BIZNOTE: Commercial-space tenant revealed for new West Seattle Junction building

| Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Going through city permit files this week, we happened onto an early-stage plan for commercial space at 4508 California SW, the new seven-story building that’s been under construction for a year and a half. You might recall this location was home to Lee’s Asian Restaurant and Kamei Japanese Restaurant, as well as a vacant storefront, before demolition. Commercial space in the new building is planned to hold an urgent-care clinic run by Tacoma-based nonprofit health-care organization MultiCare. The site-plan document we saw on the city website was devoid of details – as is often the case with early-stage site plans – so we inquired with MultiCare. Here’s the response we received late today from MultiCare spokesperson Melanie Collett:

The clinic is 4,600 square feet and will have 5 exam rooms and an xray suite. Our projected opening date is Spring 2024. It’s a tentative date, as we have not yet started the permitting process. It’s worth mentioning that we will have dedicated customer parking. You can learn more about Indigo and our services, here: indigohealth.com

The parking and square-footage mentions are notable, as the building was described during the Design Review process as “58 residential units, 12 lodging units, 3,500+ square feet of commercial space, 17 offstreet-parking spaces.” Indigo’s website shows its nearest clinics are currently in Burien and South Seattle; hours appear to generally be 8 am to 8 pm. This will be The Junction’s third urgent-care clinic, after ZoomCare and Franciscan.

Kj December 8, 2023 (9:08 pm)

This is good news. Few weeks ago I went to the urgent care on Fauntleroy for an urgent issue and there were 40 people ahead of me in the waiting room and I was turned away. So I went up to urgent care at group health where I waited for 5 hours to be seen. I had no idea our urgent care centers are in such great demand. Glad to see another one coming to ws.

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy December 8, 2023 (9:16 pm)

At first I was bummed we weren’t getting a new restaurant. Unfortunately west Seattle has no in network convenience care or urgent care coverage with my united healthcare plan. US health works across the bridge isn’t that far away and in network, but I’m glad that MultiCare urgent cares in the surrounding areas are in network with my UHC coverage and this place probably will be too.

Window December 8, 2023 (10:39 pm)

I recently went to ZoomCare in WS and it was great. Called at 8am, scheduled appt by 8:10, appt on time at 915 and out by 930. And the doctor was great. I was shocked. My primary care location would have been so much slower.

Mellow Kitty December 9, 2023 (7:08 am)

I didn’t know you can make appointments for ZoomCare. Thanks for the info!

Jessica December 8, 2023 (10:54 pm)

Wow! An Urgent Care that isn’t religiously affiliated?Can we get the same for primary care next?

1994 December 8, 2023 (11:18 pm)

Ditto that Jessica! Non-religious affiliation and non-profit – wonderful!! and we need more of them.
- West Seattle neighbor December 9, 2023 (11:11 pm)
  
  Providence and Franciscan Health are non-profit, I have worked for both. I agree though that getting a Multicare urgent care is great news.
  - K December 12, 2023 (12:53 pm)
    
    Providence and Fransiscan are both affiliated with the Catholic church.
- WSRenter December 10, 2023 (4:11 am)
  
  It would be a great position for the rental and housing market to operate from as well!

Seachasbo December 8, 2023 (11:55 pm)

Interesting tenant, Multicare system operates mostly South King and Pierce… Expansion into Providence-Swedish territory. West Seattle must be attractive market for healthcare systems.

ws res December 9, 2023 (8:26 am)

It is not, otherwise we would have had a bigger urgent care presence a long time ago. I am sad this is taking up a large retail space in our shopping area. Glad to finally see an urgent care (maybe they will actually be open past 6pm??) But I am surprised they didn’t locate in a different part of WS.

Eric December 9, 2023 (7:56 am)

58 residential units and 17 parking spaces. Great…

Bus December 9, 2023 (9:54 am)

I agree. Seventeen is way too many for that location.
- CarDriver December 9, 2023 (7:37 pm)
  
  I agree. Way too few. 17 is not nearly enough.

Blbl December 9, 2023 (9:15 am)

If only primary care worked in the US, we wouldn’t need these things.

wetone December 9, 2023 (10:57 am)

What are the Lodging units Vrbo / Airbnb ? Or is it a hotel ? With just 17 parking spaces makes access to junction even less inviting to us and many others for many reasons. That’s why we leave area when eating out and shopping these days ;) We bought e-bikes thinking it would help accessing area easier, but with all the criminal activity these days we found out that was bad idea……
- K December 9, 2023 (2:32 pm)
  
  Why would you park at the lot attached to this building, instead of one of the nearby lots where the money goes to the Junction Association? You’d probably be closer to the restaurants you claim to love as well. So many comments on these boards are really head-scratchers that make me wonder if the commenter has ever even been to the Junction, let alone is a regular there as they claim.
  - wetone December 10, 2023 (11:00 am)
    
    Hey K, if your comment was to me (1) If I was going to a medical clinic I would want parking access. (2) Odds are pretty good that I have been in Alki/WS junction area long before you were born. Remember the IGA and C &H grocery stores or Taco Time at Alki ?How about JC Penny’s, Wigwam, Sears & Roebuck in junction along with many more family run businesses. I will also say why would I want to go somewhere that requires paid parking ? Heck for what it cost to park at some parking lots these days I can make a nice healthy meal at home…….

anonyme December 9, 2023 (10:05 am)

Ridiculous that West Seattle doesn’t have a hospital, but I’d still rather have Lee’s back than anything else that might go in that space.

Patrick December 9, 2023 (12:09 pm)

Totally agree that WS needs a hospital or at least a 24/7 urgent care clinic.

K to the F December 10, 2023 (10:59 am)

What? This is a terrible location for an urgent care. Give me back Lee’s or some place fun to eat or shop in that spot and put this off the Junction a block or two.

EJ December 10, 2023 (12:00 pm)

I would kill to have Lee’s back. Does anyone have any updates on a potential Lee’s return to the area?

Latasha December 10, 2023 (3:25 pm)

I hope that this is not a forecast of another thousand apartment units coming to the WS Junction vicinity! I wonder if MultiCare knows something we don’t know…

WSB December 10, 2023 (3:59 pm)

The area has long been zoned for far more than that, and has hundreds already in the pipeline … 42nd/Genesee construction continues, 4448 California likely starting soon, and others.

MW December 10, 2023 (10:20 pm)

Indigo are fantastic urgent cares! It’s somewhat an odd location in the Junction but most others are in retail heavy spots too. I love that you can find out online how many people are in line to be seen and even make a same day appointment. We’ve gone to Burien and Bellevue indigo locations and had great care. I’m so glad we’re getting one too!!

CAM December 11, 2023 (10:49 pm)

Can someone explain why they think this is not a good location for an urgent care? It’s a dense population area of people who most commonly use public transportation to get around and would benefit from having access to urgent care services within walking distance rather than having to travel a distance on public transit to get care. If you want to drive to an urgent care that has parking you can drive to one of the hundreds of others that do.