DEVELOPMENT: Next round of commenting for 7617 35th SW project

| Development | Gatewood | West Seattle news

A new sign is up at 7617 35th SW – between Holden and Ida – because the project review for that site has reached a new phase. As announced in today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin, the developers have applied for a land-use permit, now that they’ve cleared the first phase of Design Review. (That happened in December – here’s our coverage of the meeting.) The project still has to go through the second phase of Design Review, but so far, city files say it’s proposed as “a 7-story, 126-unit apartment building with 3 live-work units and retail (with p)arking for 66 vehicles …” It’s also worth noting that this is at the heart of one of the “neighborhood centers” envisioned in the newly released Draft One Seattle Plan Update. Today’s permit-application notice opens a two-week comment period; if you want to comment, March 27 is the deadline, and this explains how.

TJ March 14, 2024 (8:57 pm)

66 parking spaces is good. Glad this developer sees the need for parking and isn’t buying into the anti car group who think we are heading for some goofy dystopian future where there shouldn’t be cars

Reality March 15, 2024 (7:10 am)

I will never understand why the dystopian future where is takes three hours to drive to the Junction because the roads are so packed with cars due to everyone driving would be appealing. Parking spaces in buildings doesn’t guarantee people won’t park on the street. It just makes the housing more expensive when it’s built.
Arbor Heights Resident March 15, 2024 (10:26 am)

As a transportation system cars are fine in rural areas but take up far too much space in cities to be viable for mass transit. Every parking lot is land that could be used for housing, businesses, services, or green space. If you want to see a dystopia, look up images of Houston or Tulsa before and after those cities were demolished to make room for barren concrete parking lots.
- Mark B March 15, 2024 (12:35 pm)
  
  Last I knew, this property was slated for all-underground parking. Not a likely competitive space for housing, businesses, services, or green space.
  - Arbor Heights Resident March 15, 2024 (3:00 pm)
    
    So then the residents are paying far more than they would otherwise for the construction and maintenance of a large underground structure, making the housing less affordable.
    - Al King March 15, 2024 (4:26 pm)
      
      AHrez. So, the rent was going to be affordable in the 1st place? Do you know what the rent will be? And if there was no provided parking you know what the rent would have been? Please share the numbers.
- Rhonda March 15, 2024 (2:52 pm)
  
  Arbor Heights Resident, yet you live here in leafy, green, not-dense Arbor Heights which is full of cars and unlimited street parking.
  - Arbor Heights Resident March 15, 2024 (4:14 pm)
    
    Yes, and because of that there is bad transit access and no services within walking distance. So I need a car to do anything, which sucks.
  - K March 15, 2024 (4:20 pm)
    
    Rhonda, you were part of the thread where Alki resident revealed they did not live on Alki, and we all agreed one’s handle does not need to correspond to where they live. You should be able to discuss an argument based on its merits, and not the name of the person who posted it.
  - Arbor Heights Resident March 15, 2024 (4:24 pm)
    
    Yes Rhonda, what’s your point? I wish there were transit options and services within walking distance near me, but unfortunately I’m required to take a car to go anywhere.

Alki resident March 14, 2024 (9:10 pm)

Is that guy still living in there or is it vacant? It was a cannabis store recently.

WSB March 14, 2024 (9:39 pm)

It was a vape shop, not cannabis, and a funeral home before that. Don’t know if anyone lives there but it’s had signage up for somebody planning to open an art shop.
- Alki resident March 14, 2024 (9:57 pm)
  
  Yes vape sorry. He was living there in his store, met him a few months ago. Drove by yesterday and saw the development sign so hopefully he finds his new home soon. Nice guy.

Peter March 14, 2024 (10:24 pm)

This “design review” nonsense has to stop. It does nothing but add time and expense to housing construction while we are suffering an extreme and quickly worsening housing shortage. The requirements to build should be meeting building code and allowed by zoning. Thats it. “Design review” is just obstructionist bureaucracy, and in needs to be abolished.

WSB March 14, 2024 (10:51 pm)

Hasn’t been holding up much around here. The board has only had a handful of projects to review over the past few years. I go through the full citywide schedule at least every few days and the rest of the city’s sparsely scheduled too.
G March 15, 2024 (8:52 am)

If you care about the production of housing, I hope you’re commenting on the current seattle comprehensive plan update. The proposed changes in the update may have greater consequence for the distribution and likelihood of housing development than any board.

Grilled Cheese March 15, 2024 (6:54 am)

I live nearby and walk by this spot every day. Glad they’re replacing the eyesore on the corner and adding more parking. Excited about the project and the potential for more business in the area. The neighborhood has changed a lot over the years.

M March 15, 2024 (9:13 am)

Same, this will be a nice improvement for our neighborhood!

Joan March 15, 2024 (7:19 am)

All this new badly needed housing is not affordable. I’ve had two pet sitters move out of the area due to lack of affordable rentals.

DC March 15, 2024 (10:58 am)

I don’t really get why people expect brand new housing to be ‘affordable’. New housing allows people in older housing to upgrade making housing in older apartments more affordable. We don’t expect new cars to be ‘affordable’. We all know you get a used car if you’re looking for the affordable option. Of course, this only works best if we build enough housing where people have a choice of where to move. Think of how the price of used cars skyrocketed, closing the gap between the price of used and new cars, during the pandemic when they weren’t building as many cars. That’s where we’ve been with housing for years.
Jeff March 15, 2024 (11:34 am)

Density is the only way to get affordability. Just keep building and building.
- Oh Seattle March 15, 2024 (7:06 pm)
  
  Yes, that has certainly been the case in other large, densely built cities around the world like NYC, Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Amsterdam, etc. Super affordable.
  - Josh March 17, 2024 (3:39 pm)
    
    Rules of supply and demand apply to housing as well. Build more, you lower the equilibrium price.

Jay March 15, 2024 (10:01 am)

This is a perfect example of what I’d like to see in our neighborhood. 6 over 1 residential and retail with plenty of parking. My only concern is whether this will be luxury or affordable units. I think it would be ideal if a diverse range of socioeconomic levels can live near these neighborhood centers. It seems like the condos cost more than single family houses, at least that was the case when we were ready to buy. The total monthly cost of a 2 bedroom condo near one of the junctions was a thousand dollars or more over the cost of a single family home in Puget Ridge.

Rob March 15, 2024 (11:19 am)

Don’t forget that our governor sign a bill that there’s no more single family zones in our state. Anywhere in your neighborhood your neighbors can put up a 4 plex to a 6 plex depending on lot size or how close to public transportation.

WS March 15, 2024 (12:56 pm)

I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 45 years and embrace the change. Lots of restaurants and businesses in that area will benefit.

Gatewooder March 16, 2024 (12:42 pm)

If you can afford to leave the affordable for the nicer digs then the affordable will now be available for others. We can’t all afford to live where we want. I would love to live in DT SanFran in the Marina district but my income won’t allow it.

Sorry, comment time is over.