The following article appeared in the May, 2003 Kirkland Courier Real Estate section:
Exploring Moss Bay
by Peter Stekel
As anyone in town will tell you, each of Kirkland's 13 neighborhoods is unique and distinctive. The neighborhoods are Totem Lake and North Juanita; Market, Moss Bay,
and south Juanita; Norkirk, Highlands and Everest North and South Rose Hill and Bridal Trails. The focus this month is on Moss Bay - one of the tiniest neighborhoods we have but with some of the most of what is happening in Kirkland.Moss Bay neighborhood boundaries are Lake Washington to the west, the
Everest Neighborhood and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks to the east, Central Avenue on the north and NE 68th Street to the south.The neighborhood includes a mix of just about everything that makes people think of Kirkland. Here is where you will find the Marina, downtown, restaurants and art galleries, condos, apartments and single family homes, the Park Place shopping center, Lake Washington waterfront and waterfront parks as well as Peter Kirk Park
with the Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland Library, an outdoor swimming pool, Kirkland Teen Center and Kirkland Senior Center. Whew! There is a lot going on in Moss Bay!Mark Masterson says the reason to live in Moss Bay is the real estate mantra: Location. Moss Bay is close to things, he said. "It's the bull's eye of Kirkland. Of course, there are areas like Totem Lake that have more social services like shopping. But this is where Kirkland began," said Masterson. There are good restaurants, interesting places to walk, a wonderful shoreline at Moss Bay and the open pathways down to the water enjoy the western vistas.
Masterson also points to the diversity of the neighborhood. It encompasses the pure downtown area, a large commercial section and residential section as well. He also draws attention to the types of places available for people to live in: Massive condos, apartments with people with small incomes, and single family dwellings. There is a wide range of age groups in the Moss Bay Neighborhood too. It seems that Moss Bay represents all of Kirkland at its best.
The Moss Bay Neighborhood Association meets the third Monday of odd months in the Kirkland Library. Point your browser to their web site located at www.mossbay.org. To find out what is happening in the neighborhood, you can also contact the Association by calling Mark Masterson at 889-4421. Email to lauraleepritt@hotmail.com.
The City of Kirkland believes that neighborhood associations are an important link between the city and its residents as well as being an effective way for neighbors to improve and maintain the quality of life in their neighborhood. There are nine such associations in Kirkland. Specific information about Kirkland's neighborhoods is available from Kari Page, City of Kirkland Neighborhood Services Coordinator by calling [425] 828-7973.
An excellent resource for specific information and happenings in all of Kirkland s neighborhoods is located at
http://myeastside.com.