22 Replies to "DEVELOPMENT: 3 West Seattle sites with feedback opportunities"

• zephyr September 13, 2019 (1:41 pm)

  What’s happening in Gatewood at 37th SW and SW Holden?  Did you all already cover this one?  Looks like a big project–multi-family or townhouses.  I don’t recall seeing this one on the WSB..When I go to Street View on Google Maps, I can see a small sign posted on Holden Street from the Seattle Department of Construction/Inspection. 

  • WSB September 13, 2019 (1:55 pm)

    There is no multifamily-zoned land at 37th/Holden. The only multifamily zoning in the area fronts 35th.

    • ktrapp September 13, 2019 (2:23 pm)

      Zephyr is probably referencing the one at the site where Complete Auto Repair used to be.  I noticed a “For Lease” sign has gone up recently.  From what I recall from your earlier coverage, the city balked at their plan, since it had an exceptionally bad garage entry that was too close to the Holden/35th intersection.  Maybe they gave up on that idea entirely?

      • WSB September 13, 2019 (2:30 pm)

        7617 35th SW – It flunked Early Design Guidance one year ago
        https://westseattleblog.com/2018/09/development-2nd-early-design-guidance-review-ordered-for-mixed-use-7617-35th-sw/
        No 2nd meeting scheduled yet nor is any activity showing in city files since that meeting.

    • Zmmr September 13, 2019 (4:11 pm)

      Yea,there is a big building project at 37th Holden, I walk past everday.6multi homes

      • WSB September 13, 2019 (5:24 pm)

        That is not a multifamily project. Multifamily means attached units – townhouses, rowhouses, apartments.

        I just drove over to get a reference address. Those are three single-family-home lots. Plans in city files show each is getting a new SF house plus a DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit – also “backyard cottages” although many are far bigger than “cottage” would suggest), so in all, six standalone residences. Will be interesting to see if the houses and DADUs are sold separately – on our block a DADU was sold as a “condo” separate from the main house, in a single-family zone.

        • HS September 13, 2019 (6:13 pm)

          @WSB Really? How interesting. Do you recall the size of the lot? 

        • WSB September 13, 2019 (6:28 pm)

          The lots on this block are all 4200 SF. The “condo” DADU, a two-story house, is on 1,000 sf carved out of that. It’s not a historic “extra” lot, nor was there a formal subdivision sought – a builder bought the original house, built the DADU, and sold it, also putting the original house up for sale separately. This was under the old DADU policy, too; it had an onsite parking spot but since those are no longer required, it’s been fenced off into a patio.

        • HS September 13, 2019 (7:27 pm)

          Thank you very much for the additional details.

        • WSB September 13, 2019 (7:54 pm)

          I have thought it would be an interesting story if it turns out to be a trend.

        • HS September 13, 2019 (10:24 pm)

          I agree. 

        • KayK September 14, 2019 (12:32 pm)

          Please do a story- seems like that was not the intention of the expansion of DADU regulations.

        • HS September 14, 2019 (1:08 pm)

          Or. For people like myself who have the land, and are looking at new build costs around $250-350k for a 1000sqft DADU, it might make construction of a DADU a reality.

        • John September 14, 2019 (1:49 pm)

          Interesting story.  DCI records show the building permit  for the ‘condo’  was repeatedly challenged by a neighbor, to no avail.  Apparently whatever was done was defended as legit by DCI Compliance.

        • WSB September 14, 2019 (2:50 pm)

          The construction was almost done when the separate “for sale” signs went up. Then the listings were suspended for a while until the complaints (I believe there were two) were investigated. Anyway, somebody mentioned to us in casual discussion that this is something that has long been possible – they had experience somewhere else in the city – just wasn’t taken advantage of. (If I write a story I will of course ask SDCI about it.) And some sites are more attractive for this than others – our block has streets on both sides, so in this case the original house and the “DADU” each have street frontage. In the 37th/Holden development that was asked about upthread, the site plan shows the houses on 37th, the DADUs on an alley (although the northernmost lot is a corner lot so those houses will both have direct Holden access too.)

• Diane September 13, 2019 (2:00 pm)

  another “community outreach” that most cannot attend, during the work-day; jeesh

  • WSB September 13, 2019 (2:15 pm)

    The rules for how/when these are scheduled/promoted seem to still be all over the map, so to speak. There’s still no requirement for media notification, for example, but to their credit these architects DID contact us.

• Tired local September 13, 2019 (2:22 pm)

  Great, more ripping out of greenbelts for hideous overpriced townhouses. Just what this area needs.

  • John September 13, 2019 (9:08 pm)

    I am honestly confused by the use of “greenbelt site” to describe the Orchard Street Project. Does “greenbelt site” mean it is a public greenbelt or greenspace?And if is a public greenbelt, who is allowed to develop it?

    • WSB September 13, 2019 (9:40 pm)

      My word and apparently the wrong word. It’s heavily treed; forested didn’t seem appropriate but nor did “vacant.” Thought greenbelt could be used for greenery-covered.

      • John September 14, 2019 (8:36 am)

        Yes, thank you for the clarification. I understand that  “vacant”  seems to imply once occupied.I often see “undeveloped ”  as the description of private property whether by Seattle DCI or King County Assessor.

• zephyr September 13, 2019 (7:50 pm)

  Thanks to every one for clarifying this.  It just happened rather quickly.  I pass that area several times a week and suddenly buildings were knocked down and the foundation and framing appeared like mushrooms in the Fall. 

Sorry, comment time is over.