Design Review ‘packet’ now online for 3247 Avalon Way project

| Development | West Seattle news

Another multi-big-event night coming up – next Thursday, July 28th. That night brings the “Voice Your Views” West Seattle Candidates’ Forum … the first Summer Concerts at Hiawatha performance … and the next meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board, with, as first reported here a month ago, two projects on the schedule. The “packet” is now available online for one of those projects, 3247 Avalon Way, which is on the schedule for its “early design guidance” meeting. West Seattle-headquartered Nicholson Kovalchick is the architecture firm.

Their packet says this is proposed for 117 apartments and 117 parking places on five lots, four of which have single-family homes, one of which is vacant. The architects’ “preferred option” is a six-story H-shaped building, and though exterior design features aren’t required at an “early design guidance” session, the packet also includes their preferred option for that, which is the sketch we’re showing above. The “preferred option” would require so-called zoning “departures” including entering the building’s garage from two driveways on Avalon, rather than the alley behind the building, which has been the city’s preference for projects in recent years. The public meeting is at 6:30 pm next Thursday at the Senior Center of West Seattle, right before the 8 pm second design-review meeting for Harbor Properties‘ Nova (the “packet” for that isn’t online yet). Public comment will be taken on both projects.

JB July 21, 2011 (2:51 pm)

Anyone got a running tally on the number of proposed new apartments in the pipeline? It’d love to see these numbers along with any increases in density from town-home builds. I’ve been in W Seattle for 4 years now and commute times are getting worse. I’m comfortable saying that they were getting worse before lane reductions on 99. Granted, our household may be part of the problem, but as a single car family using transit we try to minimize our impact.

One More Opinion July 21, 2011 (3:56 pm)

I’m only surprised at the location…I didn’t think you could FIT any more apartments in that section of Avalon!

DF July 21, 2011 (7:37 pm)

BLIMEY!!

JD July 22, 2011 (6:23 am)

Not enough parking is going to be supplied. 117 units w/ 117 parking spaces. Parking on Avalon is going to get even worse

average joe July 22, 2011 (7:43 am)

second most hideous building in west seattle!!!
we need architecture police in west seattle.

WSB July 22, 2011 (8:23 am)

Average Joe, that’s what the Design Review Board is meant to be, at least in part. If you have some critiques about the design – that’s exactly what they want to hear at public meetings – not that all projects are up for design review, but when there is one, it’s a unique opportunity – TR

avalon resident July 22, 2011 (3:27 pm)

The traffic at the corner of 35th and Avalon is already crazy and to have 2 entrances and exits out for them to use is absurd. Plus the comment about Avalon parking going to get worse is so correct. Alot of times if we have guests over they have to park on Genesee which is already full most of the time.

There is no more room on this street :(

WorldCitizen July 22, 2011 (11:42 pm)

Light Rail.

WatchingWSDie July 23, 2011 (7:07 am)

To iterate the oft lament that while many upscale neighborhoods received no Urban Villages, WS received TWO (Eventually we will eventually uncover the Bribes paid) as logic cannot be applied.) As these villages stagnantly ripen, the actual horror is clear for all. Most residents cringe at the ugly architecture and the biggest ?? in WS…who chooses the color scheme?!, almost 1,000 new units with ZERO traffic relief not to mention the endless Ferry traffic going through one of the “villages”. No relief except that our pesky sub 80 IQ elves have again gleefully replaced more car lanes with bicycle only lanes…akin to the Bus only lane loonies’ on the bridge. I like bikes, but cars are necessary for most until we all get light rail or an alternative to dangerous sound Transit buses, there is an insane, perhaps terrorist minority who can’t reach climax or afterglow until that old universal weirdo credo of “Step #1: Bury all the Cars” is first accomplished in West Seattle. Result: 2 UGLY villages with new buildings I suspect would not receive even one vote that they are not totally
U-G-L-Y building which will hopefully rust away in a year or two….no useful or creative additions of additional roads to better facilitate ‘evil doers’ who still need to drive cars to ameliorate the burden the villages cursed WS with, parents…any help with increased school enrollment other than closing historic neighborhood schools….Oh the horror that a kid would actually be able to walk to school in their own neighborhood. I am willing to bet $100.00 in whatever becomes the new normal method of exchange, that few if any of the new eyesores (like the XndX atrocities) will be standing without major structural + fixes in 10 years…but hey, many are LEED Certified so that they will decompose in an environmentally friendly manner…too bad that was at the cost of cutting all corners possible, especially visual. Who would want to pay $$ to call any of these places home? And now the TUNNELL …It could even replace galloping Gertie which was built by engineers who were trained prior to lowering standards to those exemplified on the Flying Island of Laputa. King Street is NOT a downtown exit!!!

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