DEVELOPMENT: ‘Early-design outreach’ for 6021 42nd, 2612 45th SW

Two more teardown-to-townhouse projects are now in the city’s “early-design outreach” phase – meaning they’re required to let the neighborhood know they’re planned. Both are on blocks with other redevelopment projects:

6021 42ND SW: This proposal [map] is for three townhouse units facing 42nd SW and two behind them, replacing a 102-year-old house.

(King County Assessor photos)

Online documents say one offstreet-parking spot per unit is planned, and that the project will go through Streamlined Design Review (explained here), meaning no public meetings, though there will be a comment period. Contact information is in this city-website post. (Added: Thanks to the commenter who points out this house was damaged by fire half a year ago.)

2612 45TH SW: Though the city-website post has two different descriptions about the project’s scope, we checked other online documents and they show 7 townhouse units with 6 offstreet-parking spaces, replacing a 108-year-old house:

This site [map] also is planned for Streamlined Design Review.

20 Replies to "DEVELOPMENT: 'Early-design outreach' for 6021 42nd, 2612 45th SW"

  • Auntie April 24, 2021 (12:39 pm)

    How sad to see these lovely old homes replaced by tikki-takki boxes. Another piece of West Seattle disappearing – homes with character. I have willed my property to the Seattle Parks Dept. so that the house can be demolished and the property can revert to greenspace (which is adjacent to my property). I’m sure that will vex developers who would love to get their hands on my lovely double lot!

    • D-ridge April 24, 2021 (3:15 pm)

      So, demolishing homes for more homes = bad, but demolishing homes so no can ever again live on that land = good. Gotcha.

      • Lori April 24, 2021 (3:39 pm)

        absolutely OK……contractors will come in and demolish every bit of green space and trees! We have watched it happen in our neighborhood…..5 homes down and 24 built….no yards, all old growth trees demolished and no architectural integrity of the neighborhood. Yes to a green space and park!

        • Tiki Tacki April 24, 2021 (5:51 pm)

          Lori,
          You lost all credibility with “all old growth trees demolished.”  
          Unless you are referring to the old growth trees demolished when Seattle was clearcut to supply the virgin old growth lumber for Auntie’s old home as wells this 108 year old house.
          I laud Auntie for willing  her house and property to be greenspace.  
          These  old American foursquare were the ticky tacky buildings of their time, with plans and house kits available through Sears Catalog.  
          The dated layouts, lack  of insulation and earthquake liabilities, toxic paints, lead pipes, asbestos all point to a house ready to be replaced.
          The bonus is that rather than one person residing in the house, the replacement housing will multiply the density, increase efficiency and prevent development spread into our rural forests.  

      • Auntie April 24, 2021 (4:13 pm)

        It’s mine to do with as I please. I would rather see it go back to Mother Nature like the rest of the greenbelt around me than have a greedy developer subdivide it and put up crummy boxes. 

        • You are the problem April 24, 2021 (4:59 pm)

          You are shortsighted.The reason developers are greedy is because they can get top dollar for housing. And the reason they can get top dollar for housing and land is because of NIMBYs like you, who don’t let the housing supply increase.You are the problem. Shame on you.

        • D-Ridge April 24, 2021 (6:38 pm)

          We live in one of those supposedly “crummy boxes” (we like to think of it as the home where we raise our family) because we can’t afford a single family home in W Seattle. Good to know we’re not thought of as wanted neighbors here though.

        • KM April 24, 2021 (6:39 pm)

          Ah yes, the “My house that was built on a site that was formerly nature is good , but OTHER peoples’ houses are bad” argument. Always a winner. 

          • Auntie April 24, 2021 (9:25 pm)

            At least my house will be gone and the trees and native plants can take back their land. I’ve already let them have the back half of my lot – just borrowing the rest from them until it’s time for me to go. I guess Seattle (and West Seattle) has just become too big for me and to appreciate the need for all this housing. Why move here if you can’t afford it? It’s a shame that the cost of living has risen so much that middle income families can no longer have their own home and yard. 

          • D-Ridge April 24, 2021 (10:57 pm)

            I don’t know where to even begin attempting to address the privilege on display here.

      • Dan Keller April 26, 2021 (8:26 pm)

        West Seattle needs more green open space for all to enjoy.

  • Also John April 24, 2021 (3:29 pm)

    Those are really nice looking houses heading for the dump.  What a waste.  

  • HS April 24, 2021 (3:31 pm)

    Hopefully those homes are listed with Nickle Bros. Timber has become so expensive that someone may want to purchase and move. https://www.nickelbros.com/residential/

    • Shufflerunner April 24, 2021 (6:30 pm)

      Seconded, both houses look useful and would still look great in the neighborhood like they did with Ventana’s old HQ. 

  • James April 24, 2021 (5:17 pm)

    How much more UGLY do we have to endure? These are lots for small homes, not more ugly boxes. The character of individual homes is what is desirable to me, and I think most others.  Building high density sites around Alaska Junction and California Ave SW is already enough. We shouldn’t let this fungus continue, when what is built is hideous in comparison the the lovely unique homes. I would literally rather there be a random skyscraper in the middle of West Seattle as tall as the Burg Kalifa, than the continued rectangles, and cube design outside of California Ave SW. If more dense housing is required then at least make it a nice brick facade with character and neighborhood aesthetic kept in check. If I wanted box houses made of painted plywood I’d go back to Anchorage, AK.

  • Azimuth April 24, 2021 (5:25 pm)

    Watch out! The term “Single Family Zone” is meaningless! 3 “living units” are getting squeezed into a 5,500 sqft lot next to my house.

  • Michelle C. April 24, 2021 (6:08 pm)

    I’m pretty sure that house on 42nd was damaged by fire a few months ago – maybe it couldn’t be repaired. They do have a beautiful yard which will be sad to lose – I used to walk down that street often.

  • Sky April 24, 2021 (9:40 pm)

    What a damn shame.. all this new development is slowly but surely stripping the neighborhood of its charm and character… A lot of the new development is built fast and ‘cheap’, and ultimately not built to last. Not a fan whatsoever… 

  • K8 April 26, 2021 (6:47 am)

    I was just going to mention the yard on the 42nd street house. I hope that let people rescue the plants at least before they tear it down.

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