TODAY: Design Review Board looks at other half of West Seattle Triangle megaproject

| Development | Triangle | West Seattle news

(Rendering by Ankrom Moisan; 4440 Fauntleroy is the building at right)

Two weeks ago, the Southwest Design Review Board gave first-phase approval (WSB coverage here) to 4406 36th SW, half of the two-building Triangle megaproject planned by the Sweeney family, longtime owners of Alki Lumber. At 4 pm today, online, the board takes its first look at the other half of the project, 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW, described as “a 7-story, 209-unit apartment building with retail (with p)arking for 136 vehicles.” The meeting packet is here; information on watching the meeting, and/or commenting during/before/after it, is here.

Flivver August 20, 2020 (11:45 am)

Speaking of project’s…Any updates on a licensing agency opening back up in WS?

GAM August 20, 2020 (12:01 pm)

Does the design always have to be boxes with balconies? Come on, it looks so sterile. It doesn’t have to be Gehry’s melted guitars MoPOP design, but could they try an interesting angle, some circular structure/lines, a twist, how about incorporating arches? We’re going to be stuck with another box for the next 75 years or more. Spare me the, “too expensive” excuse. Expense is the refuge of the unimaginative.

Sillygoose August 20, 2020 (12:53 pm)

Isnt there a height restriction in West Seattle?

WSB August 20, 2020 (3:22 pm)

No restriction aside from specific zoning. This is an 85-foot zone and that’s not even the tallest in our area.

Craig August 20, 2020 (1:20 pm)

First, this will be a much nicer welcome to our fair neighborhood than what’s there now. Capacity for moving cars/people across the bridge is going to be an issue in the future. The traffic backups at the bottleneck of getting on to the bridge around Avalon and 35th are going to be significant without widening the lanes. I know SDOT had plans for improving Fauntleroy so I hope this project syncs with it to aid traffic flow to the residents and shops turning in and out.

JW August 20, 2020 (3:59 pm)

Regarding the traffic bottlenecks Craig mentions, even if it were possible to widen the streets (it is not without the taking of private property) the widened streets would just become jammed due to the bottlenecks of the existing car based system. The Bridge, when and if it is rebuilt will not be widened and it was already way beyond capacity. The problems with our car dependencies were exposed decades ago. We chose to ignore them. The capacity of roadways is fully built and even if we did condemn a swath homes across the city to build new roads, they too would immediately fill to capacity. This is historically proven.Our future lies in adapting to less reliance on single occupancy vehicles and in having those using them pay their way.

JW August 20, 2020 (2:01 pm)

Curious what the threshold is before a project is appended with “mega.” In an effort to combat the inevitable comments here about how this thing is destroying West Seattle, I’ll just say, “Hooray, more people being housed! More housing supply with attendant downmarket effects!”

WSB August 20, 2020 (9:27 pm)

I used to have a lower bar for the term. More recently, though, it’s just the multi-building projects (The Whittaker, for example).

JM Riboli August 20, 2020 (6:27 pm)

So no lumber other than Home Depot.Sad

John August 21, 2020 (3:46 pm)

Jim, Try Compton Lumber on 1st Ave South in SODO. Excellent lumber selection and service.

John Bradley August 20, 2020 (10:38 pm)

What about Tom’s Automotive? We’ve been in business for almost 50 Years and I have been working there almost 40 years and was raised and raised my own family here in West Seattle. The design is going to make it very hard for us to serve the community. It would be nice to be considered in the planning of this “MEGA” project instead of being seen as a small business that should move somewhere else to survive. Where is that location? George Town? We should be looking out for all the small businesses in the community not forcing them out. Sorry I just needed to vent.

WSB August 21, 2020 (12:08 am)

I know that the current and previous owners of Tom’s were at the (in-person) “early outreach” meeting pre-pandemic. The participant lists are hidden so I don’t know if they were at either of the design meetings.
Ice August 21, 2020 (2:01 am)

Can you please clarify how the design is going to make it hard for you to serve the public?
Wayne Heuschele August 21, 2020 (8:47 am)

we agree with John, we need to protect the small business. We have been going to Tom’s auto for many years. One would think that people in the surrounding apartments would be happy to have a auto service garage close by. Please developer’s look out for all the small businesses that keep people employed. That helps with community support .

Christine August 21, 2020 (7:51 am)

Again. It’s ridiculous to build this when the bridge is shut down and we still don’t know what the plan is to repair or replace it. Even a construction site adds a lot of traffic going in and out of West Seattle. Are there any petitions or ways to put a moratorium on building for now?