Ken Schoenfeld and his wife are downsizing – from an oversized home in Kent to a more suitable-sized condominium in the new Bellevue Towers.

Well into retirement, Ken Schoenfeld knew a smaller, more comfortable residence such as a condominium would suit his lifestyle better, but he was reluctant to wake up to the noise and bustle of downtown Seattle.

When he learned of the Bellevue Towers, a new high rise luxury condominium project in the heart of downtown Bellevue, he was the first to sign on the dotted line.

The two-tower condominium project sits on the corner of 106th Northeast and Northeast Fourth Avenuee. The North and South glass towers bring environmentally friendly urban living within walking distance of old Main Street, the new Eastside flagship Safeway and the 20-acre Downtown Park.

When the Bellevue Towers officially open in early 2009, Schoenfeld and his wife will move into their 2,400-square-foot customized unit. He chose from over 200 floor plans that are available to buyers.

“I made the decision to sign up on day one because the project is such good quality,” he said, pointing to the amenities including multiple common areas, a dining room, a spa, workout facility, meeting rooms and theater rooms. “Living there will be more like belonging to a club and I like that idea.”

The 42- and 43-story towers will house 558 condo units atop 904 parking stalls on eight levels.

“Bellevue is pretty unique from the standpoint that you’re taking the positives of a suburban lifestyle in terms of public safety, cleanliness and convenience and now you’re layering on some of the benefits traditionally associated with city lifestyle, such as dining, shopping and cultural events,” said Jason Foss, general manager of sales and marketing for Bellevue Towers. “It’s bringing the best of two worlds together.”

At the base of the Bellevue Towers, three new restaurants will open including Purple Café, Barrio, and an espresso and local baked-goods cafe.

One of Bellevue Towers features will be the Urban Gardens, located on top of the podium between the North and South Tower. The Shoenfeld’s residence will open onto a private terrace giving them access to the lush garden surrounding. The half-acre garden will offer a dog area, outdoor fireplace, walking paths, and a unique water feature.

When designing the Bellevue Towers, Gerding Edlen Development took special care to capture a seamless flow of architecture and design.

“The lines and design of the garden echo the larger architectural design of the building to make it visually interesting and aesthetically nice to look at,” Foss explained.

Construction began on the Bellevue Towers back in 2006.

Model units are open for viewing on the 10th floor and the sixth floor garden level including one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and studio homes. The interior design of each unit is distinctive to one another and is created by four different designers, each embodying its own flavor and style.

According to Foss, clients have shown interest in the $9.5 million penthouse that occupies 6,400-square-feet on the 43rd floor of the South Tower. A 3,000-square-foot terrace wraps around on three sides of the penthouse and offers spectacular views of the city.

“Everyone who comes up here shows a lot of interest and we have a few qualified interested potential buyers,” Foss said. “A couple people have commented that obliviously it’s quite high up and they didn’t know how comfortable they would be living this high up, but they would be willing to give it a try,” he joked.

If the $9.5 million price tag is out of your price range than the North Tower’s mirror image of the penthouse for $7.5 million might be a better fit.

“We knew if we were wanted to successfully tap into the Bellevue home buying market we would have to offer spacious homes where people would feel comfortable and homes that would be finished in high quality materials,” Foss said. “I think we nailed it.”

Gerdling Eden Development also has brought in PREM, a property management company founded in 1993 that now oversees eight million square feet of real estate. This is the first project for the company in Bellevue. A permanent office will be located inside Bellevue Towers.

“We are a sustainable company and do things a little differently than normal companies,” explained Jacob Johnson, president of PREM. “We are focused on the environment social and economic viability.”

The Bellevue Towers will be as appealing on the inside as they are on the outside. Approximately 300 pieces of artwork will be placed throughout the two towers, in the elevator corridors, lobby and meeting spaces. The significant investment of roughly three-quarters of a million dollars was spent on sculptures, signature art pieces, and the installment of an art glass wall.

For Schoenfeld, he will look no further than his own son, owner of Schoenfeld Interiors in Bellevue to oversee the interior design of his unit.

“We look forward to living in Bellevue. When we walk around downtown Bellevue, we notice something different, something special,” he said. “People look at you and smile. The streets are clean. The shops and restaurants are inviting.”

For more information on the Bellevue Towers visit www.bellevuetowers.com or call 425-454-9922.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4602.