West Seattle development: ‘Cooper at Youngstown’ construction about to start in North Delridge

| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

Developers of the revived/resold 26th/Dakota project came to last night’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting at Dragonfly Pavilion with a few big updates.

(From left, NDNC’s Kirsten Smith, Michael Taylor-Judd, Diane Vincent, developer Maria Barrientos, NDNC’s Amanda Leonard)
Maria Barrientos from Barrientos LLC said construction would start on the project (whose revival was first reported here a month ago) in a matter of days. (Also present was a rep from primary developer Legacy Partners, but Barrientos led the discussion.) And she revealed the 190-apartment building (designed years ago as condos, but then the market changed) now has a name: Cooper at Youngstown. (It’s close to the historic Cooper School, which in turn is now home to Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.) This morning, as we were writing this story, a news release announcing the impending construction arrived. Read on for more of what Barrientos had to say last night, plus that news release:

If you have passed the site lately, you know the construction trailer has been in place for a few weeks. Barrientos said they had hoped to have started construction by now, but they were awaiting a final confirmation on construction costs. “We will start in the next few days.”

In addition to the information they had shared with the North Delridge Neighborhood Council earlier this summer – part of our original report on the project – she said they have been talking with residents in the area around the project, and distributing a flyer. They hope to have a full website up soon, but for now, there’s a page on her site – see it here – with the project rendering distributed this morning.

The site has had permits for years, so this has not had to go through another round of Design Review or other approvals; the major change is that it was envisioned by its original owners as a condo project, but now, given the market, it will be built as apartments. But the units still are larger than most apartments, including some with two bedrooms, a den, and two and a half baths, so Barrientos acknowledged they may wind up marketing to families, as other developers in this area have said they get inquiries from families but don’t have units large enough.

They also are continuing to work on the site’s potential connection to the Longfellow Creek area, through an unimproved strip of city right-of-way that could provide a connection. They will be meeting with SDOT about that, Barrientos said, starting in the middle of next month, but are hoping for a “parallel process” discussing possibilities with the neighborhood.

The developers also are looking for community comments/help on what could go into two commercial spaces that will be part of the project, in addition to several “live-work” units. As the topic of fresh-food availability comes up often in supermarketless Delridge, they already are set to talk with Delridge Produce Cooperative. And one other space in the building is in search of a mission – one near the Dakota-side residential entry, which could serve the needs of families moving into the building (tricycle storage? craft room? were among the suggestions). The plan already includes a bicycle-storage area, bike-washing facilities, and for pet owners, dog-washing facilities.

Construction of Cooper at Youngstown will take about a year and a half, she said. The developers plan to have a booth at Delridge Day this Saturday (11 am-3 pm at Delridge Community Center), and are eager to meet community members, and answer questions/hear comments about the project.

Here’s the just-received news release, with more specifics:

Legacy Partners Residential, Inc. today announced Cooper at Youngstown, a new apartment community in Youngstown, a neighborhood of the north Delridge hamlet in West Seattle.

Situated in an established and energetic neighborhood, Cooper at Youngstown will buck the trend of going smaller by building larger, two bedroom and two bath units at comparable rents to smaller apartment homes.

Located at 4040 26th Avenue SW and Dakota SW, the new development will include 183 spacious open one bedrooms, one and two- bedroom apartments with cityscape views in addition to ten, at-grade live/work lofts. The at-grade live/work units will integrate the project into the single-family, residential neighborhood of Youngstown. Youngstown is located in the Delridge community which is home to acres of open space, parks and recreation and the Youngstown Arts Center, a cultural hub of West Seattle.

Cooper at Youngstown will take advantage of all the local amenities. One-block from Longfellow Creek, blocks from the start of the five-mile Alki Beach linear park and the West Seattle Golf Course, and only ten minutes from downtown on the new commuter bike trail, bus rapid transit or passenger ferry– it’s an urban location within minutes to downtown Seattle with immediate access to outdoor amenities.

The project is being developed by Legacy Partners. The AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust is providing all of the financing for the project. The Trust is managed by PNC Realty Investors, an affiliate of PNC Bank. The site has sat vacant and fenced for the past five years and news of the project has been met with welcoming local support.

“Cooper at Youngstown will be a unique residential community,” said Kerry L. Nicholson, Senior Managing Director of Legacy Partners Residential. “The location is surrounded by numerous outdoor amenities all within walking distance, is one hundred yards from a 58,000 full service athletic club, and will feature larger than average unit sizes that take advantage of the amazing city and Elliott Bay views. The average home at the project is 823 square feet, compared to similar projects in the community which average 700 square feet. This extra space comes in the form of more one-bedroom homes with dens and two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes which are currently hard to find available in West Seattle.”

“In this instance, we are bucking the trend to decrease the size of apartment homes to maintain affordability, but our research indicates there’s a higher concentration of couples in West Seattle. This under-served group of renters wants a bit more space with more options – room to entertain, the ability to work from home and enough space to live with both two and four-legged friends.”

PB Architects designed the multi-family development and are working with Legacy to identify opportunities in which the previous design can be enhanced to connect with the surrounding neighborhood and its outdoor spaces and arts and culture.

barrientos LLC is providing development services support on this project. Other team members are:

General Contractor: Absher Construction Company
§ Structural engineer: Yu & Trochalakis, PLLC, Seattle
§ Civil engineer: KPFF, Seattle
§ Landscape architect: Hewitt, Seattle
§ Interior design: Robin Chell, Seattle
§ Energy consultant: Patrick Hayes, Seattle
§ Water proofing consultant: BEE Consulting, Seattle

The Cooper at Youngstown development is:

§ Five and partial six stories
§ Two level underground garage with two entrances/ exits
§ 247 parking spaces
§ 2 bedroom units with 2-1/2 full baths plus den
§ 2 bedroom units with 2 full baths
§ 1 bedroom units with 1.5 bath and den
§ 1 bedroom units with 1 bath
§ Open 1 bedrooms
§ 10 x live/work units with 1.5 baths

Fully permitted and construction will begin shortly
Larger than average unit sizes at comparable rents
§ Amazing views of Puget Sound, downtown Seattle and the Space Needle

Easy access to the West Seattle Bridge, West Seattle Passenger Ferry, commuter bike paths and bus lines. King County’s Bus Rapid Transit (Rapid Ride) service is scheduled to begin in 2012 with a stop located two blocks from the project. Residents can travel downtown in 10 minutes.

Proximity to open space and recreation areas – Longfellow Creek , Camp Long, West Seattle Golf Course, Delridge Playfields, the beaches and paths of Alki, 58,000sf All-Star Fitness Center

Rooftop deck and sky lounge with panoramic views of the sound and the city
Rooftop “p-patch” for residents’ gardens
Living “green roof”
Large floor-to-ceiling windows that provide abundant light in each space
Separate, large, well-lit, and secure bike storage with maintenance station
Ground level dog run and dog wash station for residents’ pets
7.1 Dolby surround sound theater room with gaming systems

neighbor September 13, 2011 (1:29 pm)

I live, literally, a stone’s-throw away from the construction site. I’m a neighbor, and the only notice or communication that I’ve gotten was a crumpled up, dirty flyer left in my mailbox two weeks ago. It looked like a car had driven over it on gravel. Honestly, I didn’t even really take it seriously, because if THAT was ANYONE’S idea of communication, certainly their business savvy and income couldn’t support such an undertaking.

I really, really, with every particle of my body, HATE this project. It’s going to a)wake me up at 6am every morning, b)bring 190+ cars/people/issues into my neighborhood, and WORST c)BLOCK MY VIEW OF ELLIOTT BAY, and RUIN my property’s resale value.

Thanks for nothing, Maria Barrientos and Legacy. While you get richer, you make me poorer. Congrats! The American Dream is all yours, for the simple price of… mine.

Delridge Citizen September 13, 2011 (2:46 pm)

I am still wrapping my brain around such a big apartment complex on 26th…wow. Sorry for you neighbor. That block of 26th has always been a nice little pocket neighborhood and I am not sure a 5 1/2 story apartment building really fits in there. The developer really needs to work with the neighborhood to encourage some decent retail -restaurant, small grocer, etc, to move in to at least make it slightly more palatable.

newbie September 13, 2011 (3:38 pm)

@neighbor: Your situation is a great example of why it’s important to research the zoning/future plans for an area before you buy. Or, if they change the zoning on you unfortunately it’s time to move on. Bad luck for you, sorry about that.

Peter on Fauntleroy September 13, 2011 (4:59 pm)

That is good advise. As my real estate agent warned me, you have no control over what gets built around you. Always know how you neighborhood is zoned. Here is where to check.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Zoning_Maps/default.asp

Bruce September 13, 2011 (6:13 pm)

Oh noes, 180 families might move into my neighborhood! It’s the end of the world! What do they think cities are for, living in or something?

SpeakLoud September 13, 2011 (6:55 pm)

It’s going in right behind the old Food Services of America building-with the giant american flag-harldy a ‘residential’ area given that the Steele factory is accross the street! I think it sounds like a great location but something is goign to need to happen to change the traffic down there-the west seattle bridge will be even worse that in already is….I can;t even imagine coping with that! Luckily I live and work on the island xxx

T September 13, 2011 (8:23 pm)

It would be great if they could get some fresh produce in there.

The land has always looked like it was zoned for commercial use since it’s right there with the old FSA headquarters, the kidney center, Allstar Fitness, and the steel mill. I live a few blocks away and all of those businesses have been good neighbors.

It was quite a few years it went through the permit phase for condos. I’m surprised anyone in the neighborhood didn’t know that something large would be built there.

I think it will be great to have more families in the neighborhood and I’d love to see more people around when I’m out for a walk.

There’s been a lot of revival in the last few years: Youngstown, the new play structures at Delridge Playfield, the new soccer fields, and the skate park.

Welcome!

ZS September 13, 2011 (9:31 pm)

Main bummer for me is they are advertising great views but they will be blocking mine. I accept that fact but question is would the city then let me build up to get a view again over the new building? Doubt it.

Only other major issue is YES, traffic. Potentially 360 more cars trying to get in and out of WS every day over the bridge??? YIKES! Plus 26th and Andover can’t really handle a boatload more of cars each day, did they think of that when they issued the permits????

Otherwise welcome new neighbors, please be respectful of the land and your existing neighbors.

Karrie September 13, 2011 (10:30 pm)

I hear the mixed feelings about this project. True, traffic is a concern already. Anyone who needs to get on the bridge in the morning has experienced it. There are hopes that the project will attract people who want to work from home or bike to work, but there are no guarantees. Along those lines…
–
I received an email today from a neighbor who has been involved in many neighborhood projects in the past. She is interested in working with SDOT to try to mitigate the congestion in the neighborhood and come up with better solutions, starting with a strong request for a thorough study of all the choke points out of WS, or to make any recent studies public.
–
If there are others who want to participate in this, she will likely need help. This is a great way to turn concern or dissatisfaction into action that could benefit you and the neighborhood at large. Email us via the NDNC.org website and we can connect you with this effort. We need people who would be willing to participate in a solution, not just air grievances and walk away. Hope to hear from some of you!

Been There September 14, 2011 (8:14 am)

Please pay attention to any Land Use Signs that are posted in planting strips by the Department of Planning and Development. They come in two basic sizes and colors. Large white ones and small yellow ones. They contain valuable information about proposed construction projects.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Notices/Land_Use_Signs___Notices/default.asp
–
As Peter On Fauntleroy mentioned, understanding what the zoning is of your property as well as the area surrounding your home is paramount. The Youngstown neighborhood from Delridge Way to Avalon and Genesee to Andover is comprised of LR1, C1-65, NC1-40, MR, IB U/85 and IGU U/85 zoning designations. There is no SF 5000, or single family zoning at all.
–
What all this jargon means is that if you live in Youngstown in a stand-alone, single family house, or have one next to you, it can be replaced by something larger. Hence all the new townhomes that came into Youngstown in the 2000’s and the soon to be built Youngstown At Cooper apartment building.
–
Here is a brief description of each of Seattle’s zoning classifications: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/static/Seattle%20Zones_LatestReleased_DPDP_020250.pdf

Yardvark September 14, 2011 (8:35 am)

There’s already a Cooper at Youngstown: Cooper Residents at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Please don’t make West Seattle more confusing than necessary.

KO September 14, 2011 (8:54 am)

Thanks for the clarification Yardvark…wasn’t sure but thought it sounded familiar.

neighbor September 14, 2011 (12:06 pm)

So, when the land is marked as commercial (which it is), that means they can build a condo or apartment building? Last I checked, that would be classified as multi-family, since people will be living there.

@Been There- I have tried keeping an eye out for Land Use notices, but haven’t found one. It might be there somewhere, but it’s hidden by overgrown brush or simply out of plain view.

@Bruce- What are you, like, 12 years old? My main complaint is loss of view, which equals loss of property value.. and that, to you, deserves an immature, sarcastic remark? You must rent.

WSB September 14, 2011 (12:20 pm)

The quirk about this particular property is that it got its permits years ago. The land-use permit was issued in 2006, according to this story we published almost exactly three years ago:
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2008/10/north-delridge-development-2-sites-to-watch
.
after the construction fence went up. Then, as happened to so many projects in 2008, including the much-slugged-out Hole in the Junction/Triangle area, it stalled. The new owners/developers say that they are using the existing permits as nothing has changed about the project aside from the fact it will be apartments instead of condos. (One interesting point is that it has more parking spaces than developments are currently required to have. I’m not sure how many fewer it would have if built to today’s standards, but the ratio isn’t even 1:1 in some spots … this has more than 1:1.) – TR
.
Well, the name changed too. Under the previous owners, it was PortVue. A few more units, too. Interesting side note – the other development mentioned in our 2008 story seems to have gone nowhere (4106 Delridge). No sign on its city status page of a revival, so far.

amalia September 14, 2011 (12:56 pm)

The City would have required a traffic impacts study (and mitigation if needed) during the permitting process. Probably not open for public review unless required by a concurrent permit (like SEPA). But I’m not certain about that part in Seattle.

JB September 14, 2011 (7:39 pm)

My only complaint is traffic. Given the current over capacity on the ONLY bus route that directly serves that area, the 120, these 180 households are going to have a hard time getting anywhere. Good luck making the left onto Delridge and queuing for the bridge. I’m all for development, but W Seattle is so far behind on transit planning that I can’t lend support to any of the 50+ or 100+ unit complexes that are going in.

Been There September 16, 2011 (9:39 am)

JB – Points well made. However, you forgot to mention that in addition to Metro #120, the #125 also serves that area.
–
In the big picture view of things, I believe this will be a very good thing for the North Delridge area.

MMB September 17, 2011 (7:48 pm)

The population in WS is dense ENOUGH. With bottlenecks of the WS bridge and 1st Ave. S. bridge, we can’t take any more density. This used to be a quiet suburb. I’m all for urban density but it’s getting ridiculous around here.

Kyle S September 24, 2011 (9:06 am)

I find it laughable that you think West Seattle can’t take any more density.

The entire city could take far more density. What it can’t take is more cars. Cars, not people, are the problem.

Chetan September 24, 2011 (10:45 am)

It better that they live here than in some old growth forests out past Sammamish. I totally support this project. If you don’t like more people in your neighborhood, you shouldn’t be living in a city. Density is a good thing, and so is this project.

Renee DeMartin October 14, 2011 (12:31 am)

I am an artist living in the REAL Cooper at Youngstown…..
Cooper Artist Housing at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and we have a REAL problem with them appropriating our name. We have already met with them and discussed the issue. We would like for them to change the name and were quite emphatic in our reasons why…..confusion being only one of the potential problems.

Karen@Youngstown October 14, 2011 (1:40 pm)

I am a resident at Cooper School at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and I’m shocked that a developer building brand new condo spaces would appropriate the name of our historic building, a landmark in the Delridge neighborhood. Our building met with developers last night in hopes that a reasonable solution would be found. I still hope it will be found.

Ian Page-Echols October 14, 2011 (2:15 pm)

I’m another of the residents at Cooper Artist Housing at Youngstown. I’m fully against this thing being named so similarly to ours. Someone in the building thought of emergency services, and I think this trumps any reasoning for finding a new name. Think of a frantic person who only knew they were at something Cooper, or Youngstown. Both buildings will have live/work spaces, and they will probably both have events with people who don’t know the full address. There are too many overlapping details and too much chance of emergency services heading to the wrong building first.

I think that there could very well be some liability in this type of situation on the part of the new building’s management.

Seth Damm October 15, 2011 (11:57 am)

I’m another resident of the existing Cooper Artist Housing and Youngstown, who was counted at a recent meeting with the developer and branding/ marketing team. Simply put, I feel they should change their name before ground is broken. We love our building, this neighborhood, and how we’ve grown stronger during the 6 years we’ve had the honor to live here. To have a development come along, no matter the positive side, and take/co-opt our name; we take that personally.

WSB October 15, 2011 (3:08 pm)

I’ve sent a message to the developers’ rep to ask for more on this. First we have heard of the name controversy. If anyone would be interested in contacting us for our followup (I’m publishing a story soon about the groundbreaking, which technically has sort of happened since a bunch of trees were dug up in the past day or so), please e-mail me at editor@westseattleblog.com – Tracy

Sorry, comment time is over.