DEVELOPMENT: 8854 Delridge Way SW gets final Southwest Design Review Board approval

(Rendering by Sazei Design Group)

After three meetings in 2+ years, the mixed-use project at 8854 Delridge Way SW has won final Southwest Design Review Board approval. Toplines from last night’s review meeting:

The architects began with how they had addressed the issues highlighted in the previous review last September. The revised design has a more toned-down look; the types of materials and colors have been reduced in number, with a focus on more earthy tones.

While board members were OK with the new plan overall, questions about the ground-floor “commercial” space took up most of the meeting. Early on, the project team was asked what the space would be; architect Hamid Korasani from Sazei Design Group‘s reply – it was intended as office space for the building’s management and leasing agents. They said the owner had no plans for a café or coffee shop, so no ventilation or other required food-service-related elements were included.

Public comment centered around the open space proposed for the area right in front of the office space. The plan called for furniture outside it; people living nearby were concerned it might be a magnet for loitering. Board members pointed out that the outdoor space faces onto two very busy streets (Delridge and Henderson), so it really didn’t make sense to have outdoor seating in such a busy, noisy space, especially if the commercial space wasn’t going to hold a cafe or something similar.

So the plan was approved 5-0 with the provision that there be no outdoor furniture and that the street-front area outside the office space use more landscaping and generally be rearranged to bring more attention to the office entrance.

Even if you missed the meeting, you can still comment on the project by emailing the assigned city planner, Wayne Farrens, at wayne.farrens@seattle.gov, who will be writing the final report over the next few weeks.

2 Replies to "DEVELOPMENT: 8854 Delridge Way SW gets final Southwest Design Review Board approval"

  • john January 24, 2020 (3:16 pm)

    Congratulations. But I thought the way to re-take areas like these street fronts is to encouraging loitering of the right type, the community type, like what we are seeing nearby at 2 Fingers’  &  Fresh Flour in Seattle and in White Center with chairs on the street.  “People living nearby were concerned it might be a magnet for loitering”.   There are already established magnets for loitering in the package stores and 7-11.  Closing the street front to interaction by denying chairs is counterproductive to the community.

    • Seacow January 24, 2020 (8:13 pm)

      Nice, Well said!

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