West Seattle development updates: For-sale apartments approved; lot-split proposals; more

While much of WSB’s development coverage in the past few years has focused on the largest projects, neighborhoods are taking a keen interest in smaller projects too. We’re watching city files more closely these days too, after hearing from residents’ concerns that the process is hard to follow and often leaves them finding out about a change for their neighborhood when it’s too late to even try to be constructively involved in the process. So we’re expanding our ongoing development coverage. First today, one West Seattle project from today’s edition of the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin (to which you can subscribe via e-mail – follow that link and use the sidebar box):

(3829 California rendering by Caron Architecture, from final design-review meeting)
3829 CALIFORNIA SW APARTMENTS APPROVED, BUT … The land-use approval for this 29-apartment, 29-parking-space project is in. The site, however, remains listed for sale (as first reported here in August, two months after it passed Design Review), price reduced to $1.45 million from the original $1.6m. That doesn’t necessarily affect the city process, so the clock is now ticking on the two-week window for appeals; here’s the official approval notice. (map)

Now, three projects in city files seeking boundary changes related to smaller projects:

2420 WICKSTROM PLACE SW, ALKI: Just east of the “Alki 11” proposal that is now the subject of an appeal (reported here October 24), there’s a new filing to split one lot into three. The city file for the site shows a plan for a three-unit rowhouse and demolition of a duplex. (map)

7313 BAINBRIDGE: Another application to split one lot into three homes – as is not uncommon, depending on what other approvals are required – after construction has already begun.

The photo above is from this site just north of Lincoln Park, taken on Friday; construction is approved at this site for three single-family houses where one has been demolished. It’s yards away from the southeast border of six new single-family homes at 47th/Othello. (map)

4022 19TH SW, PIGEON POINT: A lot-boundary change has been pending here to create the sites of two new homes for which the developer is seeking construction permits, at 4022 and 4024 19th SW, on the 8,200-sf site of a century-old house at 4022. (map)

Two highly visible sites (on busy streets) where you will likely see teardown activity soon:

4101 SW OREGON, THE JUNCTION: Just east of the close-to-completion 131-unit Oregon 42 apartments, applications were filed last Wednesday to tear down an 86-year-old house and replace it with two 2-unit townhome buildings. The 4,500-square-foot lot is zoned Low-Rise 3. (map)

5457 FAUNTLEROY, FAIRMOUNT SPRINGS: The permit application is in for demolition of the 103-year-old house on this five-unit-rowhouse project with attached garages, which was approved last week, as reported here. (map)

Project in your neighborhood that you’re wondering about? E-mail us! WSB development coverage is all archived at westseattleblog.com/category/development, newest to oldest.

6 Replies to "West Seattle development updates: For-sale apartments approved; lot-split proposals; more"

  • cjboffoli November 4, 2013 (12:16 pm)

    Looks like Joseph Parr may be piecemeal developing a large site. These two townhouses will be adjacent to his four-unit row house development on the southwest corner of 41st & Oregon. I wonder if he will also develop the large adjacent lot next door at 4515 41st.

    • WSB November 4, 2013 (12:34 pm)

      He actually mentioned this particular address to us at the last Morgan Junction meeting, which he attended to talk about the townhomes near the Church of the Nazarene (previously reported here), and offered to tell us more about the project – I haven’t had time to follow up but with applications, time is always of the essence, so I have just made short notes here on that and the other items. – TR

  • wetone November 4, 2013 (4:42 pm)

    I think the city should buy 3829 California and make it a park. The price of $1.45mil asking price is the same as what they paid for the 4731 40th lot close to same size lot. It would be a great improvement for that area as it will soon be built up and very dark in that area.

  • karen Lyons November 4, 2013 (5:21 pm)

    We all have to get involved. No, the Park Levy deadline for buying property has passed and there is no money for buying property for new parks. As long as we stand by, do nothing, and see all this happening, the more Real Estate powers will be able to trump any ideas we have and we will lose our few remaining green spaces.

  • Beverly November 5, 2013 (10:57 pm)

    Karen, what’s the best way to get involved? I just can’t stand what I’m seeing here in West Seattle and surrounding neighborhoods!

  • Lisa November 7, 2013 (9:23 am)

    Thank you for that link to the land use bulletin subscription!

    My neighborhood formed a neighborhood association recently, Called Alki Neighboroods for Sensible Growth, because of concerns about the Alki 11 rowhouse proposal. In just the last few weeks we have learned of two other rowhouse proposals within about block of the proposed Alki 11 – One is on Wickstrom place (which is a small dead end street with almost no parking) and another is on 54th place (which is also a small dead end street with almost no parking.

    I think it might be useful to form a broader West Seattle group and try to get some sort of moratorium on rowhouse approvals while the city looks again at the changes that were made recently to the code and determines if the projects that are now being proposed are really what the code changes were intended to create.

    I wonder if people would be interested in forming a broader group.

    Beverly, you could contact me at hayden.lisa@gmail.com

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