West Seattle development: 3210 California SW penciled in to return to Design Review next month

| Development | West Seattle news

(Click image for larger view)
What could be the final Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 3210 California SW now has a (technically tentative) date: November 21st, 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. The 5-story, ~150-apartment, ~168-parking-space project reappeared today on the city Department of Planning and Development schedule. The proposal made it through the Early Design Guidance stage of the process in two meetings, April 11th and June 27th. At least a week before the meeting, developers Intracorp and architects Nicholson Kovalchick will go public with a proposed final draft of the building’s design; we’ll publish an update when it’s available. The drawing above is from the building “massing” taken to the second EDG meeting, which the developers told WSB is similar to what they would be including in their permit application afterward.

lux October 14, 2013 (5:38 pm)

So far, so good.

I like it.

NW October 14, 2013 (6:13 pm)

God help us …. had to look on the map for this one. Another one, WTF?

WSB October 14, 2013 (6:41 pm)

This has been moving through the system since January – our first report was on January 31st:
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https://westseattleblog.com/2013/01/first-development-proposal-for-upzoned-south-admiral-site-166-apartments-at-3210-california-sw
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As referenced there, this is on the block that was “upzoned” in 2010, three years after the zoning change was proposed – our first report from November 2007:
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https://westseattleblog.com/2007/11/big-rezoning-request-along-california-ave
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Sorry about not including a map link for anyone who is just tuning in – I will fix that – TR

Dee October 14, 2013 (7:12 pm)

Thanks Mike.

Noelle October 14, 2013 (8:45 pm)

Is this project along California next to the big Post office?

WSB October 14, 2013 (9:06 pm)

Noelle – this block is just south of St. John’s church, Hanford to Hinds. “South of Admiral,” if you had to give it a neighborhood name. The buildings there now include a rental office, a preschool, some rental properties …

mastermind October 15, 2013 (12:43 am)

oh look, another precedent set by telling the review board that “we can’t pencil it out unless we have increased allowances to disregard the current ‘restrictive’ zoning regulations”. and, oh yea, “we ‘promise’ to do this and that (ha ha tee hee” joke is on you!
Cayce and Gain Properties?
Also known as if you can’t pencil it out, ‘tough cookies’, then go make your money somewhere else!
You bought the property. You let it fall in ruin.
Once this passes, then everyone along California Ave. can say, “if they get to do it, then why can’t we?”
Goodbye Wonderful West Seattle. Our neighborhood is on it’s way to OUT!
Is it my imagination OR did the owners of these properties apply for the Rezone in the first place? HMMMM.
Who benefits then? “The people,” they tell us. “the neighborhood benefits,” they add. I’m still laughing!

Quote: “It seems to me that there are three options for the future of this block in general. The first is to leave it as is which will leave mostly older run down properties that will be rented for lower rents but will continue to decline in condition and offer few amenities that the block could use. The second is to do like most other blocks now being built on up and down the street and build townhomes which also offer no amenities to the block but they would look better than the current buildings. The third is to allow the requested rezone and hopefully end up with some nice buildings that would offer many more living units and have full commercial street frontage with underground parking. Without question I feel that the third option is the best!!!
Comment by Roger Cayce — 8:49 am November 25, 2007

lux October 15, 2013 (7:57 am)

I agree with Roger.

The third option is best!

Jeff platt October 15, 2013 (8:34 am)

NO
This is what makes seattle suck so bad
Another 200 apts and no investment in roads or traffic flow
As a matter of fact they are trying to slow traffic more while adding more people
Our leaders are failures

Louisa October 15, 2013 (9:53 am)

Is anyone else sincerely concerned that with all of these new apartments, that people don’t have as much of an incentive to maintain properties as those who own a condo or home? It seems like whoever is approving these massive apartment buildings does not have the small town good neighbor tradition of West Seattle at heart, let alone the parking and transportation issues….we’re turning into a rabbit hutch part of town!

WSB October 15, 2013 (10:00 am)

Just a friendly reminder, please do not bash or otherwise generalize about renters. I know renters who take much better care of their domiciles than homeowners. And people who rent can also be deeply involved in their neighborhoods – we know some local neighborhood councils who have dedicated, hard-working members who happen to be renters, groups that would LOVE to have more people get involved, regardless of their housing arrangements. (This project is in the Admiral Neighborhood Council’s jurisdiction and they meet the second Tuesday of every month, 7 pm at Admiral Congregational Church, California/Hill, just show up to see how you can get involved with your neighborhood!) For anyone who’s missed our extensive previous coverage of this project, FWIW, the developers (Intracorp, as linked in the story) expect that these will NOT be first homes for anyone – given the cost of homebuying these days, more people are renting lifelong or close to it, and they told us they expect the renters for this project to be somewhat older. Just a datapoint; DPD continues to take comments throughout the process and will be doing so at the November 21st Design Review meeting too – TR

JP October 15, 2013 (10:38 am)

I like it! it looks modern but hopefully they’d pick more soothing colors than random bright ones.

Noelle October 15, 2013 (11:31 am)

Thank you West Seattle Blog!

west seattle October 15, 2013 (9:56 pm)

this needs to stop

au October 15, 2013 (10:53 pm)

the rooftops of the houses to the west can all be seen in this rendering, as if they are all 5/6 story homes. it’s a deceptive image to make it seem like the project fits the scale of the neighborhood.