From tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting: Updates from Harbor Properties, which has three Junction/Triangle mixed-use projects in various stages of development — Mural (rendering above) across 42nd from Jefferson Square, Link along 38th from Alaska northward (Huling garage/West Seattle Montessori site), and the as-yet-unnamed future project for the ex-Travelodge/current Seattle West Suites motel property two blocks east of Link. For starters, Harbor’s Emi Baldowin says the remaining two retail spaces in Mural are now leased – read on for details on that, and what else was discussed at tonight’s JuNO meeting at Ginomai:
Last month, we brought you an in-depth update on Fresh Bistro, the restaurant that Herban Feast‘s BJ Duft is opening on the north side of Mural’s ground-level retail space. But that still left some space for Harbor Properties to lease – and tonight, Baldowin said it’s a done deal: One space goes to a “local framer who does gallery-type frames”; the other goes to a hair salon; “all the retail has been taken.” She also noted that West Seattle artist Kelly Rae Cunningham has been signed for Mural lobby artwork that will be visible from passersby in the “streetscape” as well.
We’ve published several other updates on Harbor’s Junction/Triangle projects in the past couple months (here, here, and here) so we’ll just hit the toplines from tonight:
*Mural’s website will be live “within a couple weeks”; West Seattle 101 author (see part of the WS 101 archive in this WSB section) Lori Hinton is working with Harbor Properties to create it.
*Mural’s still scheduled to be open in April. Rents are now estimated at $1100-$2100 for units averaging 550-1200 square feet. Decor on the first two levels is going to be “edgier,” with concrete floors; from there up, “more traditional,” wood kitchen floors and carpet elsewhere, though bedrooms will have sliders rather than traditional doors.
*Harbor hasn’t given up on finding a “hotel component” for the not-yet-named motel-site project. “A lot of people have begged for a hotel component in the building, like, even 12 rooms,” Baldowin said – but as we’ve heard from Harbor reps before, they just aren’t getting any takers so far. (Know anyone in the hotel business? Seems they need convincing that West Seattle would have weeknight lodging needs, not just weekend tourists and people visiting WS relatives.) They’re still talking to smaller providers, such as Four Sisters Inn, which has a mini-hotel in Harbor Steps downtown, a Harbor Properties development.
*As for Link, which is likely to start construction next spring, no retail signed yet for its 14,000 square feet of space – and Harbor is still interested in hearing what local residents think. “There’s nothing that can replace the Junction experience,” Baldowin acknowledged. “Our thought is not to compete with The Junction, but, what are the needs here that need to be served.” Added Harbor’s Steve Yoon, project manager for Link: “Food? Coffee? Pets? Sporting goods? Potential brewer?” (In case you’re wondering, shortly afterward, Baldowin answered a concern with, “We don’t do chains.”)
At that point, JuNO president Erica Karlovits suggested, “Parking is likely going to be an issue for the retail spaces (at Link), so probably businesses that don’t need much parking.” Sharonn Meeks, president of the Fairmount Community Association – which hosted Harbor for a presentation at its own meeting last week — said, “With the West Seattle Golf Course in proximity, how about a golf shop? Or coffee, a sandwich shop, a small deli – and we need a community center (gathering place) somewhere in the Triangle district.” Meeks’ group meets at the Providence Mount St. Vincent chapel, by default, because there’s no place else suitable or sizable enough to gather – and they’d like to have more space, at that.
The Harbor reps noted that now two possibilities for Link have fallen through – they had announced previously that West Seattle Montessori, which is being displaced from the site, wasn’t going to work out in the new building after all; tonight, they said it doesn’t look like the nearby West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) will be able to use “satellite space” in Link after all.
Meeks said the exterior of the residential units is important too: “When you look at the Alaska Street side, which my neighborhood is going to look down on, we want to make sure there’s not a giant sign in neon that says ‘park’ or ‘eat,’ that kind of thing, it needs to look more residential.”
Other notes from JuNO:
*A reminder of the comment period that’s open now for the Conner Homes two-building proposal, Alaska/42nd to Alaska/California (see this WSB report; in addition to comments to city planner Michael Dorcy – michael.dorcy@seattle.gov – comments are still open TFN on the controversial alley-vacation proposal – Karlovits says the developer has expressed interest in finding a compromise, but the city says the formal application has not been changed in any way, so JuNO advocates including alley comments in general project comments, and cc’ing Beverly Barnett – beverly.barnett@seattle.gov – who is handling the alley request for SDOT).
*Karlovits is continuing to keep tabs on the forthcoming Junction parking review the city has been promising for some months; her latest word is similar to what we reported here two months ago, that the review is expected to start before year’s end but will mostly take place next year (much of the work originally was supposed to take place this fall).
*JuNO is looking for more prospective board members for the election at its next meeting (Jan. 13). If you’re interested, please contact Karlovits through the JuNO website (wsjuno.com). The group is also planning to help with the West Seattle Junction Association (WSB sponsor)’s upcoming holiday activities, and needs volunteers to help with the Dec. 6 tree lighting as well as a Junction holiday booth 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 afternoons.
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