WEST SEATTLE DEVELOPMENT: New proposal for 4722 Fauntleroy Way, site where CVS was canceled

12:23 PM: There’s a new development proposal for 4722 Fauntleroy Way SW, where – as reported here last summerCVS gave up its plan for a drugstore. We just found the new early-stage proposal on the city docket, where it’s described as:

Construction of both a 7-story apartment structure on the Fauntleroy-facing property and a 4-story apartment structure on the 38th Ave SW facing property. Structures to include rental apartment units, commercial uses where appropriate, and structured indoor parking. All existing structures to be demolished.

No unit counts are mentioned in what’s online so far; the project will go through Design Review.

The site is currently home to West Seattle Produce and Suite Arrangements. The preliminary site plan shows the development also would include 4736 and 4740 Fauntleroy Way SW, bringing it all the way up to the proposed mixed-use building that’s in the works for the former pawn-shop site on the northeast corner of Fauntleroy and Edmunds; the property on 38th is listed as street number 4721, immediately east of the aforementioned business buildings. The prospective developer is listed as Legacy Partners, which built Youngstown Flats (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge; the architect is listed as Nicholson Kovalchick.

1:46 PM: While out of HQ just now, we went over for a quick look at the project site. The 38th SW-facing lot proposed for a 4-story apartment building is immediately south of Les Schwab and currently being used as food-truck parking. The two lots south of the Suite Arrangements/WS Produce building both have small structures on the alley side.

27 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE DEVELOPMENT: New proposal for 4722 Fauntleroy Way, site where CVS was canceled"

  • dawsonct December 23, 2016 (12:37 pm)

    Semi-good news. WS Produce can stay open a bit longer, and CVS won’t add to the glut of national pharmacy chains in the Jct.

  • ClayJustSayin December 23, 2016 (12:44 pm)

    Well, there goes yet more of the local character.  Oh boy more apartments just like all the others apartments.

    • KM December 23, 2016 (2:27 pm)

      But that CVS, it would have been rich with culture and diversity while easing the housing shortage. 

  • Luxeryapartmentsrock! December 23, 2016 (12:59 pm)

    And the former pawn shop sight will also get a seven story apartment building… Someone need to develop the parking lot in between so the whole block will be apartments. There need to be more apartments… 

    • WSB December 23, 2016 (1:17 pm)

      As I wrote above, this development IS going up to the line of the ex-pawn-shop (and lot to its north) project.

  • Jane December 23, 2016 (1:12 pm)

    I live about a block from Youngstown Flats and am so impressed with what Legacy Partners achieved there!  It’s a beautiful building with bioswails and art installations out front, and it fits into the neighborhood so well.  It’s dog friendly, which has increased the walking traffic and made the neighborhood that much more friendly.  I’m very glad to see that this developer will be doing additional work in West Seattle. 

    • Earlybird December 23, 2016 (2:21 pm)

      I agree! It is a really wonderful addition to the North Delridge neighborhood.

  • John December 23, 2016 (2:06 pm)

    Tried searching but no luck…will West Seattle Produce move to a new location once this happens?

    • WSB December 23, 2016 (2:19 pm)

      Before the CVS proposal was canceled, they had said they were seeking a new location. Keep in mind that this is VERY early stage – and typically this is the point where it would be at least a year before a project would even get close to permits.

  • Diane December 23, 2016 (3:39 pm)

    Youngstown Flats is nice development, and they hired consultant to do great outreach to Delridge community; but they had different architect; if you want to get idea of what these apts may look like, check out NK Architects, who have designed/built dozens of apt projects in West Seattle and throughout the city; I would prefer a different architect

    • Diane December 23, 2016 (3:51 pm)

      ok, I exaggerated a tad bit; NK has 31 apt projects throughout the city, and many town-homes and apt projects in WS; I guess it just seems like they present nearly every project at SW Design Review Board; check out their projects under the “multi-family” link on http://www.nkarch.com/

  • Paul December 23, 2016 (3:44 pm)

    We love West Seattle produce. I hope they stick around, regardless of location. They are a true gem in our area.

    • Wb December 23, 2016 (8:25 pm)

      Agreed. Step away from West Seattle Produce. 

  • Diane December 23, 2016 (3:54 pm)

    this is the NK designed ginormous 5-story, 400 ft long project on California between Hanford and Hinds  http://www.nkarch.com/projects/intracorp-admiral/

    • JVP December 23, 2016 (6:47 pm)

      That project looks amazingly good for how long it is.  I appreciate how they made it look like multiple building instead of one big blob of blah.   I was skeptical when the project was announced, but nicely done by them.

  • Diane December 23, 2016 (3:56 pm)

    this is one NK design that I like, with color and angles http://www.nkarch.com/projects/isola-alaska/

  • Seabruce December 23, 2016 (11:00 pm)

    Interesting they still want to build more apartments. I thought I read that rents are softening in the Seattle area, making me think there might be an oversupply looming.

    • West Seattle since 1979 December 27, 2016 (3:03 pm)

      @Seabruce, do you remember where you saw/read that rents are softening?

    • Sue December 28, 2016 (8:37 am)

      I read that too (forget where), except they were uncertain if rents were really lowering, or if it was the fact that rentals are less in demand at this time of year.

       I live in an older apartment building in the Alaska Junction, and I noticed that  there are 7 apartments available right now; that’s been unheard of in the 3 years I’ve lived there. When I saw my apartment, there were a half dozen people lined up behind me if I didn’t take it, and the apartments went so fast that they didn’t even make it to Craigslist – they already had people waiting. Not sure if there is no longer the demand, or if the people who can afford those inflated prices are moving out of the city. And my building isn’t even as expensive as the newer construction in the Junction, but still considerably more than 3 years ago when I moved in. I also notice on Craigslist that Elan41 (Jefferson Square) is now offering 1 month free. I haven’t seen any incentives in renting in a while.

      Sadly, I don’t believe that even if rents are coming down, that they’ll come down for me unless I move into something else. I would find it highly unlikely that any landlord would suddenly lower rent on an existing tenant. Perhaps lower the amount of increases, but never lower it. 

  • Joe Szilagyi December 24, 2016 (6:55 am)

    At least more ground floor commercial! Losing the produce place sucks, but ANYTHING as a replacement to the current usage is an improvement over another parking lot and driving-centric pharmacy. 

  • Diane December 24, 2016 (1:41 pm)

    JVP; neighbors and community advocates worked really hard to advocate for “they made it look like multiple building instead of one big blob of blah”

    • MsD December 25, 2016 (3:49 pm)

      I think it does look like a big blob of blah.  Some of these developments look much better in reality than they did in Design Review, but this one looks way more sterile and bland than the final Design Review sketches.

  • Cherable December 24, 2016 (5:28 pm)

    I’m curious – dawsonct referred to a “glut of pharmacies” in the junction.  I know of Rite Aid & Bartells at Jeff sq.   Are there others?

    • KM December 25, 2016 (8:16 pm)

      I think both QFC and Safeway have pharmacies, and there is also Pharmaca.

  • Diane December 25, 2016 (7:56 pm)

    pretty sure there’s a pharmacy inside QFC; and Pharmaca in the junction; I live between Alaska and Admiral junctions, and use Bartell in Admiral; only learned this year that it has drive-thru; it’s very hidden; used it this week for 1st time; super convenient, and helpful for parents with car full of kids or seniors/disabled, or super sick to not go into store and infect others

  • AC December 27, 2016 (3:40 pm)

    Wondering why with the increase in apartment development, they are building new establishments underneath them and not relocating the local businesses they are pushing out? They could just as well create a space for West Seattle Produce underneath the upcoming apartments instead of buying into more chains..

    • Sue December 28, 2016 (9:55 am)

      The only problem with that is that WS Produce (or any other company in this situation) would have to move twice – once to a temporary place during construction, and then again when it’s available, which is costly and disruptive to business. Or (like PCC is doing with their construction), not relocating, and waiting until they can move back in. There’s also the risk of it never happening – like when the fabric place at Fauntleroy/Alaska moved out (of the now LA Fitness/Spruce lot), intending to move back in, and then they never did and never reopened. And, unfortunately, the rents that these new places charge are probably prohibitive to a local one-off business, which is why chains end up moving in, since they can absorb the price better.

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