55 Replies to "West Seattle development: New mixed-use proposal with 125 apartments at 4754 Fauntleroy Way SW"

• HelperMonkey December 23, 2015 (2:47 pm)

  oh no! where are all the local thieves going to fence their stolen goods now?

• Mark schletty December 23, 2015 (3:05 pm)

  West seattle is already way over developed, even by city comp plan standards. There is not sufficient work in west seattle for all the people being jammed into our neighborhood, so most of these new residents will have to work elsewhere. That means more bridge traffic during rush hour with no reasonable alternative to the miserably inadequte bus system except to drive. The city is crazy. We desperately need a moratorium on new development until such time as adequate mass transit is in place.

• casey December 23, 2015 (3:18 pm)

  Pawn shops are scum, i’d rather have another Starbucks there!

• Diane December 23, 2015 (3:50 pm)

  yikes, Caron??? they got fired from Charlestown project because of their horrible “design”

• Erick R December 23, 2015 (3:53 pm)

  I don’t think we need another apartment complex, It keeps driving the cost of rent up and makes it harder for most people to afford it.

  That radiates out to the other parts of our area and makes even older buildings go up in price for living as well. Plus I agree what was said, it will also cause more traffic on the bridge.

• Diane December 23, 2015 (3:55 pm)

  take a look at their multifamily projects page to see what we’ll get in this location; boxes, boxes, boxes
  ~
  http://www.caronarchitecture.com/projects/architecture/multifamily/1711-apartments/

• M December 23, 2015 (4:21 pm)

  I personally like the design of the “boxes” as people call them. I am, however, worried about the traffic implication at that intersection with all the projects going in. It already drives me crazy when I have to stop behind someone turning left at that intersection.

  And @Erik. I’m not sure how adding supply will further drive up rents. That’s exactly what needs to happen to reduce rents.

  Glad to see that Pawn Shop close finally. I think the area had grown a little too classy to have a pawn shop and check cashing place. Good sign those places are finally leaving.

  • WSB December 23, 2015 (4:26 pm)

    I forgot to mention it; the “site plan” shows the parking entrance off the little stub of Edmunds that will be on the project’s south side.

• WSNewbie December 23, 2015 (4:46 pm)

  Must be a different economics taught out here – more supply drives rents higher? And we should wait until better mass transit arrives because we’ve seen how well the city does with its extracurricular property assessments? I personally welcome the supply of more higher-end residences to dampen rents and drive out (hopefully) riffraff, but would love to see a comprehensive plan that would provide some local 24 hr medical and create a local car-free zone for retail and entertainment. Merry Christmas everyone!

• WS Super Hero Grrl December 23, 2015 (4:48 pm)

  It is time for all of us commenting on these posts who are frustrated by the overdevelopment and traffic implications to act. I don’t know how, but many of us have the same feelings about this. It would be nice to see if we can make a diffetenco together.

• Susan December 23, 2015 (5:07 pm)

  This is definitely over development of an area. There is inadequate green space. There will be increased traffic, no on street parking and diminished air quality.
  Small apartments does not encourage family life.

• JunctionCommenter December 23, 2015 (5:15 pm)

  WS Grrl, 46 people (on one street) wrote in with concerns about a recent micro-housing project and the city still refused to do anything. Big development is big money and people don’t seem to matter here, we keep fighting though. Say hi to your neighbors, adopt a drain, volunteer your time. I complain a fair bit but try and contribute positively so I’m not just part of the problem.

• Neighbor December 23, 2015 (5:21 pm)

  Better it get built now while the Mayor is only deliberating on allowing 20 floor buildings to be built in the urban villages. Also, the HALA pushers and city council seek to expand this urban village all the way up the hill to Providence and hope to see all single family homes in the area replaced with large apartments, so if you really care about traffic/density you should raise your concerns with Lisa Herbold so that future density increases can be directed to Westwood Village.

• Lee December 23, 2015 (5:22 pm)

  I enjoyed poking around the pawn shop and talking with the guys in there! Sad to see it go.

  Each time I see a notice about new apartment/condo units I know the traffic will just get worse.

• dsa December 23, 2015 (5:38 pm)

  Hey the pawn shop are nice people. I hope they can relocate somewhere close.

• Deb December 23, 2015 (5:41 pm)

  That pawn shop is a disgrace to the West Seattle community (I believe I’ve seen an a-frame outside the door that says “AMMO”). With the shuttering of its door noted as a positive, I’d like to identify two clear NEGATIVES that haven’t yet been mentioned: TRAFFIC! I’ve lived in West Seattle for 3 years and my commute over the bridge has doubled in that time. What plan do we have in place to ease bridge traffic as we add residents into our neighborhood? As someone who moved in a while ago, I welcome new neighbor’s with open arms but COME ON. Also… I’d like to point out (as WAB began to allude to) that this intersection is quickly becoming a concrete jungle. I won’t support any design that doesn’t include some type of greenery or green space in a substantial quantity.

• DRW December 23, 2015 (5:49 pm)

  The Fauntleroy Valley at Alaska!

• Joe Szilagyi December 23, 2015 (7:43 pm)

  “I don’t think we need another apartment complex, It keeps driving the cost of rent up and makes it harder for most people to afford it.”
  .
  That statement is literally the opposite of reality. This building displaces no one and creates 125 units out of thin air, alleviating housing pressure. This statement is on the level of climate change denialism, unfortunately.

• Joe Szilagyi December 23, 2015 (7:54 pm)

  @Deb asked, “What plan do we have in place to ease bridge traffic as we add residents into our neighborhood?”
  .
  Expansions and improvements to King County Metro and the forthcoming Light Rail expansion to the North Delridge and the West Seattle Junction neighborhoods.
  .
  Due to cost, politics, changing demographics (younger generations drive far less and current older generations over time, well, without being morbid, won’t need cars by the time all of West Seattle is lit up with rail), and geography, there will likely never ever be another expansion in “car capacity” to and from West Seattle.

• waitasec December 23, 2015 (8:00 pm)

  Neighbor,

  I think you need to get a reality check. The urban village density will be dispersed equitably, not by lame preferentially taxed percentages. Low income and other buildings will be built in ALL urban villages. Big tall low income housing will happen everywhere. Right next to single family boundaries abutting Urban villages and Urban Hubs. These tall buildings are going to happen. Lisa Herbold will not advocate for low-income housing only in Westwood Village. You. Are. Dreaming.

• MOVE! Seattle PLEASE! December 23, 2015 (8:16 pm)

  I agree the economics of the new buildings is odd. Increased supply is supposed to lower demand/price but in reality appears increased supply is causing rents to increase. Maybe there is a tipping point somewhere in the future but for now, a person earning $40K to $50K can’t really afford to live in one of those new mega sized buildings. I imagine parking costs extra too on top of rent.

• Nora December 23, 2015 (9:11 pm)

  The price increase coinciding with the supply increase is an issue of timing. An apartment building takes approximately 18 months to build once all of the permits are issued and approved, but people want to move in immediately. If you look at apartments around Belltown, there are many new buildings and units available when compared to last year, and a lot of the people who want to live there at the rent the landlords are asking are already there. Watch over the next year and see the rents drop, even if only slightly, as they try to entice more tenants. At worst, rents will be stagnant.

• Kimberly December 23, 2015 (9:37 pm)

  What drives the cost of housing up is the greedy homeowners that list their homes for WAY over market value, knowing there will be a bidding war for your already overpriced homes….just cause it’s “West Seattle “

• Triumph December 23, 2015 (10:15 pm)

  @Joe Szilagyi, light rail will never happen in West Seattle because self-driving car technology and electric car technology will render light rail obsolete long before it reaches West Seattle. It is interesting how transportation planners don’t like to talk about self-driving technology.

• JanS December 23, 2015 (10:58 pm)

  @Joe Szilagyi…I know you mean well for the community, but you’re starting to sound like an apologist for the city, and comparing people who object to more development as akin to climate deniers? Are you effing serious? I’ve been in this community for more than 40 years, and I object to more and more and more and more. And it keeps happening, and the city ignores us…and let’s see how things go when that viaduct closes for 2 weeks in the near future. This is not the east coast, nor is it downtown. I don’t see any of this amount of development going on in Madison Valley, Laurelhurst, Magnolia, and on and on. Yes, West Seattle is special, but not THAT special. We need a break, a moratorium, if you will, even if temporary, to let infrastructure catch up. And the Metro service sucks, and ain’t gonna change anytime soon, I can guarantee ya! Light rail, Joe? Seriously? By when…2021? Is that in place and budgeted for yet? Metro expansion to where? Certainly not where I live in West Seattle…the Admiral District. Or my friends in Arbor heights? What’s planned for them ? Got the “in” on that, Joe? No? Then don’t belittle your neighbors for not having the same opinion as you.

  At least this new building that’s planned for that corner will have at least some parking. Not that there’s a neighborhood there for the overflow to park in. Dead end street next to it, no parking street in front…yep…that makes sense to someone…not me.

  And climate change is real.

• j December 23, 2015 (11:01 pm)

  Flash forward to 2025 when we have yet another drought with 50,000 more residents. How much do you think your water bill will be then? You can no longer water your yard, wash your car or let your kids play in the sprinkler.
  You just got fined $75 dollars cause you filled your kiddie pool.
  Can’t wait.

• MsD December 24, 2015 (12:07 am)

  WSNewbie – drive out the riffraff? Like my former neighbors who kept their reasonably-priced rental properties well-tended and looked out for their neighbors? Yes, so glad the developers came in and evicted them, then let the properties fall into complete disrepair for years. At the current rate, they will be finished building their particle board monstrosities sometime around 2020. All the while trashing the nearby area and making it basically impossible to sell and get the hell out due to the noise, chaos and garbage.

• Diane December 24, 2015 (1:17 am)

  good catch MsD, and agree; @WSNewbie, “drive out (hopefully) riffraff” is highly offensive; these are our neighbors you’re talking about

• DJ Allyn December 24, 2015 (4:04 am)

  Slowly, but surely, watching West Seattle succumb to the cancer of “development”.

  It isn’t that I care if a pawn shop disappears, it’s what replaces it that concerns me.

  Have you ever tried to get across the recently “improved” West Seattle bridge during “rush hour”?

  (which is all but about six isolated 30-minute intervals between 6AM and 8PM)

  Now, imagine what happens when you continue to ADD more people, more FAMILIES, to the population.

  But hey, I just sold my home. Nine of my neighbors just sold their homes. I had to. There is NO possible way to sustain property values at this rate.

• Mary S December 24, 2015 (5:38 am)

  SEVEN stories right there? Holy crap.

• m December 24, 2015 (6:22 am)

  we should all contact Uber and request they add UberHop routes to West Seattle. That is finally a solution that could remove cars from the road.

• cratewasher December 24, 2015 (7:22 am)

  We need grocers on the east side of West Seattle.
  And a train from Burien, through White Center to downtown.

• Wes C. Addle December 24, 2015 (8:11 am)

  @JanS
  I think you’re kind of twisting what Joe said there. He wasn’t objecting to more development. He was arguing the fact that the more supply doesn’t equal higher rent, which is true. However on the other side of the equation I haven’t been seeing rent drop as more and more places are being built which is going to be the big livability problem that we’re going to have to face.

• KM December 24, 2015 (8:43 am)

  “Small apartments does not encourage family life.”

  Not everyone needs to have children and a single family home, or be on that lifestyle path, to be a resident of West Seattle.

  If there is a reader out there considering moving here, plenty of people are excited about the changes our area is experiencing, regardless of many comments above. Welcome!

• AMD December 24, 2015 (9:03 am)

  @cratewasher It’s not a train, but they are planning on turning the 120 into a Rapid Ride, which will be an improvement.
  .
  Also just wanted to add that supply alone won’t drop the prices of rent; demand needs to drop. Prices will stay where they are until units sit vacant for a period of time, which they aren’t because of the number of folks moving to the area for work.

• Born on Alki59 December 24, 2015 (9:06 am)

  @JoeSz said:
  “Due to cost, politics, changing demographics (younger generations drive far less and current older generations over time, well, without being morbid, won’t need cars by the time all of West Seattle is lit up with rail), and geography, there will likely never ever be another expansion in “car capacity” to and from West Seattle.”

  Our young neighbor kids just left for Crystal Mountain this am, with two vehicles! When they return, they are going to Whistler after Christmas. My old butt will likely not leave WS. Where do you get your statistics that younger generations drive less? All the kids in my neighborhood (Genesee)have vehicles. They are rarely parked for long.
  And light rail to WS….really? We already voted on that once. Monorail never happened.
  Maybe I need some of what your smoking to see your point of view ? :) (JK)….anyways, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day.

• riffraff? December 24, 2015 (9:13 am)

  I was on my way down to the bottom of the page to comment on the riffraff statement, I’m glad to see some of my neighbors picked up on it as well. You would probably call me riffraff based on my tax bracket. I’ve lived in West Seattle for 12 years, I’m a good neighbor, a hard worker, and a nice person. Be grateful that you are in such a fortunate position, some of us work multiple jobs to try to stay in an “affordable” apartment in a nice neighborhood where they feel safe to take a walk.
  Since I’m here, let’s talk about more units bringing down rents. It sounds reasonable, but since I moved here in 2003, more new apartments have been built in WS then I want to count. Every new building that makes West Seattle a little more cool makes MY rent higher. My building is not cool, but I still feel lucky to have it. (Look at Capitol Hill – did all of those new apartments make it any more affordable?)
  One last thing… I once heard two men stroll past my building and one said, “Why don’t they tear this apartment building down and build condos? It’s such a great corner!” And I wanted to scream at them that a dozen families live here! When you talk about running people out, you’re talking about running PEOPLE out.
  Okay, now I’m done :)

• Vanessa December 24, 2015 (9:18 am)

  Parking? All of places being built everywhere and very few provide parking. It is just so unfair to the people who have lived in the neighborhood for years. They will have to fight now like everyone else trying to find a place to park. Yeah, I’m all for the economy recovering from the recession. Our local businesses are happy. The construction workers have plenty of jobs and the land barons laugh all the way to the bank.

• Ramona amazon December 24, 2015 (10:13 am)

  Writing letters to oppose one specific development is a waste of time. If you don’t like development, ask to change the zoning.

• Kevin December 24, 2015 (10:16 am)

  Triumph’s comment about self-driving technology is absolutely correct. Any future light rail lines will be obsolete before the first train rolls down the tracks. Self driving cars are happening now. This is not science fiction. The impact will be huge. If you are pushing for light rail then you are wasting your time.

• wetone December 24, 2015 (10:23 am)

  Does anyone at CITY and DPD really know how many “units” they have allowed to be built in WS over the last 10yrs ??? or better yet how many “bedrooms” ? as most new units are being filled by working adults that commute to work. Putting more impact on road system…Is there a “hard number” where city will actually stop these projects due to “limited traffic flow concerns” ? How about increased ferry traffic ? Does DPD and city have any clue ? or any plan to deal with ingress/egress of WS ? As a concerned property tax payer those are the questions I want answered. Lisa Herbold, city, DPD lets here some “ANSWERS”…….. I will say I see TOLLS and increased taxes coming soon to WS people for improvement of ingress/egress to area. City will soon have to do some serious road and new bridge builds to handle the traffic flow issues their creating. The old cart in front of horse city planning…..

• John December 24, 2015 (11:55 am)

  Happy Holidays to the West Seattle Bloggers so invested in NIMBYism and the sense of entitlement they assume either through “I was here before” or “now that I am here”.
  –
  Happy Holidays to those claiming no connection between supply and demand and prices.
  –
  Happy Holidays to those confusing personal anecdotes for statistical evidence.
  –
  Happy Holidays to those who spend their time complaining about other people just doing their jobs.
  –
  Happy Holidays to those deriding the city for not doing things that are illegal and impossible.
  –
  Happy Holidays to those who propose canceling all mass transit in lieu of the approach of driver-less cars without explaining how the driver-less cars will suddenly eliminate massive numbers of cars that clog our roads.
  –
  Happy Holidays to WSB for allowing most of my posts.

• M December 24, 2015 (1:55 pm)

  From someone who has lived in many other parts of the city, the traffic is much worse in other places. While not great, we have it a lot better than many other places. We do, however, complain about it much more than any other part of the city.

• Diane December 24, 2015 (3:39 pm)

  THANK YOU “riffraff?”
  ~
  I also live in one of the old apt buildings, still barely affordable; it would also be prime for “tear down; condo building”; thankfully our owner has not sold out (yet); and yes, we are filled with PEOPLE, at least 30 of us still here; and praying we do not get displaced by new fancy overpriced development
  ~
  and like “riffraff?” and myself; there are many of us real people who work hard, and active in community; many have been here for years, decades; me, 17 yrs; my friend Jan, 40+ yrs; we are examples of the real live people who are getting forced out of our longtime neighborhoods with sky-high rents
  ~
  we are NOT riffraff

• AMD December 24, 2015 (5:24 pm)

  Happy Holidays to you, too, John. : )

• dcn December 24, 2015 (5:54 pm)

  @Neighbor states: “…so if you really care about traffic/density you should raise your concerns with Lisa Herbold so that future density increases can be directed to Westwood Village.”
  .
  I’m curious how increasing density in the south end of West Seattle as opposed to the north end will help traffic issues? Yes, there is a transit hub at Westwood Village, but, as has been discussed so many times before, if you don’t work downtown, the mass transit system in this city is not much help. Even for those who take the bus, they would only fill the seats of RR C, the 21, and the 120 before they ever get to the north end of West Seattle.
  .
  If anything, more density near WW Village would only clog 35th, Delridge, and Roxbury more than they already are. Having the density closer to the West Seattle Bridge would create less traffic within West Seattle than density further south. The bridge itself is a mess no matter where the cars start from.
  .
  I’m not saying that the urban village area around WWV shouldn’t be developed, only that it will not help West Seattle’s traffic woes. On the bright side, more density there might trigger the upgrade that mall desperately needs.

• Northwest December 24, 2015 (7:01 pm)

  and yet in the years I have been reading the blog now have not once read about west seattlites ,which I am one born and raised, protesting with signs in hand and heavy local presence down at city hall or out in front of these projects with the popularity of the West Seattle for its desirability of a place to live and by the news media of course our own included it would certainly get coverage

• Joe Szilagyi December 24, 2015 (10:17 pm)

  “Any future light rail lines will be obsolete before the first train rolls down the tracks. Self driving cars are happening now. This is not science fiction. The impact will be huge. If you are pushing for light rail then you are wasting your time.”
  .

  Not everyone can afford self-driving cars, and some people may not want them or need them at all.

• pjmanley December 25, 2015 (6:58 am)

  The anti-child, anti-family and anti-elderly comments in this thread are despicable. You were all children once and will someday grow old, realizing you were never as hip and happening as you think you are now. A dose of humility and recognition that the world isn’t all about you and your demographic would be refreshing.

• Diane December 25, 2015 (5:55 pm)

  thank you pjmanley

• mike December 25, 2015 (8:14 pm)

  Time to start healing mother earth, population control would help. Love children? adopt one. It is despicable that humans continue to breed when children go without a loving family.

• John December 28, 2015 (9:31 am)

  THANK YOU MIKE! Those are exactly my thoughts. People…go out and have your one child to fulfill your desire to breed. After that….adopt one of the UN estimated 100 million children up for adoption worldwide.
  That’s how you help the planet and the overpopulation problem. Stop thinking micro.

• wetone December 28, 2015 (10:10 am)

  Kevin and Triumph,
  Wondering minds want to know where all these self driving cars are going park ? Self driving cars will be of little use in city’s such as Seattle that are downsizing road capacity, parking spots and allowing new builds with little if any off street parking. Now if one designed a city around self drivers that would be different. This city’s only hope is a good mass transit system, as there is limited road surface to work with and I don’t see that happening anytime soon with the people we have in-charge at this time…

• bill December 28, 2015 (5:02 pm)

  yeah it will be a lot better with that nasty old pawnshop gone.
  Then since there will be no one to take ID when they sell stuff and report all transaction to the police each day.There my be some chance of getting the stolen back to the owner. It will go on C list and offer up with no ID at all. Great thinking.
  Go to the bank and borrow a $100.00 at 3% interest.
  Pawnshop is also a FFL (federal Firearms Dealer)But much better to sell your gun in some parking lot at 3 in the morning without the background check and records. What a small mind.

• sam-c December 29, 2015 (9:49 am)

  The “just adopt” comments are really obnoxious. i would have liked to pursue that option for our 2nd but we couldn’t afford it. Our 2nd child by birth was cheaper, even with a surprise Nicu stay. And sure we could have limited our family to one child, but i was an only child and hated it. (But maybe that’s only cause my father died of cancer when i was 5 and my mom spent the rest of her 30ish years depressed. I didn’t want my older kid to deal with anything like that by himself.). But… I digress.. Holidays maybe. I’ll ‘just adopt’ another kid if you pay for it. Gladly.

Sorry, comment time is over.