‘If we do it right, others will follow suit’: Triangle megaproject team talks, listens @ Early Design Outreach meeting

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Businesses’ concerns dominated this week’s Early Community Outreach for Design Review meeting for the two-building megaproject planned for two sides of a Triangle block owned by the Sweeney family of Alki Lumber fame.

The handful of community members in attendance included an adjacent business’s owner and founder as well as the proprietor of a business that wlll have to move (as will the Sweeneys’ own century-old enterprise) when construction begins – though that’s still years away.

The potential timeline was one of the new pieces of information made available at the meeting, which happened Wednesday night at Chaco Canyon Organic Café, not far from the project site, which is officially in city records with the addresses 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW and 4406 36th SW.

(L-R, developers Jon Breiner and Ed Hewson, and architect Jenny Chapman)

Outnumbering the community attendees were project team members, including Sweeney family members, developer Ed Hewson and business partner Jon Breiner, reps from Ankrom Moisan Architecture, and a facilitator, who noted that these meetings are informal and no city reps were present because their part of the process comes later.

The West Seattle cred of everyone involved was stressed repeatedly in opening remarks (as was the case with the 4747 California project, n which the same developer and architects are teaming with a local property owner).

Hewson also spoke of The Triangle’s gateway status, as “the first impression when you get off the bridge” – an impression once dominated by now-gone businesses from the Huling car lots to Tervo’s Mini-Mart.”Things have really changed.” Observing that the meeting was taking place in The Triangle’s first new-era mixed-use building (Link), Hewson said he was skeptical at first that people would really want to move to West Seattle. However, thousands have, and more will keep arriving, so, “it really is time for a change in those two blocks,” with, he noted, a light-rail station expected somewhere nearby. “If anybody’s going to build … we wanted to set the course and tone for this part of the city. … If we do it right, others will follow suit.”

Lynn Sweeney, who has been the family spokesperson since the redevelopment plan was announced a year ago, said they want “to add value to the West Seattle community … trying to create positive change.”

Then, a few points about the project, so early that their first official meeting with the city isn’t until April:

*Timeline – construction not expected to start until 2022, and likely to take about two years, so the project would not be complete before 2024

*Zoning – NC3-75, which means seven stories

*About 500 apartments and 300 parking space

*Units will range in size from ~300-square-foot studios to ~1,000-square-foot 2-bedrooms

Then the questions, primarily asked by Kandie Jennings, owner of Tom’s Automotive just west of the project site (Tom’s founder Tom Smith was there too, and noted the business had just marked its 49th anniversary). She asked about maintaining alley access – vital to her business. Will the site be fenced? Will construction lead to utility shutoffs affecting her business? How many tower cranes? Will the city require a sidewalk?

Too early for detailed answers, but Hewson promised they would work closely with Jennings to minimize impacts, as he said they had done with businesses near their projects elsewhere in the city. “That partnership begins tonight.”

Also there was Jan Brown, proprietor of DogCity. While she expressed concern about having to move in a few years, she also expressed interest in space in one of the new buildings – maybe incorporating a coffee bar.

WHAT’S NEXT: Because of the size of this project, it’ll have to go through full Design Review, which means at least two full formal community meetings. In the meantime, if you have questions or comments, you can email SweeneyBlocks@earlyDRoutreach.com.

9 Replies to "'If we do it right, others will follow suit': Triangle megaproject team talks, listens @ Early Design Outreach meeting"

  • drkate February 15, 2020 (6:33 am)

    Thank you so much for your reporting on this! Too bad that there aren’t going to be any 3 bedrooms. Do you know how they’re going to address HALA?

  • Questions February 15, 2020 (3:47 pm)

    Do they believe there’s businesses that will want to rent there? Will there be any parking for customer’s and visitors to the apartment dwellers?? If no, they believe all visitors, customers will NOT arrive by car? 

    • WSB February 15, 2020 (4:08 pm)

      As noted in the story, they are planning about 300 parking spaces – which is 300 more than required. Don’t know what percentage is for residents and what percentage is retail. Come to the meetings. There was LOTS of underutilized opportunity for people to ask questions at this one. Or use the email address included above.

  • Mj February 15, 2020 (5:51 pm)

    Residential parking peaks late night early AM, retail/commercial parking peaks in the day, thus during the day when residents are gone parking is freed up for commercial use

    • heartless February 15, 2020 (8:33 pm)

      Yep.  What he said.

  • Phillip Frick February 15, 2020 (10:12 pm)

    Great  presentation .

  • Sam February 16, 2020 (9:36 am)

    We badly need green space, open space in this area due to the high population of people and pets. Otherwise, the quality of life will continue to deteriorate. I hope the plans include outdoor plants and gardens. If you want to do it right, human needs for nature should be factored in. 

    • Ice February 16, 2020 (11:33 am)

      More p-patches, nice public land and good side-walk gardens are always a good thing, but I just want to point out that this apartment will be almost literally across the street to the stadium and some walking trails that connect to Camp Long.

  • FredF February 16, 2020 (2:58 pm)

    MJ. You say parking available during the day for retail. I take it the residents will have unsecured parking? That means easy access for car prowlers day or night.

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