West Seattle development: 2nd local mixed-use project for Lennar; updates on Holden subdivision, Y expansion, more

| Development | West Seattle news

Here’s what’s new and interesting in the development files:

LENNAR’S SECOND WEST SEATTLE PROJECT – 2501 HARBOR: Seven months ago, we mentioned this one-acre parcel with three industrial/storage buildings was listed for sale. Among the possibilities touted in the listing: “Excellent potential for apartment, office or mixed-use redevelopment.” The latter is what’s on the drawing board now. According to an early site plan in the city’s online files, Lennar Multi-Family (residential developer for The Whittaker in The Junction) is proposing a 142-unit, 117-parking-space mixed-use building with 4,500 square feet of commercial space, to replace the three existing buildings. The zoning is C1-40 but the site plan proposes a building rising 48′ above grade. Parking would be entered from SW Florida, on the west side of the site. This will require Design Review; no date set yet. We’ll be following up on questions such as timeline and the future of the businesses currently on site.

YMCA EXPANSION GETS KEY APPROVALS: This week’s first Land Use Information Bulletin from the city includes the notice of key land-use approvals for the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) expansion/remodel. The approval notice includes a link to information on how to appeal. The expansion plan was announced last September.

2646 SW HOLDEN, 1 HOUSE GOING, 18 COMING: A demolition permit is now being sought for the one old, vacant house on this site stretching between Holden and Webster:

One land-use permit has been issued for the 18-house subdivision planned here, and another one is being sought for other aspects of the planned development.

OTHER DEMOLITION-PERMIT FILINGS: 10037 39th SW in Arbor Heights, except for the foundation; 3402 SW Morgan in High Point, to be replaced by two duplex townhouses; 3031 59th SW in Alki, to be replaced by two single-family houses and a two-unit townhouse.

320O BLOCK OF CALIFORNIA SIDE NOTE: We mentioned earlier this month that two addresses here are going to Streamlined Design Review with a mix of townhouses and live-works. What we didn’t notice, until some neighbors pointed it out, is that the sites were part of the location proposed for a 60-unit building at 3211 California SW. So it appears that project – which had made its Design Review debut last spring – is apparently no longer in the works.

Joe Szilagyi January 21, 2015 (4:40 pm)

Are the green belts south of that Harbor site along the road private and eligible for expanded use? What about from Fairmount south to Lotus? The Fairmount to Lotus has to be prime real estate view space.

Diane January 21, 2015 (4:56 pm)

thanks for the updates, and great catch on 320O west side of California, with link to design review that I participated in, but completely forgot about; so they just completely dropped that plan and changed to town homes that require no design review presented to neighbors? with “streamlined” design review, do we even have any way to see what is planned before they demolish and start building? my comment in linked DRB story re disappointment with more live-work which too often turns into “blinds drawn” dead space; was hoping for more neighborhood enhancing retail shops; well now they are doing just that, dropping the apts and any chance of lively retail shops, instead making it all town homes and live/work; boo; the #1 reason many of us neighbors wanted the up-zone in this area, was to extend the walkability between Alaska and Admiral junctions, with retails shops to attract, give people reasons to walk along this strip; very disappointing
~
btw, noticing comment at end of linked story; I was also sad to see this displace our wonderful neighborhood shop “Small Clothes”, which was sold by original owners a while back, and couple weeks ago, sign on the window, the new owner moved Small Clothes to Burien; another loss for our very family-oriented neighborhood, to be replaced with town homes; double boo; displacing beloved small retail, and no opportunity for new small retail

Trickycoolj January 21, 2015 (5:11 pm)

Funny Lennar was supposed to finish up High Point, guess we know why they backed out now.

John January 21, 2015 (7:56 pm)

Good questions Joe Szilagy.
–
Seattle DPD GIS shows this whole hillside as an Environmentally Critical Area with Steep Slope, Possible Slide and past Slide areas. It appears a mix of private undeveloped SF 7200 as well as undeveloped City Right of Ways (roads) and City owned parcels. It does not appear that there is a contiguous route of city properties to go from Harbor Ave up to the Fairmount Park.
Wouldn’t it make a wonderful trail to develop if some easements could be obtained?

Born on Alki 59 January 22, 2015 (6:51 am)

I will miss Seaway Marine. Any idea if they will relocate in WS?

John is absolutely correct. As a past property owner in the 2100 block of Harbor Ave, I owned part of that hillside all the way up to a “city street” right of way. Unstable ground with lots of standing ground water that could never be developed. Had a neighbor that owned several acres on that hillside just south of Fairmount, but could never develop it. (he lived in a trailer for years before he gave up) Good eagle nesting area that could have a great trail system….but also perfect homeless encampment area.

WSRedux January 22, 2015 (9:18 am)

Re: Diane: yes you can look at detailed plans for a project that isn’t required to undergo formal design review. The plan sets are available on the DPD website under the building permit listed for that address. They can be a bit tricky to locate, but they should be there. The alternative would be to go to the DPD office & review them on one of the public computes in the resource library.

Sorry, comment time is over.