The removal of Parkplace signs last week marked the beginning of the redevelopment process that is expected to begin sometime early next year.

At the same time, Parkplace businesses located in buildings slated for demolition as part of the first phase of redevelopment have had leases terminated and will be moving out of their space by Dec. 1, though many said they plan on remaining either in Kirkland or downtown. For some like the La Pasta Kirkland, a Seattle-based grocer, the lease termination means a short-lived stay, as they had been at their Parkplace location for a few months. The GNC, a vitamin and supplement store, will be moving to Crossroads, though they might come back after the redevelopment is finished. Tim’s Seafood will move to into the space formerly occupied by City Thai Restaurant, next to the Original Pancake House.

The buildings to be demolished include the 505 Parkplace Center where Todd’s Crab Cracker is located and the building across from the QFC.

Talon Capital has been meeting with the city’s design review board, their last conference over the redevelopment design on Aug. 17. As part of the plan, one building will be residential, with 225 units. The Master Plan looks to have 300 units total on the Parkplace property, 10 percent of which would be for affordable housing. The City Council voted to approve zoning changes to the Parkplace property as well as the Master Plan and Design Guidelines in order to allow for more residential use. After purchasing the property from Touchstone, Talon amended the Master Plan to reduce the overall size.

Bill Pollard, a principal owner at Talon, previously announced the site plan now includes two office buildings with retail on the ground floor. One of them will include the current QFC, which Pollard said will be double its current size, along with other retail, while the second floor will have restaurants. The office space, he said, will be on the upper floors of the eight-story building.

Parkplace businesses received their termination notices about a month ago, and already the Einstein Bros. Bagels and the Hallmark store have closed, while others like the Chamber of Commerce have plans to move across the street into the recently-completed Arete apartment complex on Central Way.

“It was important for us to stay downtown and have something more vibrant than a sign saying ‘This is where the Chamber is,’” Director Bruce Wynn said.

According to Talon’s Investment Director Bill Leedom, the northern section of the Park Place Center building will be have a marketing office inside, while the south-facing section will be closed off. Renovation work is currently taking place inside the lobby. Workers removed several of the Parkplace signs on the buildings last Thursday, though the clock facing southward will remain for the time being.

The QFC will remain in its current building until the first phase of redevelopment is complete, at which point they will move into one of the new buildings while the old building is demolished.