From the land-use files: Another teardown-to-townhomes site

duplexdoomed.jpg

That’s 2312-2314 44th SW in North Admiral, with applications just filed for demolition of this building and replacement with five townhomes split between two buildings. According to county property records, the doomed duplex is exactly a century old, and sold last month for $750,000. The multiplex immediately south is an ex-apartment building that converted to condos last year.

15 Replies to "From the land-use files: Another teardown-to-townhomes site"

  • TheVelvetBulldog February 19, 2008 (7:23 pm)

    Now THAT’S a shame. What a gorgeous house.

  • Todd February 19, 2008 (7:25 pm)

    Good Lord! When will it end!?

  • Jack Flanders February 19, 2008 (7:31 pm)

    Think of this way. They replace a house where a family had one or two cars, with 4 or 5 condos that have one or two cars EACH. So we’ve quadrupled the number of cars in the same space. And this is a trend. Either we need to make the West Seattle bridge 8 lanes, or we MUST MUST MUST have some kind of mass transit (monorail, light rail, streetcar or freaken subway)…something that does NOT just chug along in traffic, but goes above/below. And with the viaduct coming down, the problem will just get 10 times worse than it is now.

    Can’t we just extend the light rail we ALREADY have at the end of the West Seattle viaduct/SoDo straight west about 3 miles and into West Seattle? That can’t be THAT expensive or complicated.

  • Rick February 19, 2008 (8:04 pm)

    It will end when developers have removed all character,history and soul to build endless rat-boxes, made their millions and then move on. It’s always about $$$.

  • Jack Flanders February 19, 2008 (8:08 pm)

    Reality will step in too. I mean seriously…housing can NOT advanced faster than incomes…period. Sure it can for a while, with the introduction of crappy sub-prime mortgages, interest only mortgages and such. But eventually it will simply collapse. There just are NOT that many people making over $1 million a year in Seattle. That number isn’t increasing NEAR as fast as the number of $900k or $2.5 million dollar condo/homes. At some simple economic point, there simple won’t be ANYONE to buy these places and the real estate market will REALLY collapse like it should. Sorry, your dumpy 1,200 sq ft rambler is not REALLY worth $1.1 million. Am I to believe a Vice President of Safeco (or similar who could afford that price) will be moving into your crappy little 1,200 sq ft fixer?

  • credmond February 19, 2008 (10:24 pm)

    On the other hand, it could be five independent home-office upper-middle income individuals or couples who walk to the Safeway/Met Market/PCC for food and have maybe two cars between all five households. Think positive. Let’s invite the broadband types to live here. The more of them who move in and realize we need grade-separated rapid transit, the more clout we’ll have – especially if they’ve got broadband and all day to send letters via email (while rendering a movie or running a spreadsheet or developing software or managing an e-business).

    I need to dig up some demographics, but I think WS is at or near the top of city areas with high proportions of home-based employees/owners/entrepreneurs/whatever. That even includes a bunch of detail shops masquerading as garages in some neighborhoods here.

  • Jack Flanders February 20, 2008 (8:02 am)

    It COULD be….yes. It could be 5 separate families that all commute by bike…but it’s not at all likely. Just following statistical trends it won’t be, sorry. The ‘new’ owners are no more likely to be home based or commute via bike than the previous owners. My point still holds. You’ve quadrupled the number of ‘familes’ living in the same space…therefore the number of cars will LIKELY quadruple (whether thats from 1 to 4, or from 5 to 20). The point is still….same roads, same bridges, more people.

  • lala February 20, 2008 (8:50 am)

    Revolting.

  • jai February 20, 2008 (9:32 am)

    I’ve noticed a remarkably easier commute over the bridge in the morning over the past six months. My avg commute from Alki to Pioneer Square used to be 30 to 45 minutes. It’s now more like 20 to 30 minutes. My guess is less port traffic but perhaps people are using public transit more as well?

  • redgiant February 20, 2008 (9:48 am)

    I just happen to live next door to this wonderful home. My partner and I are sick to see it come down. Not only is the house big and beautiful, and could house the same amount of people as five condos, but these town homes go up with little thought to what might be next door or across the street.

    We have met with the builder and have seen the plans for the town homes. The plans do try to keep with the look of the neighborhood and for that we are grateful, but having a huge, three story building located five feet from the property line will do a fine job of blocking the little sunlight we get here in the Pacific Northwest.

  • cami February 20, 2008 (9:54 am)

    Charm is lost again!

  • westseattleite February 20, 2008 (12:41 pm)

    It would be great if someone could move this one. It’s too pretty to destroy.

  • villagegreen February 20, 2008 (1:44 pm)

    I agree with the ‘easier commute’ comment. Has anyone else noticed this. I usually don’t get on the bridge till around 8:45am, but I can’t even remember the last time I wasn’t able to zip right across and get on I-5 S to Georgetown.

  • Barbaro February 21, 2008 (10:34 am)

    I live across the street from this lovely home. I am sick that it will be torn down. We live in an “urban village” thanks to a mayor several years ago. My side of the street is zoned differently from that of the other so we sit in our homes and watch our one-time neighbors homes being torn down and replaced with townhouses filled with people we never see. Yes, they park in front of our homes but never look at us.

    Where will this end? California Ave is now called a canyon. Enough!

  • david February 22, 2008 (1:15 am)

    I realize that for many of you, seeing the face of this beautiful neighborhood change so dramatically in recent years has, and continues to be, very difficult. I would like all who are interested to know that since moving here in 2001 and falling in love with this community, I think of it as my home. When the opportunity comes to invest my hard earned wages to own a small piece of West Seattle, I hope my neighbors do not frown upon the fact that along with a second income, affording a condo or town home in this part of WS is my only housing option. At $750k, few single families could afford the mortgage this 100 year old house (lot) commands. As well, I’ve walked past this home enough times to share with you that it is no gem at all. Proper zoning reform can go a long way so save the look and feel of our community and I support this forum as a means to gather momentum towards formal action. Yet, while so many of you vent, it seems the low road is the path chosen in many cases. Your new neighbors may park in front of your home but if you make an effort to get to know them, as many of you did seven years ago with me, you might be surprised. Please consider the other optomistic reader’s comments about welcoming your new neighbors as they may be hard working, volunteering people who support our local schools, businesses and ultimately love their ‘home’ as much as you.

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