Why hasn't the Phantom Lake/Larsen Lake area in Bellevue become like Greenlake? (Seattle: neighborhoods)

[usernametaken]

Despite having lived in Bellevue for 4.5 years, I never explored the area behind Larsen Lake (off of 148th) until this winter. Then I discovered Phantom Lake (along with a small forest area somewhere in the middle of the 1 mile or so distance between the two lakes too).

Besides being surprised at the large size of Phantom Lake, I was shocked to see just 10 or so people there on a 60F sunny day. Far more people were at the much smaller Larsen Lake. Perhaps a lot of people are like me and did not realize there was a second lake in the area?

In any case, I am very surprised that the Phantom Lake area has not become a Greenlake for the east side. Wikipedia states that that both lakes have a close to 3 mile path around them, but from looking at Google Maps, it seems like Phantom Lake is about half the size of Greenlake. Still quite big.

[flyingsaucermom]

I am no expert, but they were developed in two different time periods. That area of Bellevue (and Bellevue in general) was built in the age of the automobile (50's and60's). Planning and design centered around cars, not people.

[JBVirtuoso]

Because it's Bellevue. The number of people living around Phantom Lake is probably a small fraction of the number around Green Lake. And instead of having complete neighborhoods around the lake, Phantom Lake sits between a bunch of private backyards. It's hardly a welcoming place.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

Because it's Bellevue. The number of people living around Phantom Lake is probably a small fraction of the number around Green Lake. And instead of having complete neighborhoods around the lake, Phantom Lake sits between a bunch of private backyards. It's hardly a welcoming place.

Yes, and in general, people in Bellevue don't want to have anything that resembles what's in Seattle. The downtown is pretty compact, the rest suburban and there, almost rural.

[wutitiz]

Maybe partly because it is not as visible from a main corridor (SR 99/Aurora) as Green Lake is. And as Hemlock says there is probably not the population density. I run in Downtown Bellevue Park and there are always lots of people there. I wish that it were a little bigger. The perimeter path is only .45 miles, compared to about 3 miles for Green Lake (3.1 if you run the path on the very edge rather than the paved path.