DEVELOPMENT: Townhouses planned for 5616 California SW, next to C & P Coffee

| Development | West Seattle news

That’s the King County Assessor photo of the 93-year-old house at 5616 California SW, next to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). Five months after the coffeehouse’s proprietors bought their property at 5612 California SW to spare it from redevelopment, their southern neighbor appears demolition-bound: City files show an early-stage proposal for eight townhouses with five offstreet-parking spaces (though none are required, because it’s in a frequent-transit zone). As with the C&P site, this is a 7,500-square-foot parcel zoned Lowrise 3. The site plan in the city’s online file shows three townhouses would face California and three would be on the alley, with north-facing entries for the two between them. The coffeehouse site is bordered on the north by an apartment building with ground-floor commercial.

Swede. July 31, 2018 (12:49 pm)

Perfect timing for C&P! That would been the same for their lot if they haven’t managed to buy it. Best coffee shop in town!

Daniel Sánchez July 31, 2018 (2:56 pm)

I wish they could build some of these new townhouse to look or be inspired by the old buildings that they demolish. I think there would be less of a backlash!!

S July 31, 2018 (4:02 pm)

Soon it will all just be one big walled valley on California.

gh July 31, 2018 (6:32 pm)

Nice looking house. Too bad; the past just keeps slipping away…

dhg July 31, 2018 (6:58 pm)

8 townhouses, 5 parking spots, putting another 10 or so street-parked vehicles on the block. Dear, sweet City Council: West Seattle is not like Capitol Hill. I lived there for 20 years and had no need for a car. All of downtown was a short walk away and Broadway had most everything I needed. I suspect the University District is similar. But in West Seattle…..It’s hard to use buses for groceries, restaurants and movies. The schedules are erratic, transfer are often required. They do not go in the direction one wants to go.

CAM July 31, 2018 (10:23 pm)

These townhouses in particular would be located on the C line with a stop within easy walking distance and a direct connection to downtown. Before the C line even leaves West Seattle it stops within a block of 5, soon to be 6, grocery stores. It is one transfer to the local movie theater. And the number of restaurants accessible by walking or bus from this location grows regularly. For a period of time I lived in a similar type of location in the Junction and I used my car once or twice a month. If I wasn’t required to have a car for my job I’d seriously consider getting rid of it. Just because being car free does not work for your lifestyle does not mean the same thing applies to others.