Seatac

Residential life close to major Washington cities Among the hills in Kent Valley, and close to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Riverfront offers its residents quiet living in Washington with easy access to both major cities of Seattle and Tacoma. With the Green River wining along parts of its northeastern boundary, Washingtonians are drawn to the neighborhood due to its convenient location and views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade Mountains in the distance. “The cost of living and rentals here are lower,” says Betina Finley, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Bain of Bellevue who also grew up in the area. “Many people who work at the airport can walk to it, and there’s a whole community built on the hillside. Some people don’t even know it’s up there and has those views of the mountains. It’s such a gem and people don’t know it.” Homes above the Mount Rainier fog Condos in Riverfront typically sell for between $300,000 and $500,000, while single-family homes usually fall between $500,000 and $700,000. Some larger properties, depending on acreage and views of the landscape, have sold for $800,000 or more. Ranch homes, custom architecture, split-levels and more traditional styles are common along Riverfront’s streets, some on the waterfront, and the most popular properties are those overlooking the peaks to the east. “Parts of the area have stunning views looking over the Cascade Mountains,” Finley says. “The SeaTac area is on a ridge up on a hill, so they have spectacular views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade Mountains. It’s surprisingly quiet, too. Residents don’t hear the air traffic because the planes landing over SeaTac are west of or right over the airport.” Angle Lake, just north, offers a manufactured home park, and some of the homes in Riverfront proper sit in pockets of evergreen trees. Education close to Riverfront Within the Kent School District, Neely-O’Brien Elementary School is where students can start their educational journey. From kindergarten through sixth grade, enrollment at the school has a student-to-teacher ratio of 14 to one and Neely-O’Brien receives a C from Niche. Mill Creek Middle School also garners a C, serving seventh and eighth-grade students. Kent-Meridian High School is graded a B by Niche for its service of ninth through 12th grade, and the home of the Royals offers such athletic programs as cross-country, basketball, baseball and softball. Skipping flat rocks across Green River Go down to where the cool water flows on the Green River, where residents can walk or bike along its shores and visit several parks located along its path. That includes Van Doren’s Landing Park, a 10.2-acre space just east of Riverfront that offers a mini replica playground version of Mount Rainier, picnic areas and also acts as a Green River Trail access point. Toward the eastern side of Riverfront’s upper half, Valley Floor Community Park stretches across more than 40 acres, while in the south the Grandview Off-Leash Dog Park is a place for furry friends to run around. Shopping and dining outside of Riverfront Across Interstate 5 is where residents of Riverfront will find most of their commercial outlets. A California Burrito, Walgreens and Dollar Tree are all to the immediate west and southwest, and there are more outlets closer to downtown Kent. Indian Bistro and Church’s Texas Chicken are also nearby, while the St. John’s Barber Shop is a convenient stop for a haircut or shave. A Safeway to the southeast serves general necessity needs as well. Egghole, about 10 minutes from the dog park, specializes in unique egg-related dishes and has an expansive beer selection as well. “Southcenter Mall is just down the hill, too,” Finley says. “It’s convenient for shopping and there’s restaurants and retail along International Boulevard.” Finding local flair around the SeaTac area Kent Station, a shopping center just east of Riverfront, doesn’t just offer outlets for dining, shopping, home goods and apparel. The hub also offers events for holidays like Easter, as well as a summer concert series with free admission. Robert Morris Earthwork is a natural art installation that has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Kent Valley Ice Centre offers an ice rink of NHL-regulation size, as well as batting cages, a sports bar and more. Just southeast sits the accesso ShoWare Center, where concerts are held and the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds play Getting around the SeaTac region Interstate 5 makes up the entire western boundary of the Riverfront neighborhood, running between San Diego and the Canadian border in its entirety. “SeaTac to Seattle is about 20 minutes,” Finley says. “The 509 runs north to south and gets into Seattle that way, and it’s much quicker. It also connects people south to Tacoma.” International Boulevard runs parallel east of I-5. “The convenience of the area is proximity to freeways,” Finley says. “Headed west, it’s probably only 10-15 minutes from Puget Sound, so there’s beaches and other lovely spots.” The Sounder and Angle Lake Light Rail stations are also relatively nearby, meaning it’s a very short jaunt over to the airport.