![](https://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/entry-e1441404096349.jpg)
(From the “design packet” by Alloy Design Group)
The 6-story, 58-unit microhousing project planned to replace an 8-unit apartment building at 4528 44th SW in The Junction is the first West Seattle project in a while to make it through Design Review in the minimum amount of meetings. The Southwest Design Review Board has approved it after one Early Design Guidance-phase meeting (in March) plus, last night, one Recommendation-phase meeting. One member of the public offered comments. Patrick Sand was at the meeting for WSB; toplines ahead:
The board asked architects Alloy Design Group to look at reducing the number of different materials and colors on the building’s facade, for a more-consistent look. On the south side of the building, though, the one member of the public to comment, Diane Vincent, suggested a little more color would be welcome, beyond the medium zinc tone currently in the plans. That ultimately stayed, but the board suggested the black north side of the building should be rethought. Meantime, the touches of cedar on the side of the building and the walkway railings drew the most support; the project team described it as related to the cedar tree on the site that will be saved, right at the front entrance. They were urged in turn to have landscaping as lush as possible.
Also discussed while the landscaping was being reviewed, the buffer between this building and the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot immediately to the south, with an observation that potential future development of that lot should be kept in mind.
The project team got kudos for the V-shaped break on the building’s east and west sides, considered an improvement over the “boxy look” that many newer projects tend to have. Pedestrian-friendly features on the south side were well-received too.
One more note about materials – the risk of “oil canning” (explained here); the architects were told to doublecheck their materials to do what they could to keep that from happening.
While this was the last Design Review meeting, you can comment on any issue related to the project by e-mailing the assigned city planner, BreAnne McConkie, up until it gets final DPD approval – breanne.mcconkie@seattle.gov.
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