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Side by Side: A Sneak Peek at Downtown Life
“I looked one way and saw the bank, another and saw the post office, yet another and saw the furniture store,” Mike recalls. “I also knew the mall was just beyond view, and then it hit me – everything we needed to complete our errands was within walking distance!” Agreeing with her husband, Emily chimes in, “We walked in a short loop and hit every stop along the way!” Such a scenario is exactly what the Osburns envisioned when making the decision to downsize and relocate from their suburban home on acreage in Tucson, Ariz. to a condo right in the heart of a growing city. The couple’s number one priority was to do away with the sometimes hour-long commute to and from work they faced previously. Making a conscious effort to avoid a commute to their jobs at architecture firm, Mulvanny G2, they settled in at Palazzo, and are now free to enjoy the extra ten hours per week gained by living and working only three blocks apart. “Rather than live in an outlying area like Woodinville or Mukilteo, we treat those areas more like a weekend destination, driving to them when there is much less traffic and congestion, rather than driving from them during the week,” Mike says. Time is not the only thing the Osburns save by living and working downtown. With only one car and no gas or parking costs, they estimate a monthly savings of up to $300. Though that extra money is spent various ways, including saving for travel, Mike prefers using it at many of downtown Bellevue’s wonderful restaurants, listing P.F. Chang’s as his favorite for a night out with his wife. The
monthly savings are just an added bonus to all the other benefits
of living and working in downtown Bellevue.Emily appreciates the
inviting and welcoming nature of the downtown area, along with the
people she encounters. “Everyone we meet is just so pleasant
and friendly,” she says. |
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On
a recent Saturday morning, Mike and Emily Osburn set out to run
their typical weekend errands. Walking out the front door of their
downtown Bellevue condominium building, Palazzo, they were struck
with a pleasant realization.