Hotel Interurban will be Tukwila’s tallest building

A brand-new hotel is coming near Tukwila’s Sounder train station. And at 19 stories, it’ll not only be the city’s tallest building—it’ll be the tallest structure between Seattle and Tacoma.

When completed in the spring, Hotel Interurban will have 195 guestrooms, plus 15,000 square feet of meeting at event space. The two-story lobby features a glass installation by former Dale Chihuly glassblower Bryan Rubino.

Like most hotels in the area, Interurban strives to be “tech-forward.” This includes some features that aren’t totally extraordinary, like keyless entry, mobile check-in, and LED lighting. But that also means a solar panel arrival canopy that powers most of the first floor. That floor includes a restaurant, a bar, and a grab-and-go coffee bar.

The guestrooms themselves, located on the third through 11th floors, have a straightforward design, with cool neutral walls and carpet behind wood-grain furniture. Each one features a 55-inch HDTV.

The hotel also includes an indoor pool and a fitness center.

Mercer Island-based developers Omar and Christine Lee are the majority owners. In a statement, Omar said the hotel supports the city’s plan to make the neighborhood “a more complete urban center” and pedestrian experience. “We see the construction of Hotel Interurban as a catalyst for growth in the city.”

Tukwila mayor Allan Ekberg called the hotel “forward-thinking,” and said it’s the first mixed-use project in the Southcenter district.

Columbia Hospitality, which is based in Seattle, will operate the hotel. It’s connected to the Airmark Apartments, another Tukwila high-rise opening around the same time.

This article has been updated to reflect that the hotel is by the Sounder station, not the Link light rail station.

• Hotel Interurban [HI]