ON THE MARKET: Another major West Seattle commercial building

Another corner commercial building in one of West Seattle’s junctions is up for sale. This time it’s the building on the southwest corner of California and Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction, home to Peel & Press, Pet Elements, Starbucks, Subway, and West Seattle Vision, and a ~39-space parking lot. It’s listed as “26,668 square feet with future development potential with NC3-55 (M1) Zoning” at an asking price of $6.2 million. According to county records, the building last sold 20 years ago for $2.2 million. Records also show that two properties to the south, same side of the street, have sold recently – the Ivy Court mixed-use building (6525 California SW) for $12.3 million last November, and the Marnae Apartments (6533 California SW) for $6.6 million last month.

P.S. We should note that the former WaFd building kitty-corner from the newly listed building (6428 California SW) still has a FOR SALE sign up; we’ve never found a public online listing for it, so we don’t know the asking price.

Paul May 19, 2022 (12:44 pm)

Wonder how long it will be until it’s sold and then torn down for yet another box like apartment building

Kram May 19, 2022 (2:11 pm)

As opposed to a triangle one? I will never understand this response to new construction. Please, take a walk around the block and tell me which one of the 4 buildings to the south (on the same block) are not ‘box like’ buildings. None of them to me are structures that are note worthy in any way. The immediate south building, the Ivy Court Apartments is all Hardie lap and Hardie shake like many newer buildings and that was built over 30 years ago. At what arbitrary point in history is an apartment building not ‘box like’ anymore to you? I think the new construction Huxley building (the junction) for example on Fauntleroy and Edmond blows away any building in quality and appearance in the Morgan Junction. I understand design is subjective but dude, this building with a Subway and Starbucks in it is not some historic gem to hold on too because change is hard for some people. It’s a one story brick BOX. A new ‘box’ could be a much more interesting building if done right. Or, we just never do anything ever because 2022, for some reason, is when time stops for the Morgan Junction.
the truth May 19, 2022 (2:22 pm)

It will be a while. Many of us in that building have long leases with some hefty buyout numbers. There was a health issue in the family that owns the building and that has caused the sale. Not a greedy landlord trying to cash out. Honestly they have been amazing folks to work with during the pandemic and sadly we we lose another small building owner who was part of the community.
aaron May 19, 2022 (4:23 pm)

If you want new construction to ‘get less ugly’ (which you don’t explicitly call out, but I’m presuming from your description) then you should start calling for design review to be ended.

“Design review sometimes pushes you to monochromatic projects that are way too similar and the emphasis that you must have certain massing and design and exterior materials and cladding and that they all have to be high quality. High quality materials cost money and it will affect rents. I don’t know that it necessarily makes for a better neighborhood architecturally, because architectural diversity to me is the foundation of what makes a neighborhood interesting.”

https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/07/19/its-time-to-overhaul-design-review/

T Rex May 19, 2022 (1:25 pm)

Guess I hoped our little Moran junction would remain untouched, but not any more. I get it that people buy buildings as investments only to sell them when they need or want too. It sure will be a shame if apartment towers go up.

T Rex May 19, 2022 (1:33 pm)

MORGAN JUNCTION! Darn gorilla paws!

johnny May 19, 2022 (2:56 pm)

I am not sure if they sell gorilla paws at Pet Elements – they do have a bunch of other items for dogs to chew, though…

KellyM May 19, 2022 (2:06 pm)

Starbucks and I suppose Subway will be fine, they can easily close down and relocate somewhere else with their corporate backing. But Pet Elements, the optician and Peel & Press may be out of luck. What a shame. Small business seems to take it in the shorts more and more frequently around here

Alayna May 19, 2022 (2:36 pm)

I hope Pet Elements doesn’t get booted out =( I love that store! Everyone there is wonderful.

Rob May 19, 2022 (2:58 pm)

It is not a shame. It is good to have new housing and more folks in our neighborhood. It is only good for those that ‘ have theirs’. We need to think about all those priced out of our community, not closing up the gate once we arrived. I am so glad a developer build my house 100 years ago and I can live in this great neighborhood. I hope others can too, not just the wealthy.

shotinthefoot May 19, 2022 (3:31 pm)

It’s a shame when 3 locally-owned small businesses will be hurt by new development, yes. They “have theirs” so we should take it away?
- Nolan May 19, 2022 (9:14 pm)
  
  Do we have too few small businesses, or is your position that we have too much housing?
  - Mellow Kitty May 20, 2022 (7:37 am)
    
    The problem is we need AFFORDABLE housing. I highly doubt that when this spot is developed, the housing provided will be affordable. As such, it will drive the market up on existing housing, which will lead to more existing residents being priced out. Don’t be fooled into thinking new, high priced apartments have little to no effect on the current rents in surrounding buildings. Rents will rise to “reflect the current market.”
Anne May 19, 2022 (3:50 pm)

True- but these businesses serve their neighbors -so we should have more people – but eliminate the businesses -then all the new folks can just drive to a really great pizza & pasta restaurant, optical store, pet store .Hoping whatever happens-there will be room these small businesses.
- aaron May 19, 2022 (4:25 pm)
  
  I can’t tell if you’re making a Jonathan Swift-esque “Modest Proposal” or being serious.
Pessoa May 19, 2022 (4:11 pm)

In general I agree with you, though for a small business a move is an added hardship on top of the normal stress and financial risk of running a business. I think those who have been on a W-2 all of their working lives should step into the shoes of a small business owner at least once.

Joan May 19, 2022 (5:59 pm)

Oh, I hope Pet Elements doesn’t have to move!

sw May 19, 2022 (5:59 pm)

While part of a chain, the Subway store is owned by a franchisee so in essence is also a small business. The Starbucks store employs a lot of local folks and brings in business from the Vashon ferry crowd. All the businesses in that strip are vital to the neighborhood and would indeed be a shame to lose any of them (and I patronize all five of them regularly).As for any housing that would be built on the site, it would certainly be market rate and not in the “affordable” realm that continues to elude us. Redevelopment would be a lose/lose for all but the developer.

TJ May 19, 2022 (6:01 pm)

If you want cheap housing, then building outside the city is the cheapest option. Nothing is cheap in Seattle. Government never had a role to provide housing to anyone, and this city can’t do it even when they try. They just make things worse shuffling money from one development to another. If that property is hypothetically torn down and replaced with the typical ground level retail and 100 units above, you can guarantee people will complain they aren’t cheap. Even though there would be 100 units where there were none. “Cheap” is turning more and more into a subjective term here. I never have quite understood the desire some people have to cram as many people into the city as possible, ignoring infrastructure limitations like the roads. I sold my house and moved to Scottsdale Arizona 4 months ago (I am here still 10 days a month as transitioning my company has been tougher than expected), but I can tell you the Phoenix valley is growing like crazy but spread out all directions.

WSdad May 19, 2022 (8:30 pm)

Interesting. I grew up in Texas where the roads are six lanes wide on a residential street. There is so much flat land that it scales forever. My wife and I have lived in Boston, Philly and now West Seattle since 2008. We bought a nice home off 32nd and holdon for 320k.We could never buy a home in Seattle now. Back then there was a train shop and old mom and pop shops. Beer Junction was not even in the Junction. When you live in an area surrounded by water land is never cheap. Boston was expensive and we lived in the hood. I feel everyone should have an opportunity to live in Seattle. It’s one of the most beautiful city’s in the world. And West Seattle I feel is the best part.

Mellow Kitty May 20, 2022 (7:12 am)

Why develop this spot before the eyesore where the Paps John’s was just south of there? It seems that spot is ideal for new development at this time. Put new buildings in already existing, abandoned real estate sites instead of ripping down perfectly functional buildings.

WSB May 21, 2022 (1:51 am)

As previously reported, that other site is in the process of being sold and has a plan for 30+ townhouses.

Morgan May 20, 2022 (8:00 am)

The small shops that line California are part of what make it nice to live. It’s appropriate at intersections to ask for more design review and preserve opportunities for little businesses, even as we know housing density being added all over in terms of townhomes. All or nothing growth debates are tiresome.

DC May 20, 2022 (9:56 am)

I am certain whatever building replaces it will include retail space. It is a certainly a burden for small businesses currently there. But new development will not only bring new housing but new opportunities for small shops.

April May 20, 2022 (12:51 pm)

As long as more apartments do not go up then I’m all for it! West Seattle needs to stop with all the apartments with no parking and letting out of state investors in!

ANW May 20, 2022 (8:23 pm)

I echo the comments here regarding Pet Elements. I hope they are able to stay in business at the current location or elsewhere in West Seattle. They have been extremely helpful to us over the years, and they sell a type of dog food that no one else makes available. This particular food extended my senior’s dog life by keeping his pancreatic levels down and has been great for my other dogs.

Andre A May 20, 2022 (11:07 pm)

There is simply no legal or ethical argument to be made that this site should not be developed. It’s a prime development location in a centralized area where zoning allows for a multistory building. There is nothing specifically noteworthy about the building in regards to potential landmark status. Keeping a specific small business at an exact location is not a legal interest that any government entity can enforce. Leases expire and the new building would almost certain have retail space on the ground floor. Any of the arguments against this are mainly arguments against development of housing in the general sense or concerns that the building won’t be particularly attractive. If that is that great of a concern, any one can comment on the design review and the owner has a right to redevelop. In the meanwhile, its in everyone’s best interest that at least a certain percentage of the units are designated as affordable.

Corla May 22, 2022 (9:30 am)

Yea them building affordable housing is a joke. It would be nice if people who actually grew up here and want to stay could instead of being priced out just because they didn’t get a $100,000 a year plus job 😒 plus most of the places they seem to be building don’t seem very “family” friendly unless you want to live in a box with no yard.

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