Allen Purchases Pan Abode Property In Renton

Paul Allen has bought a Renton landmark, the Pan Abode Cedar Homes property beside Interstate 405 at Kennydale.

The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft has no definite plans for redeveloping the eight acres, his spokeswoman, Susan Pierson, said yesterday. The property could be redeveloped by itself or as part of a 48-acre Port Quendall project on Lake Washington.

Allen's Port Quendall Co. paid $3.5 million for the Pan Abode site March 24. The deal allows the manufacturer of solid-timber homes and post-and-beam houses to remain on the site for two to five years.

Pan Abode owner John Hubbard, who sold the property, said he will move his warehouse and offices to the Kent area when Allen is ready to begin construction.

Allen's Port Quendall project is showing new signs of life. Sue Carlson, Renton's economic-development and planning administrator, said an agreement with Allen for an expanded city role in the project is "really close, but we're not quite there yet."

Allen, the current property owners and the city are discussing possible city ownership of, or easements to, waterfront property. Such an agreement would allow public access to the shoreline and would give the city legal standing to seek state funds for a cleanup of toxic contaminants in the soil and groundwater.

Renton officials originally envisioned a development scenario similar to Kirkland's Carillon Point, where the land is privately owned but the public is allowed access to the waterfront.

City staff will update the City Council on Port Quendall at a committee-of-the-whole meeting in City Hall at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Allen announced in 1996 that he was considering a $500 million to $700 million, 68-acre high-tech office campus at Port Quendall. He soon began scaling down the project because of the high cost of cleaning up pollution and improving access to I-405.

Allen announced in November he would not buy the 20-acre Barbee Mill property but would extend his options to buy the other parcels.

Keith Ervin's phone message number: 206-515-5632. E-mail: kervin@seatletimes.com