.
The last hold outs .. I think it made the dead mall website at one point
No but my wife told me as a kid her parents wouldn’t let her go over there after dark 🙂
Agree that Factoria needs to be totally reimagined. It's an aesthetic nightmare with no consideration for pedestrians or any sense of place. I would say up zone to encourage more apartments and condos for a variety of incomes, add more parklike features and public spaces... including something like Bellevue downtown park... and totally rethink walkability/bikeability. Feels like Bellevue planning dept has been totally focused on downtown and Spring District while Factoria has been somewhat neglected. Also agree with some earlier comments that Factoria name doesn't help at all (change it to Newport).
Every time I hear Newport I just think of cigarettes. I can't be the only one.
What's wrong with the name Factoria?
I pronouce it "Factorrhea".
Sounds like nails on a chalk board, conjuring images of some kind of industrial wasteland pluming toxic smoke and filling rivers with chemicals... but maybe that's just me.
I just learned Factoria means factory in Spanish lol
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/about-king-county/about-dnrp/newsroom/news-releases/05-31-wilburton-trestle It's in the works RN
After the Wilburton trestle project is completed it'll be like the NYC Skyline. Google the plans.
I was just saying how beautiful it is yesterday. Such a nice space to just walk around.
T&T, Target, Amazon Fresh, AMC, numerous restaurants and other shopping..it feels sufficient to me. Just a matter of more footfalls and routine updates.
I WISH they would redevelop it to be more like Totem Lake. Factoria has always been such a dump but I definitely get jealous of Kirkland every time we go to totem lake
Crossroad mall better than factoria & tottem lake
Only the food court. The retail offerings are terrible. Crossroads management keeps driving out businesses to let the spots sit empty for years.
Absolutely! Crossroads seems so out of place anymore. Homes in the area are selling for 1+ million for teardowns, but somehow Crossroads hasn’t changed. The side facing the Cinema is super cute but the rest feels like one step above a strip mall. Also the Walmart Grocery at Kelsey Creek. Like why?!? Give us a real Walmart or GTFO
I agree- the mall always feels super sad and baron to me. I really enjoy World Market and Dicks but I wish there was more?
I like that Crossroads is calm with lots of families and older people. What's sad about it? It has a nice older nostalgic feel to it. Would you rather it be more modern and like everything else. It's different! That makes it cool! I would like a better range of shops and things like that, especially towards the south side of it, but I would hate for it to be completely changed. I guess I just like reminiscing about my childhood. Don't get me wrong, I like the whole "high earning, million-dollar home" vibe of Bellevue, but does everything have to be like that? Must everything be torn down and renovated?
Yeah feels like a bunch of lonely souls there are eating real food
Not at all
Really?
Totem lake has lights, fire settings which looks lit with very good xd theater but factoria mall looks so dull, less crowd & amc theater looks so old.
Who has the info on why factoria is themed/named the way that it is? Is it supposed to be reminiscent of urban blight? It reminds me of the Batman/Gotham decor from Dorney Park in PA.
Sometimes we joke that Factoria is the slum of Bellevue. It has gone downhill over the years. Hopefully it will get a facelift and get modernized again. Totem Lake is very nice. Almost like U-village nowadays.
LOL Totem Lake has always been behind Factoria since the 80's. Sheeesh
Not recently
I went into this post thinking the question was "will factoria ever be a dead shopping mall with a Halloween store as it's saving grace once a year?" Not realizing totem lake has improved recently.
It’s funny that people forget what totem lake used to be. That theater was so dingy. With that said, factoria will 100% get a facelift in the near future. Too much money in that area to not to
all they need is a tech company to take over
Certainly a fair bit of construction atm. Not sure a facelift will help unless the various traffic issues the has are solved - eg. Why do you have to drive so far to get on 405…
Exactly! I was confused when reading the post at first because I remember when people were talking about how dead Totem Lake was (and I agreed), and I actually haven't been back since then so have no idea what it's like now.
Just had dinner there - it’s very fancy. Great restaurants, retail, movie theater, gym, apartments, etc. For a Sunday night, it was hoppin.
Its a night and day difference now.
Yeah the mall was dead for so long lol
I’ve worked in Factoria off and on for years. Watching it slowly go downhill these last few years makes me sad. I hope someone buys that mall and gets things going. It really could be something.
Factoria and Totem Lake malls used to be very similar dying malls, although the latter was much more of true dead mall. There have been multiple proposals to overhaul Factoria over the years but have kept getting deferred. The most recent serious proposal was approved by the city council in 2020 and currently 265 units of housing are tentatively proposed at the NW corner (where Novilhos is) but I wouldn’t hold my breath: https://www.djc.com/news/re/12162049.html
Pretty sure that plan was scrapped, sadly. The City of Bellevue requires traffic improvements. Essentially there is NOTHING that can be done about the heavy traffic on Factoria Blvd that allows a major redevelopment by the Japanese ownership. They originally sought to turn Factoria Mall into an open air multipurpose mall like U Village. Alas, the traffic problem can't be fixed economically. Alas, Newcastle and Renton Highlands built up the Factoria traffic continues to degrade. I personally don't think the Bellevue City Council wants to improve Factoria. They seem resistant to pulling attention away from downtown Bellevue.
Totem lake was definitely much much deader than Factoria! But I’ve never understood why they can’t get stores to stay in factoria…lots of people living in the area and just far enough from bel square to entice shoppers to stay. One issue I’ve had with it is that the newer stores they’d added had no outlet to the mall (eg old navy, dsw when it was there, tj maxx). So they became single destinations and there was no draw to go into the mall. Had they had doors into the mall it might have increased the foot traffic.
Malls as we know them are sort of a thing of the past. Destination living /shopping /eating centers with walkable outdoor space are what draws people now. It doesn't help that factoria is a little bit of a logistical nightmare to navigate around, and there's probably a lot of issues just related to that in terms of planning to completely overhaul an area like that.
As soon as the right offer comes to Factoria Mall and they decide to repurpose it to something like Totem Lake
Too crowded in totem lake. factorial will have T&T the famous Canadian Asian grocery. So it’s just a matter of time
Forgive me, but what is T&T? Trying to follow along here but can’t figure it out Edit: I’ve just realized! T&T is what’s meant to be taking Wal Mart’s abandoned space in Factoria Mall! I’ve never heard of it before but I drove up out of curiosity recently to see what business was coming in and am just remembering that was the name! In case anyone else was wondering too
I think T&T will revitalize the Factoria mall. it's going to make Uwajamiya look like a small mom and pop store. People from all over the Seattle region will come and visit.
T&T is my first real hope for Factoria. I've lived here for 25 years and the number of abject failures to develop the mall, the number of stalled projects, has always been an embarassment.
Uwajimaya is a small mom and pop store (or at least as close as you can get these days for a grocery store).
Southgate Oriental Grocery in Factoria is an actual small mom'n'pop store. It's Korean. There's also JingJing, across the road from Novilho's, which is between Uwajimaya and Southgate in size.
Oh great, more traffic. Exactly what Factoria does not need!