Factoria, Bellevue facts for kids
Factoria is a busy neighborhood in south Bellevue, Washington. It's a place where homes, shops, and offices are all mixed together. Factoria is one of Bellevue's main business areas. It used to be covered in trees from the 1890s to the 1920s. Later, people thought it would become a big industrial center. But since the 1960s, Factoria has grown into a place with many shops, offices, and homes. Bellevue officially added Factoria to its city in 1993. The main part of Factoria is surrounded by Interstate 90 to the north and Interstate 405 to the west. Newport Way is to the east, and Coal Creek Parkway is to the south.
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A Look at Factoria's Past
Factoria is part of the land that belonged to the Duwamish Tribe. In the 1890s, loggers cut down many large trees here. This happened in areas now known as Woodridge Hill, Richards Valley, and Factoria's business area.
In the late 1890s, the Northern Pacific Railway built train tracks through this quiet area. It was near the shores of Lake Washington. In the early 1900s, some investors from Seattle had a big idea. They wanted to build a large industrial center here. This area is now where Interstate 405 and I-90 meet. In 1908, a company called Mercer Land Company was formed. They planned out several blocks next to the railroad tracks. The new town was going to be called Mercer. A factory that made stoves was built there. However, it never made a single stove.
By 1911, the town's growth had stopped. The company changed its name for the project to Factoria. They hoped this new name would attract big industries. But it never really did. Factoria was promoted as a place where many factories would open. People expected at least 20 factories to come. But about 15 years later, only the Factoria School had been built. The big industrial town never took off. The shopping mall you see today, The Marketplace at Factoria, is on that original land.
In the late 1920s, Factoria became important for the rabbit industry. In 1927, an old factory was turned into a plant. It processed canned rabbit meat and fur. It also became the main office for selling rabbit products. In 1939, a big new highway project began. It straightened out the Sunset Highway. This highway went between Issaquah and Mercer Island. It also led to building the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge across Lake Washington. The new four-lane highway went right through Factoria. It met Lake Washington Boulevard, which was a main road at the time.
After the bridge and highway opened in 1940, Factoria became a major crossroads. In 1950, a large outdoor movie theater was built nearby. It could hold 900 cars.
Factoria stayed mostly undeveloped until the 1960s. Then, new freeways were built. This placed Factoria at the meeting point of two major highways: Interstate 405 and Interstate 90. This change led to Factoria becoming a big suburban shopping area. In July 1961, plans for a large shopping center were announced. Since the 2010s, the area has changed a lot. Many tech workers and other office workers have moved in. This has made the area more modern and expensive.
Businesses in Factoria
Factoria's main business area is around The Marketplace at Factoria. There's also an AMC movie theater nearby. You can find several grocery stores and office buildings here. One large office complex is the Newport Corporate Center. It has six towers and is mainly used by T-Mobile USA. The "Factoria Campus" is another development. It's just north of The Marketplace at Factoria. It has three office buildings, a movie theater, and some shops. This is where the old Sunset Outdoor Theater used to be.
Where is Factoria?
Factoria is a business hub for the homes around it. These neighborhoods include Eastgate, Somerset, Newport Hills, and Woodridge. The Factoria area covers about 2,100 acres (8.5 square kilometers). It is bordered by Interstate 90 to the north and Lake Washington to the west. The Somerset Hills are to the east, and the Newport Hills are to the south.
This area has about 5,000 homes. It also has 11 million square feet (about 1 million square meters) of business space. About 7,500 people work in offices here. Public transportation in Factoria uses King County Metro buses. Routes 240, 241, 245, and 246 serve the area. These buses connect Factoria to many parts of the Eastside. The Eastgate Park and Ride nearby offers more bus services to Seattle. Factoria Boulevard, Richards Road, Eastgate Way, Newport Way, and Coal Creek Parkway are important roads that go through or lead to Factoria.
Neighboring Areas
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Bellevue | |
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| Mercer Island |  |
Eastgate | ||
 Factoria  |
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| Newcastle |
The Marketplace at Factoria
The Marketplace at Factoria first opened in 1977. It was called Factoria Square back then, and later Factoria Mall. It started with about 20 stores. Some of the main stores were Ernst Home Centers, Lamonts, Pay 'n Save, and Safeway. In 2008, the mall was planned for a big update. This was because it was seen as a "dead mall" after big stores like Mervyn's left. Its owner, Kimco Realty, wanted to make it more modern. It was then renamed The Marketplace at Factoria.
As of 2023, The Marketplace at Factoria has 69 retail spaces. Its main stores include Amazon Fresh, Rite Aid, Old Navy, Target, TJ Maxx, DSW, and Nordstrom Rack. A Walmart store opened in 2012 where Mervyn's used to be. But it closed on April 22, 2022. This was because it wasn't making enough money, partly due to competition from the Target store nearby. The old Walmart space will be replaced in 2024. It will become the first U.S. location for T&T Supermarket. This is a Canadian company that sells Asian groceries.
