West Seattle development updates, from Admiral to Westwood

Big stack of development notes/updates, all involving teardowns large and small:

First, the city has officially given a key land-use approval to The Whittaker, the 7-story, 389-apartment, 594-parking-space, Whole Foods-including project at 4755 Fauntleroy SW. It’s received a Determination of Non-Significance, meaning a full environmental review will not be required. Here’s the notice; here’s the decision. This is appealable until June 26th (this explains how). A project spokesperson tells WSB that they hope to start work at the site (which still holds five buildings, all to be demolished) this summer.

Next: The second Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 2626 Alki SW is on the schedule for July 17th (6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle). This is a three-story commercial/residential building planned for the corner of Alki and 59th, replacing three buildings that currently include a rental company, a retail store, a café, and a dispensary. The date is technically still temporary, so it has not yet appeared on the Land Use Information Bulletin. Here’s our coverage of its first Early Design Guidance meeting in February, when the board told it to give EDG another try.

Nor is a new lot-boundary-adjustment application we noticed in city files. The line adjustments proposed for 8437 41st SW in Upper Fauntleroy would make way for what are shown on a filed “site plan” as two houses, replacing the existing brick house on an 11,000-plus-square-foot site that was sold to a developer last month.

A one-into-two subdivision is being sought at 3036 Alki SW, turning one into two (2,663 and 4,049 square feet), with four townhouses and one single-family home proposed to replace what’s on the site now.

And one was recently approved at 1310 California SW, adjacent to Hamilton Viewpoint Park, splitting an 11,000-square-foot lot into two almost-equal-size parcels also bordering Donald and Palm. This review carried some controversy, according to the full decision document, saying that a surveyor determined the site to be about 50 percent larger than it was believed to be, which paved the way for the split. Two new houses are proposed, replacing a 79-year-old house; the appeal period on the lot split is open for one more week.

OTHER DEMOLITION/NEW-CONSTRUCTION PLANS: In Admiral, a demolition permit has been granted for 2600 45th SW, a 108-year-old duplex (County Assessor’s photo above) to be replaced by a two-unit townhouse (following a recent lot-boundary adjustment). … In Gatewood, one has been sought for 7931 California SW, a 64-year-old house slated to be replaced by a new single-family house. … And in Westwood/Roxhill, there’s one pending for 9411 35th SW, where an 89-year-old house is proposed for replacement by a three-unit townhouse … On Pigeon Point, 3816 22nd SW is proposed for demolition and replacement by a single-family house and a two-unit townhouse; we note that a separate application for 3806 22nd SW (no teardown, though) proposes four single-family houses nearby.

Wondering if anything’s planned near your home/townhouse/apartment/business/etc.? Browse the map on the DPD home page – and if you see something, follow the link to find out more. Caveat – we’ve noticed this map shows some idle/canceled years-old proposals as well as new and recent plans, though.

6 Replies to "West Seattle development updates, from Admiral to Westwood"

  • Concerned America June 18, 2014 (3:06 pm)

    Progessive areas & Americans refuse to preserve an area’s history. Stop building modern eye sores and remodel old homes!

  • Gina June 18, 2014 (4:19 pm)

    And the house at 2600 Admiral is no more.

    • WSB June 18, 2014 (4:51 pm)

      Thanks for the update, Gina. I have been downtown all day and we did not get to drive by for a look today as we often do with demolition-slated properties.

  • Cheryl June 21, 2014 (8:06 am)

    You may have reported on this already and I missed it, but do you know what is happening at the corner of 49th Ave SW and SW Charlestown St? Sweet little house sold recently and now is gone and they are excavating..hoping not for two residences that look like tall boxes!

    • WSB June 21, 2014 (9:04 am)

      Cheryl, someone asked me about that, I had missed the boat on the original permit requests (we can’t cover all the single-family one-off or two-off construction but are trying to keep better tabs) – the “design proposal” on file looks quasi-craftsman, not modern, which is unusual for teardown-to-new-house(s) work lately. You can see it by going to this page http://web6.seattle.gov/dpd/edms/ and putting in the address, 4822 SW Charlestown – the files aren’t directly linkable but they are downloadable and you can look at “design proposal” as well as “site plan.” – TR

  • diane June 21, 2014 (8:45 am)

    I like modern architecture but I was sad to see this gem of a house go. Too bad no one could have moved it somewhere. I would had I been able to!

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