West Seattle development, mapped: 2,000+ planned units

| Development | West Seattle news

View Major active/upcoming West Seattle development, updated for December 2012 in a larger map

Looks like 2013 will be “The Year of the Crane” in West Seattle. We have finally finished updating the latest version of the development-in-the-works map, first published in August (separate from a version we updated repeatedly back during the 2008 boom) – click any marker to find out more about the project at that site. Just as well we didn’t publish it earlier, since this week has brought more updates. A three-block stretch of California SW’s east side will have three projects under way by spring, if current plans come to fruition, including Wednesday’s announcement about The Blake.

When we published the previous version in August, we counted about 1,500 units either under construction or on the drawing board; now, with a few additions and a few subtractions (noted below), we count more than 2,000. A few notes:

-In addition to what is visible in the map window above, our current list has one more development on the map, but it’s out of view because it’s in south West Seattle at 9051 20th SW – you can grab the map to manipulate it to see that 41-apartment project (or click the small blue link below the map to see it full-size on Google Maps); otherwise, everything of note is concentrated in the area shown by default – the Junction/Triangle/Avalon area.

-Two buildings from the August edition have been removed, because both are now leasing – NOVA (WSB sponsor) and The Residences at 3295.

-Though they are not apartments in the classic sense, we include the 66-unit DESC Delridge Supportive Housing project in North Delridge and the early-stage proposal for a “50-60-unit Alzheimer’s housing” project in The Junction, as both are of significant size and neighborhood impact.

-We’ve used a variety of methods – maps, databases, city webpages, driving around, etc. – to keep watch for new projects. But it’s possible we’ve missed something – so if you know about an early-stage proposal on a site not mentioned here, please let us know!

JanS December 28, 2012 (1:05 pm)

2000? that’s truly amazing. Where are we going to put all these people, and their cars, and their commuting bodies when the tunnel really gets started? How can the WS bridge possibly hold all these people? Yes, there’s Metro..but how crowded are the morning and evening commuter buses now?

Just asking…I work at home (when I’m working), so don’t have to deal with it…still, it makes one wonder…

LivesInWS December 28, 2012 (1:09 pm)

Yerchk! 2,000 units and up, with 1-2 people per unit?

I don’t even want to imagine what that will do to commute times.

Bonnie December 28, 2012 (1:18 pm)

Even more reason to have another neighborhood school in the north end of WS.

LB December 28, 2012 (1:29 pm)

I noticed that Golden Crest (4532 42nd Ave SW) isn’t on the map.

coffee December 28, 2012 (2:06 pm)

Its just going to mean more crowded streets/freeways and buses. In looking at the rents on these places, I do not see how the available jobs in West Seattle can support that kind of rent.

WS Dad December 28, 2012 (2:46 pm)

Great idea to put 66 units for people with mental issues and substance abuse issues (Delridge DESC) a block from an elementary school and next door to some of the most notorious crack houses in WS. Winning!
Yes, real estate is probably cheaper there than just about anywhere in the city limits. Yes, these people deserve a place to live and recover. Will it happen in that neighborhood????

Sue December 28, 2012 (2:56 pm)

coffee, the rents on these new places always concern me, because I’m afraid the rest of us renters are going to have rents raised to match at some point. We pay less for the house we rent than some of these new apartments that are 1/3 the size.

anti-obstruction December 28, 2012 (3:04 pm)

Short-sighted and with only profit for a small few at the expense of the quality of life for the great majority.
Please, no naive suggestions that if only we who abhor this “progress” would just get involved and go to the planning meetings/etc…the fix is in, always, as money=influence, and those ramming this down our throats have plenty of money to start with, and more when they’re done.

Raincity December 28, 2012 (3:09 pm)

This map is very helpful – thanks for keeping us informed.

L.A. December 28, 2012 (3:19 pm)

Scared all this development is going to proceed us out of west seattle just like it did on Wallingford. They just kept building and building and the rents went up and up all around. Even with half the new developments standing empty once they were done! I feel like there is no where left to run away from all this oh so fabulous progress of chain stores eating local businesses, ugly Lego block buildings replacing family homes and local shops and decent commutes becoming a nightmare.

DTK December 28, 2012 (3:29 pm)

With rent for these new apartments averaging $2,000, there will be two, three and four people living in each unit. That’s 5,000 people within a one mile radius. There is no way metro transit can handle this. There is no way the bridge can handle this. There is no way property values can handle this. Say good night, Gracie…

chas redmond December 28, 2012 (4:18 pm)

On the other hand, think of the new eating and drinking establishments and cool new shops those 5,000 new people will create. We’ll need the retail space these places are offering because that many new residents means that much more local business. There’s probably yet another supermarket which we could squeeze into this area – maybe a second Met Market? And, we should start the bargaining process now for grade separated rail transit between WS and SODO or wherever. Think how awesome the monorail would have been now – also ask these questions of the mayors-to-be at the no-doubt-they’re-coming election town halls.

sam-c December 28, 2012 (4:30 pm)

yes, Chas, adequate transit for the increased density would be good!
i also have been wondering what new places will pop up in the ground floor of these new places. I am really hoping for a boom noodle.

dsa December 28, 2012 (4:31 pm)

Good grief Charlie Brown

wetone December 28, 2012 (4:59 pm)

2000 planned now, then add what they have built since 2007, makes around 4000+ units. The majority of those units will occupy two people. There is much more in the works on California ave. and 35th that will be built within the next few years. Your right chas, there will be alot of new retail and resturants going in. But I think you will see alot of turn over do to high rents, no parking, and will be tough to get to with the traffic issues we are going to have. If people don’t have a place to park they will go elsewhere.

WTF December 28, 2012 (5:56 pm)

Greed.

G December 28, 2012 (9:22 pm)

Bye, bye West Seattle.

Lura Ercolano December 28, 2012 (9:45 pm)

What is the current population of West Seattle? I would find it useful to consider what percentage increase 5000 more people will be.

WSB December 28, 2012 (10:02 pm)

We had this discussion in relation to the August version of this map. 83,000 in the 2010 Census, according to Chad from http://buildthecity.wordpress.com/ (not updated recently, but archives include extensive census number-crunching). There are many layers of context I wish I had the time and resources to add to the topline 2,000 number – one would be the years until all these units are done. The biggest project, for example, 4755 Fauntleroy, 370 apartments and 585 parking spaces (plus Whole Foods and an as-yet-to-be-officially-identified drugstore), will not start construction before 2014, according to its developers, and it’ll be a two-year project, so nobody will be moving into that project until 2016 – at least three years from now.
.
OTOH, these are not likely the only projects that will be planned/built over the next five years or so. An earlier commenter wondered about Golden West, a building which went through Design Review for a site north of Capco Plaza (QFC/Petco/etc.) – I didn’t include it because after wading through its online DPD pages, I couldn’t find any signs of recent activity – unlike, for example, the proposed project on the west side of 35th south of the Avalon business cluster, which originally went through the system almost four years ago, but has documents (linked to its spot on the map) showing recent discussions with DPD, so that was enough for me to consider it still in play. There also are development sites along Harbor Avenue that have been up for sale a while with various commercial/multifamily proposals – but right now, it seems that the Junction/Triangle/Avalon area is the main epicenter of activity.

old timer December 28, 2012 (10:44 pm)

Thanks WSB, that map is a really neat piece of information.
And, to all you moaners, why don’t you stop by one of the jobsites and berate the workers for ruining ‘your world’.
You won’t do that because you know that it’s jobs that keep the wheels turning, and our economic system only has limited ways of providing those jobs.
It’s so easy for some to see ‘greed’ but not so easy to see Christmas presents for the kids, and a mortgage being paid because Dad/Mom has work.
The only thing guaranteed in life is change.

Swiss miss December 29, 2012 (1:17 am)

I have mixed feelings about this growth.. Just bought a house on the cusp of all this and the street parking, theft and well to put it trashing of the the neighborhood has me really sad. We sold our house in Ballard when things started to go crazy, and rented here in WS for the last five before deciding to buy again.. And it kinda seems like we might be headed the same route again… :( I like west Seattle the way it is! All our neighbor hood communities are being squashed :(

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (7:56 am)

These apartments are being built because of the enormous job growth Seattle is experiencing right now – Amazon, Google, Microsoft, to name only a few. We are one of the only cities growing so aggressively in terms of jobs, and these real estate investors follow this trend. These are high income jobs for people that want to rent, not buy, so these apartments fit their lifestyle.

I am not taking a side of pro development or not, just trying to let people understand what drives this investment. If Seattle weren’t adding jobs, they would not be building right now. After the recession constrained supply (lack of development), this is the perfect time to add units.

WS parent December 29, 2012 (8:56 am)

If there are children that will be living in these units, where will we fit them in our already crowded schools?

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (9:04 am)

The majority of these units are studios and one beds. I predict the demographic will be singles and childless couples. While Seattle is having a mini baby boom right now, we remain the second most childless city in America (behind San Fran).

rudy December 29, 2012 (11:01 am)

There is a notice up on our block in Sunrise Heights right now. I read it while waiting to pick up my kids at the bus stop a few weeks back – it looked like several new homes or maybe town homes going in on 29th between Holden and Webster. In my mind I’m thinking the sign said 19 units, which seems significant for that spot. I meant to put this on our neighborhood FB discussion board, but forgot all about it until just now….

WSB December 29, 2012 (12:48 pm)

Rudy – it’s a grouping of 16 single-family homes around 26th and Holden. The notice was for “administrative design review,” which means no meeting. I’m working on a story about them.

LivesInWS December 29, 2012 (11:13 am)

That’s childfree, not childless. And a good thing, (even if temporary) considering the over-population in the world.

Growth for the sake of growth is the philosophy of the cancer cell.

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (11:36 am)

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Population_Demographics/Overview/default.asp

Child free, child less, call it what you want, here are the 2010 demographics above. You can call urban growth a cancer, but it is then the cancer that this entire country has been built upon. I would argue that we are growing because we are doing at least some things right here – jobs, environment, prosperous local business districts for small biz owners, to name just a few. That ain’t cancer to me. People have to live somewhere. We can have people in suburbs where forest land used to be or in urban areas. Our state chose growth in urban areas (in the 90s via the GMA) and in my opinion we are suffering through the reality of this now, since things like transit have not caught up, or, are being slashed due to some pretty problematic funding realities. What I have always said here is that one of the main benefits of urban growth is strong local biz districts. The variety and strength of the west Seattle biz community is a big part of why we moved here and we shop local whenever possible.

Heather December 29, 2012 (12:10 pm)

I think it’s rather exciting. However, I really wish we had a more appropriate bridge option it’s just bad urban planning.

wetone December 29, 2012 (12:15 pm)

When you use that 83,000 you should also show the area map that it is covering as it’s a very large area. I have included the same link as above but takes you right to the numbers, great info for people to see some population numbers of West Seattle and surrounding areas. You can see that the junction area is really increasing by almost a 1/3 in population size and little parking. People should know most the investment companies building here are not from this area. They come here because the City has made it very easy for them. Your right about the demographics of the area changing as most families will not be able to afford the area or want to live here because of the traffic issues for their commutes. Leaving little family time, as our families had in the past. Bottom line is really the road infrastructure, two lanes out two lanes in. Some people have mentioned a rail system great idea, problem is you would have to take a lane of traffic away as our big bridge structure wasn’t designed for the exta load.
http://buildthecity.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/2010-census-data-seattle%e2%80%99s-urban-village-strategy-is-succeeding/

bridge to somewhere December 29, 2012 (12:51 pm)

Won’t someone please think of the children! ;-)

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (1:23 pm)

As someone who has gone through many design review processes, I would hardly say that investment comes here because the “city makes it easy for them”. I don’t build market rate housing, but I can tell you that the design and permitting process here in Seattle is one of the most onerous in the nation. It is time consuming, expensive and particular. It requires developers to use more expensive materials and we have some of the most stringent environmental laws in the nation.

There is one reason real estate investors come to Seattle: profit. Here is the equation: high income earners who want to rent and can pay high rents. Even with the expensive cost of land and development, investors have steady cash flow in buildings that they can eventually flip to condos if the rental market goes soft.

WSB December 29, 2012 (2:43 pm)

To one of KGDLG’s points – one of West Seattle’s newer developments, the Admiral Safeway/Element 42 project, went through Design Review for almost a year and a half before approval (and also went through the Design Commission because of an alley vacation).
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2010/02/5th-times-the-charm-admiral-safeway-finally-passes-design-review
.
Many changes were made based on community comments. Another project not far from there never came to fruition, in no small part because the Design Review Board and the public kept turning thumbs down – the proposal to build a standalone Petco on the then-Charlestown Café site.
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2007/08/details-petco-charlestown-proposal-is-still-in-the-doghouse
.
The Kenney’s proposal for a massive redevelopment also struggled in Design Review and public reaction, and also eventually was scaled down significantly (at one point, there was even a proposal to tear down the building with the iconic cupola, and “re-create” it elsewhere on the site).
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2008/10/the-kenneys-design-review-debut-complicated
.
If you really think there’s no point in bothering to go to meetings or send comments/etc., you are missing a chance to truly try to have an effect on the end result. Yes, we’ve also seen cases in which the public comment was not heeded. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, if you care. Get together with your neighbors and get involved. The most interesting design reviews lately have been the ones involving the two neighboring 100-or-so-apartment buildings on Avalon that would be immediately south of the 32nd SW neighborhood.
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2012/09/big-turnout-for-3078-sw-avalon-ways-first-design-review
.
They have spoken up, eloquently and powerfully, and the board and project architects appear to be listening, to some degree. They have researched some other points that go beyond design, and are pursuing them in other venues.
.
But focusing on individual developments is just one part of the puzzle. The big point often brought up – adding more people to an already jammed bridge – might have different answers. Is anyone working to bring more jobs here, so fewer people have to leave the peninsula for work? There’s really no one charged with that task. Are employers more open about telecommuting and flex shifts so that everyone’s not all on the bridge at the same time? That’s something people have to take up with their employers. Or start new businesses (which is what we did; we are former bridge commuters and now only have to clutter up the morning commute every so often to cover a WS-related court hearing).
.
I hope we can look at some of these things. But for starters, since we get the question every so often “What does all this add up to?” – some also asked for an update when the Times published its story about the similar outlook in Ballard – we updated this map. – TR

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (2:04 pm)

Also, amazing to me that someone called the bridge a failure in urban planning when it is what made west Seattle of today possible!

wetone December 29, 2012 (2:44 pm)

You have got it right, bottom line is Profit for the real estate investment groups. Even as you say with all the expensive materials and some of the most stringent environmental laws and expensive property these investor groups can still make maximum profits here in Seattle. Because the City is allowing such high numbers of units on their properties with little concern of the effects on surrounding neighborhoods. Right again as in a few years most likely, alot of these buildings will be turned into condos and the investment companies will wash their hands of responsibility. These big building projects really hurt the small builders (single family) as there profit margins have decreased do to what you mentioned above and will soon be a thing of the past due to the cost involved in this area.
That group of homes (16) sounds like it might be the Row house type building starting to be used around here. Can fit more on said property. Down at Alki on 55th there is something in the works that should be interesting.

WSB December 29, 2012 (2:46 pm)

No, it’s not row houses. Standalone single-family. Next to what’s already a fairly dense low-rise (apartments, town homes) area not far from Home Depot/Southwest Precinct area. Here’s the design packet:
.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3013915AgendaID4215.pdf
.
Sorry, I had the number wrong -the packet shows 18 (layout on site is on page 5), not 16.

SaveWestSeattle December 29, 2012 (3:58 pm)

All developers in CA must pay the local city an “Impact Fee” to help pay for well, Impacts to the community of a new development. Currently in Palo Alto for a $40 million building cost (exclusive of land) the developer must pay the city $4 million. It should be much higher but hey, in Seattle developers pay $Zero. Developers say this is extortion; I say its not enough! Can we all not agree that our City MUST start charging such impact fees! All these new MEGA-atrocities are being built over a 1945 average infrastructure. Do owners and develpoers care when the infrastructure? We will pay not the developers and City Scums who allowed it and sneek three urban villiages in WS while keeping the richer areas PURE. if WS needs more teachers we get another levy…not the evil-doer developers who hide, bribe, make $$$$ and run. All Development contracts should also have a LOOOOONG period to adequetly address actual $$$ imput. Another real life idea: Contractors who bid on a road in the country of Germany MUST inclusde the cost of maintaining the road for TWENTY years, ergo they build a good road. Do you see my point? Stop these Greedy scallawags from building these trashy 7 story dumps then running away to leave the people of West Seattle to PAY big time for the vast array of negative impacts, such as less time with family due to increased commute times, more school rooms and teachers, more stop lights, sewer and water failures…even more people passed by Rapid Ride etc. We need to determine the $$$ Impact per sq’ of increased commute time and make those builders, their bankers, union workers PAY…plus all other impacts for the Average Life of the Building which is at least 50 years; right?

Heather December 29, 2012 (4:31 pm)

In response to Kgdlg: My comment was in regards to future growth vs current bridge capacity. With increased density planned and permitted it seems “bad urban planning” for the city/state to not address transit/vehicle access and egress for West Seattle.

Kgdlg December 29, 2012 (6:27 pm)

Thanks for clarifying Heather. There was a lively forum post on rail to west Seattle and it’s potential challenges and benefits. It seems like this could really help with traffic but might cost a lot of money!

Creekside December 29, 2012 (7:59 pm)

The one place that could actually use a lot of quality, market rate rental housing units to try and balance out the squalor landed itself just the opposite. I’m talkin’ about the DESC barging in and doing a whole bunch of bad juju to the Brandon n’ Findlay area of Delridge Way.
=
Really comical to read all the comments coming from the ‘other’ part of West Seattle. The other part that has no idea what goes on in this part and talks about ‘prosperous local business districts’, Metro Markets and fancy restaurants. Yikes, talk about living in a different world. Likely that a lot of you thought the DESC was a great thing for Delridge. You are wrong.
=
The behemoth that is the DESC building on Delridge Way has set back any hope the neighborhood once had of having an actual thriving business district in its heart. You know, that thing that was called out in the Delridge Neighborhood Plan. Well, at least our six stop-and-robs will be thriving selling booze and cigarettes.

Mc December 29, 2012 (8:36 pm)

A couple notable items not in the Junction/Avalon area:

Polygon at High Point – this has been in progress for well over a year…
http://www.polygonhomes.com/polygon/index.php?option=com_iproperty&view=property&id=12&Itemid=54

Sylvan Townhomes – continuation of current development
http://sylvantownhomes.com/

Kgdlg December 30, 2012 (6:56 am)

Creekside, I spend a lot of time in all the different biz districts in west seattle, especially in white center, which is anying but the “met market” vibe you cite. Delridge is struggling, I agree. I would argue that this has been an ongoing struggle that preceded the DESC project, though, and has roots in many factors including the fact that Delridge is like a highway and not very pedestrian friendly.

In general, I don’t believe that the successful business districts of west Seattle detract from those that are struggling. Every neighborhood is different. I do wonder if the new real estate investment in north Delridge will bring any new business amenities, though. I do believe there is a link between increased density and locations of grocery stores, etc. It is the density of the junction that draws all thes new businesses to the area: TJs, QFC etc.

Kgdlg December 30, 2012 (7:34 am)

I don’t necessarily think impact fees are a bad idea. But people should consider how this cost will further increase the cost of development and hence, the rents these projects will charge. Also, all development currently pays a variety of other fees: permit as well as utility hook up fees. For example, a 100 unit apartment building will pay about 500k to hook up to the king county sewer system for things like Brightwater and other capital projects. This is not technically an impact fee but very similar. projects also pay to hook up to electric and water systems as well as a base permit fee based on size of project. Again, I am not against impact fees but just want people to know that there are a lot of very expensive fees already levied on projects in Seattle.

Personally, I would lOve to see parking revenue kept in neighborhoods where it is collected, to pay for urban village amenities.

boy December 30, 2012 (9:11 am)

Now is the time to push the city for a new park and ride in WS. With everyone talking here about how this will efect traffic on the bridge it seems only natrual for the city to hold hostage these builders for the cost of a park and ride. Time is running out on space in the downtown area. Why have our city leaders [the ones we just put back in office] ignoring the fact that we need help with getting in an out of WS. The hole is the perfect chance for under ground up a couple more levels of parking than an urban park on top.

datamuse December 30, 2012 (11:06 am)

Of course a developer wants to profit on a project. I’m not sure why people are making this comment as though it’s news.

Kgdlg December 30, 2012 (1:29 pm)

Datamuse, I was originally pointing out the profit aspect of market development because wetone made it sound above like developers come here because of some City incentive when she or he said “the city makes it easy for them.” I don’t agree with this, although of course there are some incentives such as the multi family tax exemption. Others than that, the city makes it, in my opinion, very arduous to develop here. My hope is that the design review process produces some changes that better serve urban villages, but I am not 100 percent sold on this idea either. Some boards are better than others, and west seattle’s is generally pretty good.

I actually think most people don’t realize how much profit does matter when it comes to real estate investment. The days of mom and pops building buildings are over. Most buildings now are built by institutional or national investors, not families. This is actually a big deal for Seattle, because it means that the Owners have very little connection to neighborhoods, and will likely only be Owners of the building for 10 years or less. The WSB just recently covered how the buildings built recently in the junction were just flipped to new investors (Capco plaza being an obvious aberration as locally owned).

Diane December 30, 2012 (2:58 pm)

Amazon’s two megadeals net $24 million for city, state governments
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2012/12/amazons-two-mega-buys-net-city-state.html?ana=e_tf&s=newsletter&ed=2012-12-27
~
“In a 24-hour period last week, Clise Properties and Vulcan Inc., with help from Amazon.com, deposited more than $24.2 million in tax revenue into the coffers of the city of Seattle and state of Washington.”
~
zero to Metro
~
we need more Rapid Ride buses; every developer in this transit hub should buy one new Rapid Ride bus per 100 new apartments AND pay transit/road impact fees

datamuse December 30, 2012 (5:13 pm)

Sorry Kgdlg, I should’ve been clearer. My comment was intended more in reference to the argument I occasionally see that wanting to turn a profit automatically makes a developer evil and worthy of overthrow. Because, I mean, don’t most companies want to turn a profit? As a stockholder I’m certainly hoping that the companies I’ve invested in do.
.
I appreciate your elaboration of just what’s involved in getting a project approved, though. Indeed, I’ve never had the impression that getting a development project approved in Seattle was a cakewalk. I’d like to see some in Highland Park, because honestly some of the apartment complexes down here look like they’ll fall over in the next earthquake. Some of the houses too for that matter.

SaveWestSeattle December 30, 2012 (8:38 pm)

Hi Kgdlg,
You must be amoung those who think that the new buildings are an improvement to this neighborhood. Remember, we in WS initially were cursed with two so called “Urban Villiages” (false “New Speak”)THEN years later the City and Developers snuck in yet a THIRD UV. Initiually we in WS were promised there would be no apartment buiuldings over 3 stories or 40′. Then little by little the scumbags changed and upped the density allowed. People who live here do not want to live in sun starved urban jungles with ever increasing crime…we do not want to be the next Capitol Hill or Fremont. As you well know, there is not enough parking in any of these developments to allow for resident and customer parking. I would not follow my hair stylist to Capitol Hill because of the complete lack of parking on Broadway. All the junctions are experiencing loss due to this factor. Now I avoid the junctions due to traffic. Down my way we are impacted as traffic tries to move around the junctions. Two days ago I had to wait 8 minutes to turn left from 106th SW to 21st SW! If Developers had to pay for the infrastructure impacts caused by this INSANE development of urban center sized buildings over single family infrastructure and don’t care about the ever mounting loss of value we will continue to experience due to over density. If Developers had to pay for the negative or more costly impacts perhaps they would decide NOT TO BUILD. Victory for the poeple! There would still be the true, ethical improvement people who wiulkl update older dwellings without RAPING the entire population, taking the $$ and running. How about paying the salaries of __# new police officers and vehicles per new sq’ to help as density and it correlating crime increase. IMHO ALL future construction should cease until the proper monetary impacts are assessed to the builders and developers, banks and so on. Why don’t you go to Magnolia and build 7 story buildings there?! Oh, Sorry, they are allowed to be a family neighborhood and not akin to 4th and Pike…WS gets to have three UV’s. Developers build here because we are among the few cities stupid enough not to require impact fees.

Kgdlg December 30, 2012 (8:53 pm)

SaveWestSeattle, I am a resident of West Seattle and like most residents here, I cannot be characterized by one stereotype, and I am assuming, neither can you. I am an affordable housing developer, so know what it is like to build in this town. However, I don’t build the typical market rate stuff that is going up all over town. I don’t think all “5 over 1” is great. I think much of it is underwhelming architecturally. I wasn’t arguing against impact fees. I think they would be one way to improve urban village amenitites. But the consequence of them will be that rents will be that much more expensive, further driving the working poor out of the most amenitiy rich areas of town, urban villages. I am concerned mostly about transit and affordability in Seattle. And I hardly think density is the solution to everything!

SaveWestSeattle December 30, 2012 (9:38 pm)

Kdglg, I confess that I have been involved with true urban construction since ’62 and made a fortune. Urban high rise buildings belong in core urban areas, not neighborhoods. Were you living here when the social engineers lied about what would happen if WS had two urban villiages while most “neighborhoods” had zero? They said it would just allow more MIL building and perhaps an extra level for apartments. They made it seem like we’d have little coffe shops on villiage squares not 7 story sun stealing mega-toad buildings adding probably over 10,000 extra residents or more already. As for affordable living…Is not the rule essentially that a low % of what is built has to be “affordable” thus allowing the remainder to be priced at market. Forgive me, but I see rentals $$ for the abonimations currently built and these are far from “affordable” in my opinion. Is it “affordable” for developers to make $$ and run leaving WS citizens to pay more in School levies, infrastructure repairs, loss of life quality due to total gridlock while the developers dance away? DNDA at least builds in areas most builders ignore and do provide homes for low income people. Developers come to WS because we have girly guys and gitrls who just take the rape of their neighborhood then whine in the crime report. WS has been screwed by THREE UV’s and corresponding added density and we are beyond the breaking point. No amount of new buses will help the commute.

WSB December 30, 2012 (10:05 pm)

Datapoint, West Seattle has four “urban villages” – Admiral, Junction, Morgan, Westwood/Highland Park. Here’s the citywide map:
.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cms/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpds_008063.pdf
.
The Junction “village” (which also includes Avalon and The Triangle) is the only one with some 85′ zoning. Admiral and Morgan, I believe, are maxed out around four stories (someone correct me if I’m wrong, I’ll look at the zoning maps in a bit), aside from the grandfathered Cal-Mor Circle … TR

wetone December 30, 2012 (10:38 pm)

500k is pretty cheap for 100 units = $5k unit . What does it cost to hook up a single family home, more $$ and it has a lot smaller impact per lot size on the sewer infrastructure. What is and will be the cost for the upgrades to support these large projects. Same goes with the cost of water and power hook ups as well as usage, and infrastructure build up to support these types of projects. The developers are getting off cheap for the impacts they are leaving in these areas. Leaving the area with higher taxes and soon tolls. But as I have said before it is not the developers fault, it is the City of Seattle that is allowing them to do so and in return get maximum tax monies per sq. ft. off the properties. For a sort term solution and very long term impacts.
The bridge is a big problem built 1984 almost 30yrs old. The design won’t allow a rail system without taking a lane or two of traffic away. How long before talk of a new one comes up that can handle a rail system ? How will a new build or rebuild be payed for. Coming soon folks Tolls, and you will be still be sitting in traffic if I-5 is not moving.

rudy December 31, 2012 (9:33 am)

Thanks for more info TR. I knew it was a lower street number/down the hill but in my mind it turned into 29, not 26.

It seems like quite a few houses to put on such a location and yes, Sylvan Ridge has room to expand. Sylvan’s original plans were what initially formed our neighborhood association and they worked HARD to make sure Sylvan was congruent with the neighborhood as much as possible. Probably not a bad idea to keep this newer project on the radar…..

ROBERT January 1, 2013 (10:43 pm)

DON’T SAY ANYTHING TO SDOT,THEY MIGHT TURN DELRIDGE INTO A ONE LANE ROAD…

Creekside January 2, 2013 (8:49 pm)

@ Kgdlg @ 6:56 am December 30, 2012 – Delridge has been struggling for decades, but not for the reason(s) you cite. It is struggling due to the direct result of a decades long record of being the City’s dumping ground, West Seattle branch, of those in poverty. Delridge”s dreary status is also a result of the complete unwillingness on the part of the City to move Delridge forward with an update to our Neighborhood Plan and the MONEY implement it. The DESC is now piling-on to the decades long dumping of poverty, poverty that is so concentrated in the specific census tract that the DESC just HAD to build that a waiver was granted by Rick Hooper at the Office of Housing to allow the DESC to muscle its way in. The Brandon area of Delridge Way has a temporary school, under the guise of Boren-STEM/Sealth/Cleveland/Madison/etc., and gobs of SHA or Section 8 housing. There has also been a boatload of foreclosures and short sales. All of this contributes to resident instability and leaves any effort to try and improve the area’s stability/business climate to a small handful of martyrs on the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. And gawd bless them for doing what they do.
=
High Point was redeveloped to disperse poverty via mixing in market rate housing as it was finally acknowledged that concentrations of poverty is not good for anyone, especially the people in poverty. Yet here the City is actively making the exact opposite occur in the Brandon area of Delridge. Watching this whole debacle in Delridge has convinced me that ‘low-income’ housing projects, and especially ‘supportive housing’, is anything but feel-good-politics, backslapping, and work for Architects, Non-Profit Developers, General Contractors and their crews. It is not about helping the people in need. If it were, they would not be plopped down in bad-news-central and have multiple opportunities to buy booze, drugs and crap food right outside the door of their newly built digs.
=
Delridge Way is no more of an arterial than Rainer Avenue is. In fact, Delridge Way has two less travel lanes than Rainer Avenue. Yet, Rainier Avenue at Columbia City is thriving and Delridge Way is Crudsville. Why? Because there were good bones in Columbia City, but more importantly, private capital came in and invested. The only substantial structures at Delridge and Brandon is a bunch of non-profit or public facilities. Not that these are a bad thing, but the DESC is yet another non-profit and will be THE defining building and characteristic of the entire Brandon area. It will take a long, long time before any private capital will want to risk investing in anything decent or substantial in area that has such a concentration of poverty and people with ‘issues’. And ‘issues’, is putting it mildly as it pertains to the DESC cliental. Do not start lecturing or attempting to guilt trip me of how we need to blah, blah, blah for the homeless, mentally ill or addicted. I do not want to hear it because I live with PLENTY of it all around me.
=
You state you are a non-profit housing provider, then tell me, is it all about creating those type of housing units at any cost? Costs that include further damaging a messed up neighborhood? Costs that increase instability in an already incredibly unstable neighborhood? Or are areas like Delridge and parts of the Rainier Valley just unstated ‘sacrifice zones’ so that self-centered, phony Seattle Liberals can sleep good in their beds in Viewridge, Admiral, Magnolia, Gatewood and _____? (Insert your favorite White Liberal neighborhood)
=
If the answers to any of these questions are what I suspect, I will be actively campaigning against any future housing levy’s unless serious standards of city wide dispersal are attached to the money shoveled into non-profits hands and that the crown be taken off of the head of the DESC as it has become nothing but a bully and has lost its course, if in fact it ever had one.

Mark Johnson January 5, 2013 (9:29 am)

It may be time to secede from the union and control our property taxes and tax dollars. Think about it…

Mark Johnson January 5, 2013 (9:30 am)

West Seattle, WA! Has a nice ring to it.

sam-c January 5, 2013 (10:03 am)

we went to Talarico’s last night for happy hour pizza. when we left at 6:30, I was surprised by all the people on the sidewalk waiting for tables there and at EBB.

yes it was a Friday, but wow, when Talarico’s and EBB are socked in by giant new towering developments, I’ll really miss 2 of WS’s great restaurants; it’ll be so crowded, why bother?

Ky January 8, 2013 (4:43 pm)

The more the merrier! 2,000+ units will bring more people, more vitality, better transit, and better neighborhoods. Embrace the change Seattle! Embrace density and all it has to offer!

Sorry, comment time is over.