Tuesday: Hearing downtown on Conner project alley vacation

From page 19 of a 25-page PowerPoint scheduled to be shown to the City Council’s Transportation Committee tomorrow, those are some of the “streetscape amenities” promised as part of the 2-building Conner Homes development planned along SW Alaska, between 42nd and California, in the heart of The Junction. Tomorrow morning at 9:30 at City Hall downtown, the committee holds the official public hearing on the “alley vacation” that requires city approval to proceed with the development’s current plan; the actual section of public right-of-way to be “vacated,” if the full council approves, is actually underground, facilitating one large parking garage beneath the two 7-story buildings – the alley will remain an alley at the surface.

As we reported here three weeks ago, Conner negotiated changes to the project with a group of concerned citizens that met with him for more than a year before signing an agreement eventually not to oppose the “alley vacation.” Our earlier story featured highlights of their agreement, which can be read in full on the last page of the presentation to be shown tomorrow; SDOT recommends approval – you can read the department’s official memo here. If the committee approves the proposal tomorrow, it will go next to the full council for a vote. As for the project timetable – Conner told us earlier this month that construction wouldn’t start any sooner than year’s end (existing businesses on the site have leases running till then).

3 Replies to "Tuesday: Hearing downtown on Conner project alley vacation"

  • sam-c April 26, 2011 (6:02 am)

    thanks for posting the link to the PDF. so, part of their PUBLIC BENEFIT proposal is that they are adding additional retail parking beyond what is required by code. does that mean that they will be free/ 2 hour parking ?

    it looks like they are counting their streetscape furnishings as public benefit. has the design commission gotten more lenient (I haven’t been paying that close attention these last 8 years )? however, that corner will be a nice spot to sit and people watch, without a store owner telling me to leave, “hey you can’t make me leave, these tables and chairs are for the public!”

  • Forest April 26, 2011 (11:37 am)

    To be counted as public seating, outdoor benches should have arm and back supports. Flat-slab benches would mostly benefit skateboarders.

  • RJB April 26, 2011 (2:50 pm)

    Conner Homes is located in Bellevue. Maybe all these “lovely things” would be better in Bellevue…not West Seattle. Please leave our Junction alone!! I like it just the way it is!!! New doesn’t always mean better. Why come in to a community, that you do not live in and try and change it so drastically??? I do not understand.

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