WEST SEATTLE DEVELOPMENT: 7 units to replace 1 in south Morgan Junction

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

(King County Assessor’s Office photo)

A century-plus-old house at 6721 California SW is proposed for replacement with seven rowhouse townhouses, according to a proposal that just showed up in city files. The early-stage site plan in city files shows the units fronting onto SW Willow on the south side of the site, with five offstreet parking spaces alongside the units on the north side. This represents continued densification to match what the area is already zoned for; this site is zoned Lowrise 2, as is the rest of the block, part of which has already been redeveloped, as has the entire block to the south.

PE June 14, 2017 (7:42 pm)

Sad, more than a decade of this going on. Although, some of the houses in the past were too far gone to save. Love this craftsman style.

JeffK June 14, 2017 (7:45 pm)

We need less housing and more jobs based in WS. Put up some small offices instead already.

West Seattle since 1979 June 15, 2017 (9:11 am)

@JeffK: It’s not that easy! If we have more jobs here in West Seattle, even more people will want to move here, and then they’ll need more housing. Unless you want housing prices to go up even more.
- KM June 15, 2017 (10:11 am)
  
  And people will commute here from other neighborhoods and cities if businesses move here. A WS office/business wouldn’t just employ people from the neighborhood.
  - West Seattle since 1979 June 15, 2017 (10:47 am)
    
    And some of them will decide they like it here and don’t want to commute, so they’ll move here……..
    - WSB June 15, 2017 (11:06 am)
      
      But don’t forget the possibility that the more jobs here, the more chances for people who are ALREADY on the bridge daily to *not* have to leave the peninsula. Entrepreneurialism can do the same thing (this little micro-newsbiz keeps us from adding to the congestion, whether via car OR via the bus, all but a few times a year).
newnative June 15, 2017 (11:54 am)

Many of the multi-use buildings are adding office and business space, as well as living space. Some of these businesses are great for pedestrian shopping (Charlestown area, for example). The problem with “adding offices” without living spaces is that real estate is already at a premium, putting a lot of pressure on any starting business or relocated office space to make money right away. Mixed use is the best thing for the neighborhood.

Elle Nell June 14, 2017 (10:52 pm)

how sad…

M June 15, 2017 (5:19 am)

Good. That house and especially its unkept yard have increasingly become an eye sore in the neighborhood.

Alki Resident June 15, 2017 (7:15 am)

They cleaned up the yard three days ago. Nothing wrong with that house.

moesmom June 15, 2017 (7:39 am)

We dislike un-kept yards as much as the next person but I’ve come to realize that some of these older homes with un-kept yards have Elderly people living in them and makes it hard for them to do yard work. BUT when you know for a fact the homeowner is able to do yard work this is what irks us and wonder why they didn’t buy a Condo?

Jim June 15, 2017 (7:51 am)

People are greedy too often – 7: 1 bet they won’t be expanding the parking, street care, police or anything else to match. Gross population density increases lead to crime increases, so sad.

Chris F June 15, 2017 (8:33 am)

Did you just make up an ‘alternative fact’? The real data is at best inconclusive that increasing population density leads to higher crime

http://blog.nycdatascience.com/student-works/pressure-cooker-higher-population-densities-increase-crime/

MJ June 15, 2017 (8:58 am)

The house was a rental and the tenant moved out a month or two ago, which is why the grass was so tall. Before than, he had maintained it fine. I believed the tenant moved because the owner wanted to sell. I live on the street and I’m not crazy about increasing density, but it is a byproduct of living in a growing, vibrant city. Growth can be painful and bumpy, the but opposite (stagnation, decline) is far worse, IMO.

Meyer June 15, 2017 (5:39 pm)

Well put. I would hate it if my neighbor tore down their house and 7 new houses were built, with 7+ new neighbors but it is the lesser of two evils when it comes to a growing city and housing shortage we are facing.

mom2boys June 15, 2017 (1:59 pm)

Pretty sure that’s the house I tried to rent and was discriminated again because I have teens.

Enid June 15, 2017 (2:19 pm)

What a beautiful old Craftsman house. There is no ‘craft’ in home building any longer, and I have absolutely no doubt that the crammed building that greed will build in it’s place will be far more crap than craft.

There are many cities where such houses would be lovingly preserved and restored, but not in developer-driven Seattle.

WSobserver June 15, 2017 (9:29 pm)

I walk by this house all the time. I think it’s one of the cutest houses in the neighborhood, and in good condition. Shame to see it demolished. :(

RedLantern June 16, 2017 (8:46 am)

I’ve always thought it was an interesting looking house – the windows in have charm, but the roof line is pretty busy and definitely keeps it out of the craftsman school of architecture. Have often wished someone would spruce it up a little. If it’s been a rental property, can’t fault the owner for making a buck developing it.