West Seattle development: Last phase of Whittaker site teardown

| Development | West Seattle news

Rain or shine, the demolition and construction work in the heart of West Seattle is proceeding – and today, at the future site of The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW), the last round of demolition has begun. Teardown of the 1952-built former auto-dealership buildings on the south side of the site started this morning. The view in the top photo reminds us of the same stage of demolition on another formerly Huling-owned site five years ago. *added* Here’s a photo from just before the beams were revealed:

Just in case you’re a new arrival: The project to be built here includes ~400 apartments, ~600 parking spaces, and retail (Whole Foods remains the only announced tenant so far). The Masonic Center at 40th/Edmunds is not part of the site and will remain, getting some parking-lot improvements as part of the “public benefits” promised by the developers next door.

P.S. Speaking of development – the West Seattle Land Use Committee‘s scheduled to hold its third meeting tonight, 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle (Oregon/California).

David October 22, 2014 (12:42 pm)

FINALLY! Was getting tired of driving past that ugly rundown abandoned property every day. Does anyone even REMEMBER the old ugly abandoned service station where the QFC is now? That was a blight sitting there for SO many years. Place looks 1000 times better now (plus there’s a place to go get groceries on rainy days with a garage)…BONUS

WSB October 22, 2014 (12:45 pm)

David – FWIW it’s worth noting that the developers would have torn it down sooner if the city had given them clearance; I happened onto a letter in the online file recently with them saying they’d been waiting for months and were frustrated because nothing (fence, security) was stopping the rampant vandalism and neighbors, understandably, were complaining about the worsening eyesore. Of course, it was vacant for a few years before the proposal first emerged … TR

cjboffoli October 22, 2014 (3:48 pm)

Good to see progress being made on the development. But that was kind of a cool space inside. It would have made a fantastic workshop or small factory. The last look I had inside was in November 2007 for WSB covering the auction of some remaining property: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cjboffoli/4070852199/in/photolist-7cJbyB-7cJbwT-7cN6Nm-7cN6E5-7cJbqH-7cJbsD-7cN6Gh-7cN6Qd-7cN6xW-7cN6r1-7cN6p1-7cJbDT-7cJbFT

let them swim October 22, 2014 (5:02 pm)

@ David, QFC = Gene Fielder Chevrolet. Probably before your time. The park on corner of Alaska and 42nd ave s.w. was a Gas station. Phillips 66 with free parking for about twenty cars.

D October 22, 2014 (6:16 pm)

Does anyone know what will happen to the big mural out front? I kinda hate to see it go, but I’m not sure how they would keep something like that.

WSB October 22, 2014 (6:35 pm)

D – we’ve written about that in other coverage. In short, while the actual mural cannot be removed and moved because it was painted on concrete/cement block, the mural is to be re-created from a good-quality photo, and will appear on one of The Whittaker’s buildings.