Apartments underway at former Puyallup mobile home park after multi-year delay
Apartments are under construction at the site of a former mobile park in Puyallup.
More than 40 families used to live at Meridian Estates at 202 27th Ave. SE. In January 2023, the developer, Timberlane Partners, forced the families to vacate the property so they could build apartments on the property.
Now, nearly three years later, the apartment complex – which is set to be called “Bradley Heights Apartments” is under construction.
According to News Tribune archives, construction was supposed to start in 2023 and finish in 2025.
Jorden Mellergaard, spokesperson for Timberlane Partners, said there will be eight three-story residential buildings with 236 apartments. The units will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments.
“Residential features will include air conditioning, modern kitchens, in-unit laundry, and private balconies. Community amenities include a fitness center, yoga room, resident lounge, bike storage, car ports, and an outdoor pool,” Mellergaard wrote in an email to The News Tribune.
Mellergaard did not answer The News Tribune’s question about why there were years between evicting families from the mobile park and starting construction. He said the apartments will be “close to opening” in 2027.
Eric Johnson, spokesperson for the City of Puyallup, told The News Tribune that Timberlane Partners is participating in the city’s multifamily tax exemption program. This means that 20% of the units — or 48, for this complex — must be below market rate. Zillow says the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Puyallup is $1,461, and the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,873.
What happened to Meridian Estates?
Timberlane Partners bought the property for $6.5 million in 2021 with a plan to build apartments there. The developer gave the 42 families who lived there until Jan. 31, 2023 to move.
There are two parts to owning a mobile home: the home itself, and the property the home sits on. Even if someone owns their mobile home, they are still subject to a landlord’s rules if they decide to rent a space in a mobile home park instead of purchasing land for the mobile home to sit on.
Some of the families who lived in Meridian Estates told The New Tribune they poured thousands of dollars into renovating their homes. Many lost the equity they had in their homes, because their homes were too old to move, among other things. Those that couldn’t be moved or sold in time were left to be demolished.
News Tribune archives contributed to this story.
