West Seattle development: 24 microstudios for 4807 41st SW

Mark Schletty February 18, 2017 (12:57 pm)

Two units being replaced by 24 units, presumedly with no parking as are the other microhousing units. When will the city leaders wake up and face reality. West Seattle is already way over developed for its infrastructure. West Seattle simply cannot absorb any more units until there is a much better ingress/egress system in place. Stop issuing permits for large unit number buildings now.

Rose February 20, 2017 (12:18 pm)

Mark is absolutely correct about too much housing for West Seattle infrastructure!

old timer February 18, 2017 (2:10 pm)

The strange thing is that all the “new” buildings still have “for rent/lease” signs on them.

When the inevitable bust comes to boomtown, what will they do, what will they do?

Erithan February 18, 2017 (3:15 pm)

I’ve met people who are new here and they’re always in “sticker shock”(food a lot), I recall them bring glad it was a temp placement.

for those of us living close i think we really see how many units are vacant…still or constantly changing tenants.

People keep taking about growth, but isn’t it all projected growth? As in a possible future population?

if things are going so well, why are we seeing tear downs/builds only to see them vacant as well? So many people need housing, but can’t afford anything, so much of seattles identity is dying. (Displaced artists is just one example, our greenery scrapped for shrubs).

Sorry little ranty, frustrating, and annoying they keep pushing shoeboxes to boot….

flimflam February 18, 2017 (2:11 pm)

it so funny that this junk is being trotted out as “affordable housing” – probably about $1000 for a prison cell-like dorm? our infrastructure needs major improvements to deal with all of this growth that has been happening, let alone what is to come.

Gatewood Neighbor February 18, 2017 (2:30 pm)

Oh, Heeeell noooo

nw February 18, 2017 (2:36 pm)

There is much property within a quarter-mile of this property underdeveloped ,I am not in favor of what is happening to the neighborhood I grew up in being realistic is all there is some much more of this to come.

John Parker Woods February 18, 2017 (2:59 pm)

The best way to fight homelessness is to build homes. I live with my mom because I can’t afford an apartment or condo. I never drive a car and would like a place to live. I bet, giving all the people facing the economic problem of living and working in a city that they can not afford, would benefit from micro condos that are just big enough for themselves and their stuff. Building micro condos makes much more sense than tent cities. Please support housing for the people who push your carts and bag your groceries.

Michelle February 18, 2017 (4:00 pm)

I think a lot of us do but micro housing units are not the be all end all because the rental rates are often still too high for minimum wage earners. So what’s the point in having increased units if they are still unaffordable?

We need a mix of affordable housing stock that isn’t only for single occupants. Two and three bedroom units need to be built as well to allow families or roommates to stay in the city.
Interrobang February 21, 2017 (4:01 pm)

Microhousing does NOT help homelessness- there is absolutely no data to even suggest that.

These places require you to have an excellent credit score, and even still require somewhere between 950-1250 a month depending on a variance of factors that have little to do with supporting those who cannot afford other apartment.

This worsens the density problem, in a neighborhood where apartment building do still have openings regularly, but are often so overpriced that people who would pay 1400 a month, could not afford them.

Fact is, I’m tired of these companies taking over places, claiming to do right by communities when it only benefits their bottom line. Folks need to open their eyes to how manipulative some of these tactics are.

mom2boys February 18, 2017 (3:43 pm)

After 10 years my family of myself and 2 teens were just priced out of West Seattle and I make 6 figures, car paid off ZERO debt. I could not find a 3 bed for less then $2800 a month and even then all the landlords were very slow to respond to my inquiries I suspect because I have 2 teens. Moved to Lake Washington to a HUGE 3 bedroom 2 full bath VERY nice house in a good area with Lake views for $500 a month less then what I was paying in West Seattle. Was shocked the first time I went grocery shopping in my new area SO cheap!

WSGuy February 18, 2017 (6:27 pm)

Family housing here means that you rent four of the apodments in this new building.
Swede. February 18, 2017 (7:05 pm)

Wow!

That sounds almost unreal to find a house with lake Washington view, a ton of space for 2300 bucks. Where is this!?
- Mom2boys February 18, 2017 (8:48 pm)
  
  The Lakeridge neighborhood .
NW February 20, 2017 (11:51 am)

I recall asking Dr’s assistant at Swedish West Seattle ,who I believe is a mother of two kids maybe three, how long of a commute she has working here. 2 to 3 hr commute either way which included dropping off and picking up her children from school and daycare. Where did she choose to live because it was more affordable SE king county Bonney Lake. Really sad that a working class family educated mind you can’t live closer to their work.

anonyme February 18, 2017 (4:17 pm)

These units are NOT affordable, so let’s dispel that myth right now. Nice old houses and established neighborhoods are being forever destroyed to feed a greedy fad. NO ONE benefits from this aside from developers. Pods belong in dense urban centers where parking is impossible, thereby discouraging their transient inhabitants from choking up neighborhoods that do not have the infrastructure to support this lifestyle.

SMH February 18, 2017 (6:09 pm)

There used to be a fishing boat parked behind this house. It’s name was Lo Squalo. I think this would be a great name for the new development.

truthtelller February 18, 2017 (7:39 pm)

What I don’t understand is the increased units bring increased traffic yet there are only two left turn arrow lights in all of WS. Going northbound at Roxbury and Avalon and try to take a left and you are lucky if one car gets through. Southbound on California taking a left at the Hanford Highway is a nightmare. The law is, you are not to enter the intersection until you can turn but the reality is that if you don’t you will never be able to turn and even then you can’t turn until the light is yellow and even red sometimes. 16th and Holden is another spot. It’s crazy to try to take a left anywhere here.

As I have said be fore here, I have a letter from the Department of Planning and Building saying they do not consult with the DOT or Metro when issuing building permits.

Remember when they rebuilt High Point and said it was designed to be a walking community and that was how they shoved all those houses and narrow streets into that acreage? The city said a grocery store would be built up there. Now they are developing that lot for more houses. Ha, you can only drive down the hill to Thriftway and spend $80.00 on a bag of groceries or DRIVE to Westwood.

The micro housing that is being built is going to be $1,600. But that is “affordable” because it includes all utilities. (1 person no kitchen, washer etc) No one young techie without kids wants to live somewhere where the commute takes over an hour. I can’t believe this has gotten to this point, 10 years ago they said they would “just develop this little bit and that’s all” Ha. Fibbers all of them. And I ask where does all that permit money go?

David February 18, 2017 (11:22 pm)

Where do Roxbury and Avalon intersect? How is it possible to travel northbound on Roxbury?

There are more than 2 left turn arrows in all of West Seattle:
- Admiral Junction – all 4 directions.
- 35th Ave SW and SW Fauntleroy – 2 directions.
- California Junction – WB Alaska to SB California. EB Alaska to NB California.
- Alaska & Fauntleroy – EB Alaska to NB Fauntleroy. WB Alaska to SB Fauntleroy.
- Lower Spokane Street – There’s a mess of Left Turn Arrows.
- Morgan Junction – All 4 directions.
- 35th & Roxbury – SB 35th to EB Roxbury. NB 35th to WB Roxbury.
- 35th & Thistle – SB 35th to EB Thistle. NB 35th to WB Thistle.
- 35th & Morgan – SB 35th to EB Morgan. NB 35th to WB Morgan.
- 35th & Alaska – NB 35th to WB Alaska.
- California & Edmunds – 3 of 4 directions.
- Delridge & Andover – WB Andover to SB Delridge. EB Andover to NB Delridge.
- Highland Parkway & W Marginal – All 4 directions.
- There are more, but you get my point.

Joshua Wallace February 18, 2017 (8:15 pm)

I miss “West Seattle”

Seattlite February 19, 2017 (7:22 am)

JoshuaWallace…West Seattle today is an overdeveloped, overcrowded area with a lack of infrastructure to support the development. There must be plenty of techies earning $80k plus to afford the sky-high rents. What you see before your eyes goes back to the lack of leadership in KingCounty/Seattle. The past and current leadership only see $ signs in their eyes. Therefore, it does’t matter to the leaderhsip how chopped up and overcrowded it makes a neighborhood as long as there is a profit for developers, leaders.

Celina February 19, 2017 (12:44 am)

Please, if you are frustrated, think about joining your neighborhood organization. There are a lot of meetings about this specific type of issue and many others that are affecting West Seattleites. It is very sad to see what is happening here, but please don’t just sit by idly and let it happen. Take part in meetings! And give your feedback to the city!

CMT February 20, 2017 (2:00 pm)

The recently formed West Seattle JuNO Land Use Committee is doing a lot to raise community awareness and seeking to work with the City on planning for development. They have a FB page.

MsD February 19, 2017 (3:14 am)

I feel for the people living in proximity to this property. I’ve been through this several times now, so this is what to expect:

Any current tenants will be evicted with the minimum notice allowed by law. The property will sit empty for months to years.

After vandals rip out anything of value and tag every exterior wall, the developer will put a lean-to fence up with a sign to keep out. Squatters will move in and there may be the occasional fire or screaming argument in the middle of the night.

One day, at 6:00 a.m. you’ll be awakened by the noise of a bulldozer starting demolition. If this occurs in summer, invest in an air conditioner because if your windows are open the inside of your house will be covered in filth from all the blowing dirt. Once they get started, they’ll work 7 days a week long before and after legal hours.

Expect your glassware and wall hangings to take a beating when they start with the vibration equipment that is part of the site work. There are proximity rules around this, but they’ll ignore those as well. At this point, you’ll want to start taking time-stamped pictures because the shaking can damage your house in a way similar to an earthquake and you’ll want to have evidence. You can file complaints with the city, which they’ll shuffle from department to department, and they may go out and investigate the complaint, but the developer/contractor will start up the same behavior within days.

Learn to park on the street even if you have a private driveway because it will be blocked at all hours of the day by various vehicles, including 6-8 hour concrete pours, and if you need to get to work or have an appointment to get to, you’ll be SOL. If you try to call the number on the signs that have been put up by the developer at this point, they will go to some person’s cell phone whose voicemail is full.

Construction crews seem to not be able to work without the aid of very, very loud music and talk radio which they blast from their trucks from dawn to dusk. If you try to make a noise complaint, the City will advise you to call the police, who will (quite reasonably) tell you that they don’t have time to deal with such matters.

Invest in a pair of gloves to pick up all the food wrappers and discarded construction debris that will either blow or be deposited on your property. By this time, when the contractor installs a portable toilet or starts an unsecured trash pile on your property, you’ll probably be so close to stroke levels that you’ll just have a stiff drink and put on headphones to block out the Tejano power ballads that you’ve started to know the words to even thought you don’t speak Spanish.

Finally, you’ll get your tiny, sweet revenge by taking the developer/property manager’s sandwich boards that they leave on your property every day advertising the super amazing urban dwelling units and leaving them in a nearby alley. Because, by now, you’ll have had enough of the Urban Village.

Ursula February 20, 2017 (6:17 pm)

Other than the squaters you’ve got that EXACTLY correct!!!!

Nic February 19, 2017 (6:24 am)

I just left West Seattle for Vashon. I built a new home on a few acres with land included it cost less than a townhome. Although I’m a bit heartbroken about the city. I couldn’t be happier to leave the insanity of housing costs, rising social issues, and traffic that no one seemed too interested in solving long term just band aids and press conferences patting themselves on the back. I have the same commute time but I don’t care what’s happening on the WSB, 99 or I5 I take a water taxi all the way to work downtown. The Seattle Department of planning and our politicians are ruining Seattle. Personal agendas and big money have to much influence over this wonderful city.

AMD February 19, 2017 (6:41 am)

Fifteen thousand new people moved to Seattle last year.

If you’re opposed to development in your back yard, at least include where you’d prefer those 15,000 people to live instead in your comments. Which green spaces to you want to see developed? Who else’s back yard deserves to be developed? Which suburb do you think other people should have to commute from?

Gharp February 23, 2017 (11:31 am)

I’m all for development in Seattle, including West Seattle, but that lot in particular has to be one of the worst possible locations for a high density building… it’s a single tiny lot on the side of a steep hill with moderately high traffic, limited ingress / egress options, and that block already has zero parking options, and basically no place for storage. I can’t imagine where 24 people would keep a handful of bicycles, let alone an extra car or two. (Because lets be honest, at least a couple people out of the 24 units will likely have a car)

Maybe if they had bought multiple lots and had a more thought out and inclusive development plan, it wouldn’t be so bad… but cramming 24 micro units on a 1/10th acre lot just seems like poor planning with little regard for the neighborhood.

Roxy February 19, 2017 (5:12 pm)

Truthteller. All the permit fees pay for the operation of the department – salaries, space rent and vehicles (paid to FAS), and equipment for plan reviewers, inspectors, etc. The department is self-supporting with a few exceptions like housing code enforcement.

tripo February 20, 2017 (9:35 am)

Since there is no public meeting on this, perhaps those who have questions or concerns about the proposed building can direct them to the developer. According to the BBB, though, this company is no longer in business?!

JEFF WALKER
SQUARE ONE
15125 SE MAY VALLEY ROAD
RENTON, WA 98059

PHONE (206) 406-6062

https://www.bbb.org/western-washington/business-reviews/contractors-general/square-one-construction-llc-in-renton-wa-22519551 

https://fortress.wa.gov/lni/crpsi/AcctInfo.aspx?AccountId=16547901&BusinessId=602860320&BusinessName=SQUARE+ONE+CONSTRUCTION+LLC&BusinessLegalName=SQUARE+ONE+CONSTRUCTION+LLC

WSB February 20, 2017 (9:59 am)

Third-party websites are not a reliable way to deduce whether someone is or is not in business. In this case, for example, you’d want to check the state licensing database, which we just did. They’re no longer Square One Construction, but now Square One Homes.

https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/Detail.aspx?UBI=603138562&LIC=SQUAROH850RD&SAW=

NW February 20, 2017 (11:40 am)

If this project is completed hopefully that it could potentially bring in more racial diversity which from my perspective living in the general area now into 4 decades this neighborhood of west seattle needs. When it was more affordable to live here there was more diversity now the future will tell us.

CMT February 20, 2017 (1:28 pm)

I hope all who are concerned about this will get involved in pushing back against the City’s HALA proposal to rezone 20+ single family residential blocks in the Junction to allow for apartments, townhouses and multiple dwellings per lot. Picture blocks of homes replaced by this type of development.

Blocks and blocks in Morgan Junction and Admiral Junction are proposed to be rezoned as well. It is not too late for West Seattle to shape its own destiny (and density) but people have to speak up and demand the neighborhood collaboration that the City provides lip service to but doesn’t undertake.

Affordable housing is important but that won’t happen in West Seattle under the City’s plan. Developers win, West Seattle loses on a grand scale.

Captin February 20, 2017 (6:23 pm)

https://www.theurbanist.org/2017/02/20/support-u-district-rezone/

Just putting this out there. There’s a lot of conflicting opinions about this, here’s another one
- CMT February 20, 2017 (8:21 pm)
  
  Thanks for the link to the Urbanist Blog which seeks to eliminate all single family housing in all urban villages everywhere in the Seattle. Individual neighborhoods are meaningless. Houses and the families that live in them are worthless and should move to the suburbs where they belong. Super awesome group that tells its “followers” to try to influence neighborhoods they don’t even live in or have any connection with other than they stand in the way of their utopia of a world full of apartments, no houses and, of course, no cars.
  - AMD February 20, 2017 (8:33 pm)
    
    I live in an area that’s been zoned multi-family for a long time. Half the block is still single family homes. The people in the condos and apartment buildings that I’ve met are all really nice. There’s always open street parking. Many of the neighbors do ride the bus and walk to neighborhood restaurants. And, yes, there are still plenty of trees.
    
    Really, I do not understand at all what the great evil of multi-family zoning is. The posts I read against it seem to have everything to do with fear of change and little to do with actual experience living in a multi-family neighborhood. More neighbors is a good thing.
    - CMT February 20, 2017 (8:50 pm)
      
      That’s good to know AMD!