What’s happening to the vacant lot next to iconic Lefty’s Burger Shack in UP?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Construction on a massive senior housing project to begin this summer in University Place.
- First phase of Grandview Senior Living will include 184 units and a commercial space.
- City issued a site development permit. Lefty’s neighboring operations won’t be affected.
A 1.5-acre lot has sat vacant next to Lefty’s Burger Shack in University Place for a long time. What’s going on there? Will future development affect the iconic surf-themed burger joint residents know and love?
The News Tribune confirmed this week that construction on a new seven-story senior-housing project is slated to begin this summer on the corner of 27th Street West and Grandview Drive West. The value of the lot was about $1.4 million in 2025, according to the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s website.
The first phase of the SHAG (Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations) Grandview Senior Living apartments will have 184 residential units and a 5,000-square-foot commercial space, said University Place community and economic development director Kevin Briske. The Grandview Senior Living complex will eventually be seven stories tall and built in two phases, according to Grandview Senior Living’s website.
After completion, there will be more than 375 apartments total, per the website. City records show Grandview Senior Living will have a 10,000-square-foot commercial space, too. Design renderings depict tall, brown-and-cream buildings with commercial space on the first floor.
Grandview Senior Living’s website advertises one- and two-bedroom apartments for those 61 or older (or 55 and older with a disability). Pre-leasing is expected to begin in 2027. Amenities include a rooftop deck, stunning water and mountain views, a community garden, yoga and fitness room, media room and free transportation van for shopping trips and local outings. The apartment complex is across the street from the Community Connection Place Senior Center.
“The City has issued the site development permit for the project, which includes the cleanup of contaminated soil from an old drycleaner. The building permit is waiting for some minor revisions,” city spokesperson Amanda Kleber said in an email Tuesday. “Lefty’s is on the neighboring property with different ownership and will not be affected by current construction.”
Readers of The News Tribune (and our food reporter Kristine Sherred) have rated Lefty’s Burger Shack one of the best in Pierce County. It has been open for more than 10 years, with burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, fries and shakes on its octagonal-shaped building.
Lefty’s staff who spoke with The News Tribune in person Wednesday said there are no plans to change operations at this time.
