Six notes/updates about West Seattle development:

PERCH PREVIEW BEFORE DESIGN REVIEW: Tomorrow night, the proposed 1250 Alki SW apartment building Perch goes back to the Southwest Design Review Board for a second round of Early Design Guidance. Here’s the packet (or view it embedded below):

The first meeting (official city report here) had a big turnout, with a large group of neighbors that’s been watching the ~100-unit project and voicing concerns. We talked earlier this week with developer SolTerra‘s president Brian Heather about changes that have been made and other key points.

SolTerra started as an energy company and then went into the development business; this is not only a design-build project, but the company plans to keep it and manage it after construction. “Our whole business model is predicated on the ability to hold onto the buildings,” said Heather. “We want to build a brand around sustainability.”

They’re going for LEED Platinum, one of a handful of multi-family mid-rise residential buildings with that designation. They’re using planted walls, dubbed “living walls,” for which they have a patent, to “break up” the massing (size and shape). They’ve also moved the courtyard space up to street level and into the center of the complex, and it will have seating open to anyone, more of a “public amenity,” said Heather. The total length of the building has as a result been reduced by about 30 feet, and more setbacks are included, which affects the sightlines. SolTerra makes its own heating and refrigeration units with a “heat-recovery system” that transfers energy between units as needed. And it will flush the toilets with graywater, storing rainwater on site.

They’re still planning some commercial space, “probably focused on micro-retail,” Heather said, perhaps a café, some small artists’ booths. And residents will have online profiles and ways to connect with others. They’ll also have access to SolTerra buildings elsewhere in Seattle and other cities. “If you live in one building, you live in all the buildings,” said Melissa Milburn of SolTerra.

Depending on what happens as the Design Review process and other reviews continue, SolTerra might break ground by year’s end, with Perch opening in early 2018. The Thursday night meeting is at 8 pm at the Sisson Building (home of the Senior Center of West Seattle), California/Oregon.

Other West Seattle development notes:

ANOTHER ALKI PROJECT: Alki is a construction hotspot these days, although nothing as big as Perch is on the drawing board otherwise. But projects like this keep turning up: The newest early-stage proposal for 2116 Alki Avenue SW is a six-unit condominium building with nine offstreet parking spaces.

CONSTRUCTION PERMITS SOUGHT FOR HOLDEN SUBDIVISION: City files show 15 construction-permit applications accepted for review, related to the planned subdivision of 18 single-family houses at 2646 SW Holden. It’s been a year since we noted a demolition permit was being sought for the vacant, vandalized house on the site. Other reviews remain in the works. Last August, the property went back on the market; the listing still appears to be active, at $2.4 million.

3050 AVALON FOR SALE: Speaking of listings – while working on this roundup, we found a new listing for 3050 SW Avalon Way (mis-listed as SE), planned site of a 104-unit microhousing project that’s gone through multiple rounds of controversy.

ALSO ON AVALON – 3039 TO DESIGN REVIEW: First Early Design Guidance meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board is planned for 3039 SW Avalon Way – seven stories, 71 apartments, 21 offstreet parking spaces – which we first mentioned back in October. The meeting is at 8 pm February 18th at the Senior Center.

DESIGN REVIEW ALSO SCHEDULED FOR 4801 FAUNTLEROY: That same night, February 18th, at 6:30 pm, the SWDRB will have the second and possibly final review for this four-story mixed-use building at Fauntleroy and Edmunds, including 53 apartments and about 2,500 square feet of retail.