West Seattle development: Another crane arrives

| Development | West Seattle news

Four construction cranes are now up in West Seattle, with the arrival today of this one at The Blake, 5020 California SW, south of The Junction, where we last reported on the start of site prep in April. This crane arrives 8 days after the crane went up at Spruce, formerly “The Hole,” and the two projects have some things in common besides the obvious:

-Both sites were originally to be developed by BlueStar
-Both later went into foreclosure, then sat idle a while after ownership changes (different owners now)
-Both have new names (Spruce was originally Fauntleroy Place, The Blake was previously Spring Hill)

The Blake will have 101 apartments, 87 parking spaces, and commercial space, though, unlike Spruce (where the entirety of the commercial space is going to LA Fitness), nothing announced yet.

The other two cranes are at projects that have been under construction for months, Oregon 42 (whose marketing website is now up) and in the 3200 block of Avalon Way. The next arrival likely will be at 4730 California, aka the former Petco site, where demolition is in its second week.

MCJ June 20, 2013 (3:46 pm)

“101 apartments, 87 parking spaces” What the hell?

roundthesound June 20, 2013 (4:20 pm)

On Spruce’s website it says they will have 1 and 2 bedroom apartments but they only show floorplans for a studio and one bedroom. Doesn’t mention anything about parking so I’m assuming there is none.

WSB June 20, 2013 (4:39 pm)

Yes, they have parking. That’s why there was “The Hole” in the first place – they excavated for the garage, and then the legal battle and everything else ensued, until five years and an ownership change later, it’s under construction for real. Will see if I can find the parking # – it was years before the city decided you didn’t have to have parking if you were on a frequent-transit line … TR
.
(update – about 500 spaces http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/Project.aspx?id=3005575 )

Sunny.206 June 20, 2013 (4:56 pm)

Was that the transit line then or now?

WSB June 20, 2013 (5:06 pm)

The “frequent transit line” that qualifies for the new city rule regarding parking requirements in developments, or lack of same, is RapidRide, which is less than a year old. It’s been on the drawing board since even before The Hole was originally excavated and abandoned, but if its original timetable/vision had gone forward, it would have been complete long before RapidRide began…

Alex June 20, 2013 (5:14 pm)

So in that one sense, the hole was a blessing. We now get a modern building, WITHOUT the modern lack of parking that developers have been given recently.

Peter on Fauntleroy June 20, 2013 (5:23 pm)

Actually, I believe the city is using the standard of service every 15 minutes or less to define frequent transit. It can be a combination of routes on a corridor, too, it’s not specific to RR. The 54 would have qualified.

Sean June 20, 2013 (6:28 pm)

Ooh I can’t wait to see how many people we can wedge into the crapidride after all these wonderful new apartments go in! It’s already so much fun to get to know so many people so intimately

Genesee Hill June 20, 2013 (7:32 pm)

This shows how popular West Seattle is. Bet the local business owners aren’t complaining too much.

Welcome to West Seattle. Really.

Hank June 20, 2013 (8:52 pm)

Um just so you know not everyone in seattle owns cars, especially people that live in condos or apartments. I don’t own a car and I really don’t want to have to pay for the space required to store somebody’s space wasting SUV.