Renton
Home of Boeing
After timber and coal mining died off, Renton became the blue collar community where Boeing mechanics lived close to work. Lake Washington was lowered in 1916 and the reclaimed land on the south end of the lake was first used as a farm and then as an air plane manufacturing plant during World War II.
Today, the more than 1 million square foot Boeing Renton plant is located on the site.
Next door, the Southport Commercial Development was completed in 2017. This 17 acre site includes a 350 room Hyatt Regency Hotel with 12 stories, a nod to the 12th Man fans of the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have the second largest training facility in the NFL less than two miles away.
The Southport developer has also built 24,100 square feet of retail space in the area along with 383 apartments, and has plans to build three towers with 778,000 square feet of office space.
Across the street to the south, the 46 acre mixed use complex called the Landing had the misfortune of opening at the beginning of the 2008 great recession. It not only survived, it is now thriving.
Renton has numerous popular summer events. The Renton River Days Festival is one of the best in the area. Take a look at all the activities on their website. Also, you can skip the crowds and take an inner tube ride down the Cedar River which ends in 34 square mile Lake Washington. Great fun!
The river is only a few feet deep but it is a river so exercise caution as well as your arms and legs. Swimmers and boaters can also access the lake at Coulon Park.
Renton Features and Highlights
- 12 miles from downtown Seattle.
- The Cedar River Trail, almost 17.3 miles, mostly paved, along the Cedar River, from Renton’s historic downtown to Landsburg Park, in Maple Valley.
- Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, public 57-acre lakeside park offering boat launches, a walking trail, tennis courts & picnic areas.
- Henry Moses Aquatic Center (HMAC), located in the Cedar River Park, attracts nearly 75,000 people from mid-June through Labor Day.
Renton in Numbers
- Population 98,499 people
- Median age 35.8 years
- Median household income $66,050
- Poverty rate 11.9%
Source : Census Bureau, 2016 yr. – www.Datausa.io
Other major cities near Renton include Maple Valley, Covington and Black Diamond.
Nearby Cities
Upstream, the Cedar River runs through Maple Valley (pop. 25,000), Covington (pop. 17,000), and Black Diamond (pop. 4,000).
The farther from Renton, the smaller the population but it’s clear people are moving in that direction. Between 1990 and 2000, Maple Valley’s population exploded from 1,211 to 14,209. One attraction to the area is the highly ranked Tahoma School District.
