West Seattle development: Next phase of public-comment process for proposed CVS store

| Development | West Seattle news

(July ‘cover page’ image from project file on city website. Architect: Schemata Workshop)

After passing the first stage of Design Review on the second try earlier this summer, the project team for the proposed CVS drugstore at 4722 Fauntleroy Way SW has applied for a land-use permit – and with the announcement in today’s Land Use Information Bulletin, that opens the next phase of the public-comment process.

As reported previously, the store is proposed as a one-story building on the site that now holds West Seattle Produce and Suite Arrangements; it would have 50 offstreet parking spaces (including 32 on an adjacent parcel) and a drive-through window. Here’s the official notice; here’s how to comment. At least one more Design Review meeting will be required, but there’s no date set yet, and this phase of the comment process is open to more than its design – you can offer opinions on environmental issues such as traffic and noise. The comment deadline is September 13th.

The store has been in the works for two years now; we first found an early version of the proposal in city files in July 2013.

quiz August 31, 2015 (10:32 am)

WSB, thank you for providing the link to comment. The idea of a single story structure with a huge, surface-level, parking lot is a terrible idea. This CVS is in a high density zone, and should be integrated into a lager structure designed to house many of the new residents moving into the area.

Ray August 31, 2015 (11:40 am)

Or the alternative… If CVS has legally purchased the land and has clear ownership of it, and they are in compliance with all local laws regarding the use of the land, then they should be allowed to build what they want, on their land, as long as they are in compliance with said laws.

Not every plot of land in this city or area should be built up.

WSB August 31, 2015 (12:14 pm)

We’ve discussed this in previous coverage but for those who missed it – CVS is leasing the site, not buying it. The local family that owns it placed a height restriction on development as a condition.

LS August 31, 2015 (12:46 pm)

This new store most definitely will negatively impact Rite Aid, Bartell’s and Walgrens and especially WS Produce.

DarkHawke August 31, 2015 (1:03 pm)

@Ray: +1!

K'lo August 31, 2015 (1:44 pm)

I drive past the CVS on 160th & 1st, and there are hardly any cars in the parking lot. I’d hate to see WSProduce displaced by a company that just might not make it. Bartell’s has hade my business for most of my life, to date, and will continue to be my drug store of choice. Pffffftttt on CVS!

M August 31, 2015 (1:57 pm)

As long as the Goodwill truck is still there for me to make donations to.

Sue August 31, 2015 (2:12 pm)

I don’t believe the new CVS will negatively impact the other drugstores at all. Look at all the new units open now or coming soon within a block or two of the property between Spruce, Bluestone Sky and the Whittaker. When I lived in NYC it was not unusual to bring a prescription in and have to wait an hour plus for it to be filled because of the backlog. I’d appreciate that not happening to the other pharmacies because all the new residents moving in.

JeffK August 31, 2015 (2:15 pm)

Is it known why the family leasing the site has put a height restriction on it?

Oakley34 August 31, 2015 (2:21 pm)

I’m currently a Rite Aid customer but may switch to CVS as I support their decision to (as a pharmacy) stop carrying tobacco products. Their location will indeed look more promising (for them) when all the other construction is complete and tenants move in. 4 chains in such a small area (plus that alot if their stock is carried by Safeway/QFC as well) is a bit of a head scratcher though.

Joe Szilagyi August 31, 2015 (3:03 pm)

It’s time for a land use tax. Don’t use commercial zoned land to it’s max potential? Pay more taxes until you’re in compliance with society’s needs.

Edmunds Slope Kevin August 31, 2015 (3:13 pm)

Surface level parking is a total waste of space and a neighborhood killer in an area that’s becoming increasingly walkable/bikeable/bussable. The Whole Foods building is going underground for parking and so too should this development. Add some on-street parking to help calm the Fauntleroy freeway a bit and I’d approve! Will be submitting comments as such to the city. Thx for the info and links WSB!

WSB August 31, 2015 (3:15 pm)

While the full packet for the next Design Review meeting – again, no date announced yet – isn’t available, the rendering shown above includes a “pocket park” along Fauntleroy that is apparently intended as a response to some of the concerns voiced in Early Design Guidance (first link in the story is to the full report from the meeting at which it passed EDG). Just a datapoint. As for the question about the owners’ decision to restrict the height – they have not publicly commented – TR

Jon Wright August 31, 2015 (3:49 pm)

The only possible explanation is that the land owners do not want to sell/develop now but they want more rent income than they are getting now from the current tenants. By limiting the new building to a single-story structure, they do not encumber future development with large-scale demolition. It would be interesting to see what the length of the lease between the land owners and CVS is, particularly if there is a landlord’s option to boot them out early. Perhaps something like that in exchange for right of first refusal to be in a future mixed-use development. The good news is that eventually, this probably will get built to be a more efficient use of the property but in the meantime, the gateway to West Seattle will be a big box sitting in the middle of a parking lot.

gifff August 31, 2015 (3:57 pm)

Why is density an automatic “GOOD thing”?? I live in West Seattle because I don’t like the density found in other parts of our city. Will you not be content until every sq inch of W.Seattle is covered in multistory apartment buildings?
Morgan junction is forever poorer for the lack of a pocket park at Thriftway because it was not urban enough for the city planners. Let the sky be seen from a few places in W.Seattle and a few trees remain.

mike August 31, 2015 (5:39 pm)

agreed giff. overall I see no plan (much less a progressive one) other than ‘build baby build’, take the money and run. I’m watching West Seattle dissolve, it’s been nice knowing you.

Diane August 31, 2015 (5:46 pm)

what is the direction of this image? are we looking SE?

WSB August 31, 2015 (6:13 pm)

Yes.

Jon Wright August 31, 2015 (6:03 pm)

gifff, Density in an area designated as an urban village (like Alaska Junction) helps take pressure off other neighborhoods to accommodate growth.

roddy August 31, 2015 (6:20 pm)

@quiz, I think we already have plenty of the “larger structures” in place or in progress for the new residents of WS…can we focus instead on infrastructure, or better transit services before we keep building up? Please?

datamuse August 31, 2015 (7:16 pm)

Will you not be content until every sq inch of W.Seattle is covered in multistory apartment buildings?
.
That’s highly unlikely.

redblack September 1, 2015 (5:35 am)

my comment to DPD will involve this store’s impact on traffic, particularly SB on fauntleroy. currently, fauntleroy backs up to alaska anytime someone is waiting to turn left at edmunds, which happens frequently as of late.
.
now we’re adding a parking lot entrance mid-block? i think the owners should pay to mitigate potential traffic problems from this store and its development.

McFail September 1, 2015 (11:15 am)

The traffic impact was an issue brought up when CVS involved in the Whole Food Development. The drive through did not seem feasible because of the issues with circulation and the debated street vacation. So as developers do they still developed across the street and found an even more undesirable location. Did We Get it Right West Seattle? Hey, that sounds familiar…

WSB September 1, 2015 (11:34 am)

Just one datapoint: Unless McFail has insider info – CVS was not necessarily the drugstore that had been negotiating for space in The Whittaker across the street, where Whole Foods remains the only announced tenant. There was *a* drugstore (we heard only one name rumored, and it wasn’t CVS, nor was it one of the chains already in The Junction area) negotiating for space and as McFail identifies, the drive-through was indeed the sticking point, and the prospective tenant pulled out. I think that happened after this application surfaced (am trying to wade through the archives to confirm that). – TR