Amongst the best-kept secrets in the country is the unique ocean shoreline of West Seattle. As the region’s most famous stretch of sand, Alki Beach is just 12 miles west of Mercer Island, and a convenient seaside refuge for a day trip or increasingly, as a primary address.
Dean Jones, CEO and owner of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty, was the tour guide. As an empty-nester and former resident of Mercer Island since 2010, Dean originally hailed from Vancouver BC and has always loved California and that sort of Venice | Santa Monica oceanfront vibe. He is a lifelong aficionado of fun beach communities in the Vancouver area like Kitsilano Beach and Ambleside Beach on the North Shore. He now lives at the recently completed Infinity Shore Club Residences – a 37-unit condominium estate on the prow of Alki Point with panoramic views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains.
As Dean reminisces of his time in B.C., reflects on living on Mercer Island waterfront, and he vividly describes the opportunity for West Seattle. “And there are condominium offerings where you can live right on the beach. But do you realize that on the oceanfront here, there's only one community in a city of 4 million plus people? I loved living on Mercer Island’s lakefront, but the single-family entry point is steep and there are no condominium offerings. Totally different. This is a lock-and-leave lifestyle, it’s Puget Sound, and it’s truly a waterfront theater!”
Dean passionately elaborates on the relative rarity. “You can go down to California and there are hundreds of miles of waterfront and dozens of very large beach communities all the way down to San Diego where you can do this. In both markets of Vancouver and in California, homes like this would trade at $2,500 to $3,500 a square foot and one thing that I do know from the research is once they sell out, they rarely change hands. Often because they end up being true legacy investments for families and they know how rare it is. They don't let go of an heirloom very easily. There's an appreciation built in on multiple levels. Emotionally and financially. It's kind of baked into the culture, but you know what? It has never existed here with this sort of design and quality.”
Perhaps it was the long uncertainty of the West Seattle bridge or simply an overlooked area because of the upsurgence of the eastside. Real estate agents, developers, appraisers, and lenders all wondered what our developer was doing over there. Dean surmises, “They always viewed West Seattle differently than we viewed it. I looked at it amongst a world-class city on the rise where we could walk to the ferry and be in downtown Seattle. That is an elegant lifestyle with a matchless view.”
So even if the area made sense, there wasn’t a lot to choose from to attract the resident who places a high value on a bespoke lifestyle with the amenities of a world-class metropolitan culture. Dean explains, “The product didn't exist and as a result, there were no immediate comparable sales. Right? So quite literally what we've done here is Vibrant Cities had this vision to bring that resort-like style to Seattle. There's only one place to do this. Golden Gardens? Not so much. They don't have the zoning, there are train tracks. You know, Des Moines doesn't have the same demographic. You know, you can't get this close to the water on Bainbridge Island. So there just is not another place to do it.”
Dean sees it as Mercer Island’s westward extension noting the zoning and product doesn’t exist on the “rock”. “And now with the West Seattle bridge reopening, and lots of great restaurants and lifestyle attractions in West Seattle. It's kind of the island you can drive to.”
Enter Infinity Shore Club, James Wong’s vision that took more than a quarter century to assemble the land, seek entitlements, and build through the pandemic, bridge closures, and other challenges. "I knew the moment I saw the plans for this development that it was bringing a lifestyle to Seattle unlike anything else," Dean says. With resort-level amenities, private outdoor spaces, and finishes and design befitting a five-star hotel, Infinity Shore Club offers homeownership with the convenience of a vacation getaway, all while feeling intimately connected to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. “It permeates the beach into the interiors but also infuses into your lifestyle.”
Dean calls the building a “horizontal high-rise” because of the steel and concrete construction quality, but also because it’s five lots wide when most developments are perhaps one, two, or three lots, and more typically built of wood framing. The property is worth a visit as a work of art, let alone a potential homestead. The namesake for the property is the infinity pool. The exterior space is one of a variety of common spaces that extend the lifestyle of the 37 owner residents.
Another attribute of extension is the extension of family. As children start their own families and grandchildren enter the picture, the amenities of Alki and West Seattle really give your mind cause to wander and wonder. Such a cool thing for your grandchildren to be in the trap as Dean calls it. Simply put, the family kids visit the grandparents and never want to leave the resort-like amenities.
On the other side of Elliott Bay, the Four Seasons Private Residences in downtown Seattle was delivered in 2010. Dean carefully remembers, “We were fortunate enough to represent a lot of sales and many of our clients are in there. It was the first of its kind bringing this luxury brand and such inspired spaces to Seattle. Obviously, they trade at a very high price point. You might think of these as large formats with taller ceilings, gracious windows, and volumes of space. They don't feel like apartments. They're condominium estates. It's a new product category, but we have the same designer that did the infinity edge pool, one of only a handful like it in all our cities. And then we have the same interior designer, which is Susan Marinello, who interestingly has roots in West Seattle and Mercer Island. We have the same structural integrity and quality because of our concrete and steel. I like to say that we have the Five Seasons now because we have a beach.”
As you enter the building it’s as if the beach is brought into the community. Sand dollars adorn the wall with custom-loomed carpets that resemble tidal pools. As if you were across the street on the sandy beach. A concierge welcomes you home. You can go straight to your elevator or if entertaining, you can climb the oak stairs to a great room amenity area. Wrought iron and aluminum frame the staircase while providing a sturdy contemporary handrail. All cool and very bespoke.
The property is truly resort-style and frames the type of sanctuary that we all need for peace and tranquility and the occasional social event. The proximity lends itself to the active Mercer Islander. Cycling, walking, running, the best cold plunge possible, rollerblading, windsurfing, swimming, kayaking, and whatever I may have missed. More lifestyle and less domestic management.
So, oceanfront living at a price point that is about half the comparable beachfront values along the Canadian and California coast, and more similar to the high-rise condominiums found atop recently completed towers in downtown Seattle.
But the process of downsizing and selling a long-time family home, especially on Mercer Island, can be complex. That's where expert relocation agent Robyn Kimura-Hsu of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty proves invaluable. “I work closely with builders like Infinity Shore Club Residences to secure early occupancy options while a current home is for sale,” explains Robyn.
Robyn and her partner, Rachel Schindler, and team conduct thorough market analyses, professionally staging virtual open houses to maximize exposure. Their network of fellow agents helps expedite sale transactions. This sometimes allows residents to occupy their new Infinity Shore Club home contingent on their previous sale closing, avoiding dual housing costs or extended stays elsewhere.
To be sure, Mercer Island is well known for an aging population and high percentage of single-family homes with longtime residents who enjoy significant equity positions, but truly, there are few options for downsizing, and none on the shoreline. Perhaps that’s why so many retirement communities are established, but real estate agents agree many residents seek an interim residency in a nearby, single-level condominium allowing one to age in place. Another trend is to cash in on the home equity with resources to buy multiple homes, perhaps one on the beach and another in the mountains or in the desert.
As Dean finished our tour on the rooftop to showcase the panoramic sound view and Seattle skyline, one couldn’t help imagining the entertainment possibilities. The possibilities for lifestyle expansion.
Infinity Shore Club has a seamless indoor-outdoor flow that immerses homeowners in scenic Puget Sound views without excessive yard work. The resort-worthy common spaces encourage social bonds across ages, just as on Mercer Island neighborhoods of lore. An infinity pool dances with sun and water and guests can lounge on the lush, professionally designed roof deck. Dean reminds us, “There's more than 14,000 square feet of interior and exterior living spaces that are common for the use of only 37 homeowners.” He also points to expansive patios for most homes that feature Nanawall window systems, effectively extending the interior living spaces to the exterior with terraces large enough for outdoor dining and entertainment.
Above all, on the rooftop, luxury reached new heights with private decks engineered to support hot tubs and outdoor kitchens, where the Space Needle loomed on the horizon like a sentinel in the distance and a setting sun over the Olympic Mountains cast a silhouette that is quintessentially, Seattle.
The ground floor and lower level was a concourse of conveniences—a puppy grooming area humorously dubbed by Dean’s nicknames such as the "Gucci Puppy Clinic," a “Garage Mahal” with generous parking, and an “REI room” for the adventurers at heart.
For flexible living done right, Infinity Shore Club is an attractive option. As evening sunlight paints the sky and frolicsome children remind Dean of future families creating memories here, he smiles knowing this development honors the Northwest beachfront lifestyle cherished for generations yet to come. Expanding horizons in so many ways. All at the shoreline of a global city on the rise.
"There's more than 14,000 square feet of interior and exterior living spaces." - Dean Jones
"It's kind of the island you can drive to. ” - Dean Jones