4502 42nd SW: New design proposal, from new architects

| Development | West Seattle news

Next Thursday, the proposed 7-story residential/retail/commercial building at 4502 42nd SW (map) goes back to the Southwest Design Review Board for the first time since a tough review session 14 months ago (WSB coverage here). This morning, its new design proposal is already available online (check out the full presentation here; the image above is looking toward the project’s north and west sides) – and development-watchers will note the architect has changed; Junction-based Nicholson Kovalchick is now on the case, replacing Mark Travers. The review meeting’s at 6:30 pm Thursday, Madison Middle School (right before the 8 pm review for the redevelopment of The Kenney).

cjboffoli December 12, 2008 (8:28 am)

Hmm. Isn’t Brandon Nicholson also on the Southwest Design Review board? Interesting.

WSB December 12, 2008 (9:12 am)

Three of the current five members are architects, which is not uncommon, in my understanding. Although FWIW he is currently on a multi-month leave from the board because his firm is working with the city on the new Design Review processes – I learned about it while covering an October DR meeting, e-mailed him to ask for details, and included his response in this report:
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=11161

Andre December 12, 2008 (9:23 am)

I like that proposal much, much better than what Mark Travers (the creator of the arguably ugliest new condominium complex in West Seattle) came up with. It’s a well designed, thoroughly modern building. I love how the massing is broken up as well as the terraced East side of the building (towards the L3 zone). Great choice of materials too.

NK Architects (Brandon and co) are really shaping up well as one of the great local design firms (they are located in the Easy Street building). I think having Brandon serve on the design review board also helped him to sharpen his sensibility for the surroundings of the building NK Architects are designing. Before his design review board days he once presented a project that I felt did not fit well into its surrounding context (L3) at all (ironically it is mentioned in this proposal…).

villagegreen December 12, 2008 (10:01 am)

I like the look of the building. Too bad they aren’t designing the new building at California and Alaska (right where they’re located). I don’t really care for anything Conner Homes has done (at least from looking at their website).