West Seattle, Washington
02 Wednesday
Another round of development notes, including demolitions current and future:
THE WHITTAKER UPDATE – DEMOLITION THIS SUMMER: Despite previous controversy over the 4755 Fauntleroy Way project, aka The Whittaker, no one had filed an appeal of its key land-use approval by the deadline yesterday, so the project is moving ahead. A spokesperson tells us they expect to start demolition by summer’s end, but don’t yet know which of the buildings on the site will be first to go. This is the project with a Whole Foods Market (we’re checking to see if any other retailers have been signed), ~389 apartments, ~594 parking spaces. If construction does start this year, it would be on target for completion in 2016.
3008 ALKI DEMOLITION: Nine months ago, we noted an application to build five “rowhouse” units in two buildings at 3008 Alki Avenue SW. This week, the existing structures on the site were torn down:
(Thanks to the person who texted the photo!) One building, with two units now described as townhouses, will carry the Alki Ave. address; the 3-unit building will be at 6502 SW Stevens. Documents filed with the city say the offstreet parking will total 10 spaces.
1 DOWN, 2 UP AT 5421 49TH SW: A demolition-permit application was filed this week for that 93-year-old house at 5421 49th SW.
City files say it will be replaced by two single-family houses; its lot is 15,000+ square feet.
UPDATE ON 2-REPLACING-1 AT 8437 41ST SW: We reported earlier this month on the plan for two single-family houses on the site of one to-be-demolished house in Upper Fauntleroy. The owner/developer is now seeking a lot-boundary adjustment, to split the site into 4,500- and 7,300-square-foot parcels.
DESIGN REVIEW REMINDER NOTICES: The dates have already been reported here, but in case you missed them, the formal Southwest Design Review Board meeting notices appeared in Thursday’s Land Use Information Bulletin for 3824 California SW (8 pm July 10th) and 2626 Alki SW (6:30 pm July 17th).
‘LET’S TALK’ WITH DPD, SDOT, DON IN WEST SEATTLE TOMORROW: One more nudge before our Saturday morning calendar highlights – tomorrow is the West Seattle “Let’s Talk” conversation with Department of Planning and Development reps including director Diane Sugimura, 9:30-11:30 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon in The Junction) – and we see on the DPD’s website that reps from SDOT and the Department of Neighborhoods will be there too. It’s listed there as “open-house-style” so we’re trying to find out more specifics about the format.
Five development notes tonight:
ANOTHER DESIGN REVIEW MEETING SET: The Southwest Design Review Board hasn’t had a reason to meet since May 1st, but next month is getting busier. A second project has been added to the schedule for July 10th’s meeting, which already had the 7520 35th SW eye-clinic project on the docket for 6:30 pm. The 8 pm slot is now scheduled for the third Early Design Guidance review of 3824 California SW, the former Charlestown Café site. Two months have passed since the second EDG meeting for the townhouse/live-work-unit project (WSB coverage here). The July 10th reviews will be at the SWDRB’s usual meeting site, the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) at California/Oregon in The Junction.
ANOTHER CORNER ROWHOUSE ON FAUNTLEROY WAY: One block south of the south end of 4755 Fauntleroy Way (The Whittaker), a 65-year-old duplex on a LR-1-zoned corner at 5003 Fauntleroy is proposed to be demolished and replaced by a 7-unit rowhouse.
It’s a few blocks north of Fauntleroy/Findlay, where the 5-unit corner rowhouse mentioned here a few times is almost complete.
LAND USE APPROVAL FOR ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY DEMOLITION: Days after the last school year for the old Arbor Heights Elementary ended, the city has published a notice of land-use approval for its demolition. The publication opens a 2-week appeal window, until July 7th.
APPEAL HEARING SET FOR 3078 SW AVALON: Permits for the 102-apartment building planned at 3078 SW Avalon Way are being appealed by the group Seattle Neighbors Encouraging Reasonable Development, founded in an adjacent neighborhood. They’re scheduled to go before the city Hearing Examiner on September 8th. The project received a key land-use approval last month.
REMINDER – ‘LET’S TALK’ WITH DPD ON SATURDAY: Interested in development/land use? Set aside 9:30-11:30 am Saturday morning to meet with DPD director Diane Sugimura and others from the city, specific to West Seattle issues and policy – here’s our most-recent preview.
That little building at 3230 California SW is about to end its 40+-year run as a West Seattle hair salon, according to the proprietor of the one there now, Styling Studio. It was built in 1945 and is on the South Admiral site where work will start this year on the 134-apartment 3210 California mixed-use project. Styling Studio proprietor Robert Lopez contacted WSB to let us know June 30th is its final day. He says, “I tried to find another space, but negotiations fell through, and I’ve joined the staff at Belli Capelli, at 3902 California Ave SW, another longtime West Seattle hair establishment.”
3210 California’s land-use approval came in a month ago, as reported here; this week, its developer, Intracorp, filed for the shoring/excavation permit. We have asked for an update on when they expect to start demolition and construction, and are checking with other businesses about their plans. (If yours is among them and you see this before we contact you, please e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com with info on where you are going, as Robert did – thank you.)
Another update on the Department of Planning and Development “Let’s Talk” event in West Seattle one week from tomorrow: We’ve confirmed with DPD that its director Diane Sugimura will be there. So if you have a question or comment for the person in charge of the department that reviews and approves development, she’s the one, and this is your chance. Here’s the announcement we published last week; the event was first announced two weeks before that, during the West Seattle “conversation” with Councilmember Mike O’Brien (WSB coverage here), who chairs the committee that deals with development and planning. “West Seattle: Let’s Talk” is scheduled for 9:30-11:30 am Saturday, June 28th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor), California/Oregon in The Junction, all welcome.
SIDE NOTE: Sugimura was in West Seattle last June to talk with the Southwest District Council (WSB coverage here).
Big stack of development notes/updates, all involving teardowns large and small:
First, the city has officially given a key land-use approval to The Whittaker, the 7-story, 389-apartment, 594-parking-space, Whole Foods-including project at 4755 Fauntleroy SW. It’s received a Determination of Non-Significance, meaning a full environmental review will not be required. Here’s the notice; here’s the decision. This is appealable until June 26th (this explains how). A project spokesperson tells WSB that they hope to start work at the site (which still holds five buildings, all to be demolished) this summer.
Next: The second Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 2626 Alki SW is on the schedule for July 17th (6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle). This is a three-story commercial/residential building planned for the corner of Alki and 59th, replacing three buildings that currently include a rental company, a retail store, a café, and a dispensary. The date is technically still temporary, so it has not yet appeared on the Land Use Information Bulletin. Here’s our coverage of its first Early Design Guidance meeting in February, when the board told it to give EDG another try.
Nor is a new lot-boundary-adjustment application we noticed in city files. The line adjustments proposed for 8437 41st SW in Upper Fauntleroy would make way for what are shown on a filed “site plan” as two houses, replacing the existing brick house on an 11,000-plus-square-foot site that was sold to a developer last month.
A one-into-two subdivision is being sought at 3036 Alki SW, turning one into two (2,663 and 4,049 square feet), with four townhouses and one single-family home proposed to replace what’s on the site now.
And one was recently approved at 1310 California SW, adjacent to Hamilton Viewpoint Park, splitting an 11,000-square-foot lot into two almost-equal-size parcels also bordering Donald and Palm. This review carried some controversy, according to the full decision document, saying that a surveyor determined the site to be about 50 percent larger than it was believed to be, which paved the way for the split. Two new houses are proposed, replacing a 79-year-old house; the appeal period on the lot split is open for one more week.
OTHER DEMOLITION/NEW-CONSTRUCTION PLANS: In Admiral, a demolition permit has been granted for 2600 45th SW, a 108-year-old duplex (County Assessor’s photo above) to be replaced by a two-unit townhouse (following a recent lot-boundary adjustment). … In Gatewood, one has been sought for 7931 California SW, a 64-year-old house slated to be replaced by a new single-family house. … And in Westwood/Roxhill, there’s one pending for 9411 35th SW, where an 89-year-old house is proposed for replacement by a three-unit townhouse … On Pigeon Point, 3816 22nd SW is proposed for demolition and replacement by a single-family house and a two-unit townhouse; we note that a separate application for 3806 22nd SW (no teardown, though) proposes four single-family houses nearby.
Wondering if anything’s planned near your home/townhouse/apartment/business/etc.? Browse the map on the DPD home page – and if you see something, follow the link to find out more. Caveat – we’ve noticed this map shows some idle/canceled years-old proposals as well as new and recent plans, though.
When City Councilmember Mike O’Brien came to West Seattle to talk about development and land use last week (WSB coverage here), the meeting included early word of another conversation, one for which Department of Planning and Development officials would come to West Seattle later this month. Details weren’t quite set that night but now they are. Just in from DPD:
West Seattle: let’s talk! Encouraging civic engagement around development issues
The City of Seattle will host an event to provide information about development in West Seattle, and to provide opportunities for discussion. The event titled “West Seattle: Let’s Talk” will take place on Saturday, June 28 from 9:30-11:30 at the West Seattle Senior Center (4217 SW Oregon Street).
Usually, DPD reps just come here for meetings on specific projects – this time, you can ask about policies and other big-picture issues.
P.S. Speaking of development, we’re working right now on a roundup with news of several West Seattle projects, new and not-so-new, big and not-so-big. That’s coming up later this afternoon.
Some site-clearing work is under way today at 4515 41st SW, the official address of three lots proposed for a memory-care facility (last updated here in November), and that led us to check the online files for new information. Indeed, new details are available: The project team, led by Nicholson Kovalchick Architects, has told the city that they’re planning a four-story building with 48 units for 66 residents and 15 underground parking spaces, to be accessible from 41st SW, since the alley to the east is 20 feet higher than the street. The city has told them that the project will require Design Review (no meeting on the schedule yet) and will have to follow the West Seattle design guidelines put into place by the city last December. It’s in a “lowrise” zone but won’t be affected by the future “lowrise code corrections,” which haven’t been finalized yet. Living Care Lifestyles‘ sign is still up at the site, though its website doesn’t mention this project yet.
6:42 PM: We’re live at American Legion Post 160’s headquarters in The Triangle as the community conversation with Councilmember Mike O’Brien gets under way.
On behalf of the hosting Southwest District Council, Cindi Barker (below left) has just announced that Saturday, June 28th, the Department of Planning and Development will come out for a conversation of its own – time (morning) and location TBA.
Councilmember O’Brien starts off by saying he’d like it to be a productive conversation for both sides. He says, “I never asked to be land use chair … I’m learning a lot. It’s a field that goes from the experience we all completely understand, living our lives, down to all sorts of laws I’m still trying to appreciate.” We’ll be updating as this goes. About 50 people are here and there’s room for more.
First question is from West Seattle developer John Nuler, who asked about the recent action to regulate smaller lots, in light of the city’s encouragement of backyard cottages and other accessory dwelling units. He says the original recommendation was 2,000 square feet, rather than the 2,500-sf lot size, and wonders why the change, which he says resulted in some lots being rendered unbuildable. O’Brien says he doesn’t have all the details on that, but his legislative assistant is keeping track of the questions, so that answers can be procured later.
Second question is from someone who says he considers zoning changes have resulted in “the rape of West Seattle” and wonders how many people can be crammed in here. “I’m not buying this urban-village rationale. … How far is it going to go in West Seattle?”
O’Brien: “I don’t have an answer to ‘how far it’s going to go’.”
Next question: “Is there a citywide movement for reforming land use?”
O’Brien: “There are all sorts of specific aspects of land-use code that specific individuals (&) neighborhoods have concerns about …” He lists the small-lot issue, the low-rise-code issue as examples. “DPD is addressing these issues as they come up, and there are a lot of them.” But, he said, they’re not going to “throw the (zoning) out and start from scratch.” He goes on to mention the Comprehensive Plan and its “major overhaul” that’s under way (aka Seattle 2035). “I think the hope of the city is to take a look at it and really rethink how growth happens, where it happens, how we manage that growth in the city …” more big picture than small details, he said.
At that point, Barker, who is moderating, mentions the next public meeting on Seattle 2035 – Seattle Center, June 24th, regarding its “key directions.” (We’ll have a link for that shortly.)
6:51 PM: Jim Guenther talks about what happens when the city rules change and projects suddenly are allowed such as buildings without offstreet parking, and how it affects “quality of life” for residents who were already there.
“There’s a balance we’re trying to strike between the common good and individual rights,” O’Brien begins. He says that things have evolved as “lots that weren’t interesting to developers became interesting,” in the case of the small lots, for example. “Something like 45 percent of the lots that are zoned single family 5000 are smaller than 5000 square feet.”
“Where do we get heard (when our quality of life is affected)?” Guenther pressed. O’Brien says, “I don’t have a good answer for that,” but mentions that even though, for example, one house was on a lot, the owner might have always known it was really two lots that might qualify for two lots someday. O’Brien tries to say that the city didn’t really change the rules.
**CLICK AHEAD TO CONTINUE READING AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE** Read More
(May aerial looking eastward over Spruce, the ex-“Hole”; photo by Long B. Nguyen)
One more reminder about tonight’s highlight event – City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee, comes to West Seattle for what community advocates are billing as a conversation about development, land use, and zoning. This isn’t about one specific project – this is the “big picture”; O’Brien’s committee has been reviewing major issues/areas of concern – most recently, microhousing, with another discussion just yesterday resulting in a plan to create a new “stakeholders’ group” before new city rules are finalized. What is YOUR biggest concern? What do you think councilmembers could/should do regarding development and land use? Be there, to ask questions, speak out, even just to watch and listen. The event is led by the Southwest District Council, in lieu of its regular monthly meeting, along with the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, and is at a bigger venue than usual so there’s room for everyone: 6:30 pm, American Legion Post 160/Pershing Hall, 3618 SW Alaska in The Triangle – which by the way is shown in the photo above, top right.
WHAT ELSE IS ON TONIGHT’S CALENDAR, YOU ASK? See it all here.
Just spotted demolition in progress at the former U-Frame-It/Amante Pizza storefronts (3239 California SW). No, this is NOT related to the mixed-use/apartment buildings planned on both sides of the street a bit to the north. As first reported here in December, live-work units and single-family homes are going in – two of the former, facing California; four of the latter, behind them; six parking spaces on the alley. The developer is Dwell. As also noted previously, the two businesses have moved to other West Seattle locations.
The minimum wage is just one of the hot topics the City Council‘s dealt with lately. Land use and zoning – as in, the rules regarding development – remain on the front burner. Tomorrow, the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee has another conversation about the proposed microhousing rules/definitions. And then on Wednesday, the councilmember who chairs that committee, Mike O’Brien, comes to West Seattle for a conversation about the broader issues of development, land use, and zoning here. Here’s our most recent preview; it’s at 6:30 pm Wednesday, June 4th, at American Legion Post 160/Pershing Hall, 3618 SW Alaska.
(“Preferred” massing – size and shape, not design – from early renderings filed with the city)
The Southwest Design Review Board only meets if there are projects to review – and its two-Thursdays-a-month schedule has been open since its last meeting almost a month ago. But now there’s a date on the horizon: July 10th is tentatively scheduled as the Design Review debut for a project we first told you about in early May: A three-story eye clinic planned for 7520 35th SW, currently the site of Red Star Pizza (which, as reported in our earlier story, has been looking for a new location), and a 32-space parking area. The July 10th meeting is set for 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle; since that’s six weeks away, there’s always a chance the date could change, and we’ll publish an update if that happens.
Lot-boundary-adjustment proposals are often first word of development plans on the way for a site, so we watch the city’s online files for early word of them. Two more West Seattle proposals have just appeared:
3917 CALIFORNIA SW: This two-lot, two-building, six-apartment site at California/Andover has been listed for sale for a while. Now there’s a proposal to change the lot boundaries/sizes. While the eventual development plan has not yet appeared online, the application says the 71-year-old, California-fronting four-plex is to be demolished, with the Andover-facing duplex to remain, for now. The site is currently split into two equal-sized rectangular parcels; the “adjustment” would result in two L-shaped lots, both with frontage on both California and Andover.
The site is zoned Lowrise 3.
4023 SW GRAHAM: This 7,500-square-foot site at 41st/Graham on the east edge of Morgan Junction is on the books as one 7,500 parcel but technically two lots, and is proposed to be “adjusted” into two 3,750-square-foot lots. The application says the 67-year-old house and slightly newer garage/carport currently on the parcel will be demolished; the future development plans are not yet on file. The site is zoned single-family 5,000, and a document in the file says 3,750 sf is the minimum allowable building-lot size.
Very busy Land Use Information Bulletin from the city today; we’re working on several stories, but for starters – it’s officially comment time for proposed multi-family zoning changes dubbed the “low-rise code corrections.” They’re meant to be a response to neighborhood concerns that zoning changes back in 2010 enabled multi-family projects that were out of scale with some neighborhoods. The notice summarizes the key parts of the proposal (which you can see in full here):
Specific proposed development standard changes are:
*Eliminate a height allowance of up to an additional four feet above the base height limit for apartment housing type developments that include a partially below grade story.
*Eliminate a floor area exemption from the floor area ratio (FAR) calculation for the portion of buildings in a partially below grade story for apartment type developments.
*Add a new height control to limit the maximum street-facing façade height for development on sloping sites to 44 feet in a 40 foot maximum height Lowrise zone, and 34 feet in a 30 foot maximum height Lowrise zone.
*Place a 30 percent coverage limit on how much of a rooftop may be covered by clerestory architectural features.
*Require the area of unenclosed exterior stairs, hallways and breezeways to be included as chargeable floor area in FAR calculations.
*Include the floor area of loft spaces that are less than full ceiling heights in the FAR calculation.
*Add a side setback requirement for rowhouse developments that are next to other types of housing.
*Change the rounding up threshold for the density limits in Lowrise zones from 0.5 to 0.85.
*Add a density limit of one dwelling unit per 1,600 square feet of lot area for rowhouse development on small lots in the Lowrise 1 zone.
Not sure if there’s lowrise zoning near you? The city’s zoning maps are here. Today’s notice, meantime, includes a “determination of nonsignificance” – meaning the city doesn’t think these changes will have environmental (noise, traffic, etc.) ramifications; the comment period runs through June 12th – scroll to the bottom of the notice to see how to comment. The proposal requires City Council approval, and would not affect any projects currently in the pipeline.
With more than 3,200 new and planned residential units – plus single-family rebuilds and infill – development and land use have been hot topics in West Seattle, to say the least; not just specific projects, but also city policies. 
This past Wednesday night, we brought you first word of the Southwest and Delridge Neighborhood District Councils‘ plan for a June 4th community conversation about land use and development featuring City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee. Today, the time and place have been announced: 6:30 pm June 4th, which is the regular monthly meeting time for the SWDC, but not the usual place – this will be in a larger space, American Legion Post 160‘s hall at 3618 SW Alaska in The Triangle, so there’s room for anyone and everyone interested. No RSVP needed – just be there.
Local community leaders have been working on more ways to convene discussions about one of our area’s hottest current topics, development. And while covering tonight’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting (full report to come separately), we got semi-early word of an event in the works, and wanted to let you know to save the date: On June 4th, DNDC will join the Southwest District Council on the SWDC’s regular meeting night, to host City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee (which this week alone has handled issues from small-lot development to microhousing). Some details are still being worked out, including the venue/time, but if you want to hear about and talk about where things stand and where they’re going, save the night of June 4th.
One week after the announcement that construction was beginning on the mixed-use project at 4435 35th SW, the lone building on the site is coming down. We recorded the short video clip of the backhoe at the former Bridge/Redline/Legends/Pizza Pete/etc. around noon; the south wall was still up when we went by again a short time ago. The six-story building was designed with 159 apartments, 151 parking spaces, ground-floor retail and a public “hillclimb” stairway on the south side, to connect it to the rest of The Triangle and, beyond, The Junction. The developer is Trinsic; the architect, GGLO; the contractor, Compass Construction.
Two years after neighborhoods around the city started sounding the alarm about what became known as small-lot development, the City Council has passed new rules to regulate it.
While the final vote on the bill was unanimous, the votes on two amendments were not – with one regarding developable lot size approved by a 6-3 vote, and one limiting height passing 5-4. That one was proposed by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who later said that zoning rules for small-lot development were “not about keeping people out, but about welcoming people in” within the context of neighborhoods’ existing character.
Those speaking in the public-comment period that started the council meeting included West Seattleites from the Benchview neighborhood, which has been prominent in the small-lot fight for a year and a half, since discovering a house on an 11,500-square-foot corner lot had been sold, after its owner’s death, to developers who planned to split it into three and add two new houses. Benchview residents took their concerns to court; while the judge partly sided with them, the city allowed a lot split and the new owners began building the houses, one of which was featured in neighbors’ projected-video protest this past weekend. (While some development advocates contend small-lot development is more affordable and environmentally friendly because the houses are “smaller,” the new Benchview houses are 3,162 square feet and 2,624 square feet; the pre-existing home is 2,380 sf.)
One of the earlier briefings on the city zoning changes even cited the Benchview case as one that would not have been allowed under the new rules, which will regulate lot sizes and shapes as well as characteristics of homes on the smallest lots. Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who chairs the Planning/Land Use/Sustainability Committee, said he expects followup legislation including some rules for neighborhood notification of lot-split proposals.
From this morning’s city Land Use Information Bulletin, approvals for two more Junction projects, including one that drew community concern for its lack of offstreet parking:
(Rendering: NK Architects)
4535 44TH SW: Back in November, this project, Lofts at The Junction, was the subject of a community-petitioned meeting, requested by neighbors concerned mostly about its 36 apartments/two live-work units having been proposed without any offstreet parking, as allowed by city zoning because of the proximity of frequent transit. The Department of Planning and Development has now ruled that it does not require a full environmental review, and has made a Determination of Non-Significance; here’s the announcement; here’s the decision (which also summarizes comments received about the project, including Design Review and the aforementioned requested-by-petition meeting). This starts the clock on a 2-week period for appeals (info here). The project had its final Southwest Design Review Board meeting last December.
4433 42nd SW: A similar decision has been announced for this four-story, 78-apartment/two-live-work-unit project, Junction Flats, planned with 53 offstreet-parking spaces. See the notice here; the decision details are here. June 2nd is the appeal deadline for this (info here) as well. This project finished Design Review in January.
On Monday afternoon, the City Council’s expected to take its final vote on changes to what can be built on “small lots” in single-family zones. Councilmember Mike O’Brien – who chairs the Planning, Land Use, Sustainability Committee – explains the changes on the city website, and points out, that type of development is not being banned. Instead, restrictions are proposed, as well as new rules for how and when neighbors will get notice of changes.
Small-lot development has been a sore spot for some neighborhoods around the city, including one in West Seattle that has been caught up in it for more than a year and is trying to get out a last-minute pre-vote message – by projecting it onto a new house to which it objects, using a new nickname for these types of houses: “Billboard boxes.” (And a Facebook page spinning off the nickname.) We shot the video above as the messages scrolled through around 10:30 Saturday night.
Benchview is on northwest Charlestown hill (map), near the upper reaches of Schmitz Park. We told its story last year, starting in January, as neighbors slugged it out with the city over a lot-splitting plan that followed purchase of a house whose longtime owner had died, and that sought two larger homes next to that original house. The highlighted area below was the site as shown in the county system in July 2013, pre-split:
(3650 55th SW is the original address of the site; map is from King County Parcel Viewer)
Here’s how the trisected site appears in the system now:
The somewhat-L-shaped lot beneath the shrunken 3650 55th SW is where the protest projection was made onto the south side of a new house. (Added Sunday morning – the daylight view:)
(back to original report) Neighborhood spokesperson Dave Allen was outside when we stopped by Saturday night, and had done an interview with a TV station.
Back to the background: Allen and other neighbors took the fight to court and won one round, believing the ruling would limit the site to one new house, but then, late last summer, the city approved boundary revisions enabling two houses.
In the ensuing months, the city has been working through changes to the rules/conditions that have led to similar situations around the city. The Benchview case has been cited by multiple sides of the debate. What’s going to be voted on Monday has already been amended and tweaked, and Benchview’s contention is that it just creates “new loopholes,” with hundreds more homes still to be allowed on smaller lots around the city. Councilmember O’Brien, meantime, writes: “I believe that the new provisions the City Council is considering will help new single-family developments on under-sized lots fit into existing neighborhoods.”
The council meeting is at 2 pm Monday; the council will take public comment at the start of the meeting, which is in their chambers at City Hall downtown, and according to O’Brien’s explanation of where this stands, will be considering some amendments before voting.
Right now, four tower cranes are working at West Seattle construction projects. After tomorrow, that’ll be down – temporarily – to three. Neighbors have been informed that the crane at the Blake Apartments (5020 California SW, just south of The Junction) is coming down tomorrow (Saturday). The work is scheduled to start at 5:30 am, with another crane being brought in to remove this one, and that’s likely to affect traffic in the area. The crane has been on site for 11 months. Its departure will leave cranes at Spruce (the former “Hole” at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th, and the two projects in the heart of The Junction; next crane to arrive in West Seattle will likely be for 4435 35th SW, which, as reported here earlier this week, is just getting going – its developer, Trinsic, tells WSB they expect their tower crane to go up in July.
Land-use approvals are in for two sizable West Seattle projects, as announced in today’s Land Use Information Bulletin from the city. Both decisions include DNS rulings (determination of non-significance, meaning the city does not believe a full environmental review is needed):
(Rendering courtesy Nicholson-Kovalchick Architects)
3210 CALIFORNIA: This mixed-use project won Southwest Design Review Board approval last month, in its fifth meeting; it’s now partly four stories, partly five stories, with 134 apartments, 5,913 square feet of commercial space, two live/work units, and 152 offstreet parking spaces. Here’s the notice; here’s the decision. The announcement starts the clock on an appeal process open until May 29th; here’s how.
3078 AVALON WAY: This is an all-residential project, seven stories, 102 apartments and 59 offstreet parking spaces, with approval recommended by the SWDRB in January; here’s the notice; here’s the decision. This approval also triggers an appeal period until May 29th; here’s how.
(Rendering courtesy GGLO – looking across the project site, south to north)
Another major West Seattle project is officially beginning – this time, in The Triangle, at 4435 35th SW (map), where Trinsic Residential Group has sent an announcement saying it’s broken ground. Not major work yet – we went over to check – but definitely stirrings:
The six-story, 159-apartment, 151-parking-space mixed-use building (no name yet) won final land-use approval five months ago, after going back into the city review process with a new owner and new architect, more than four years after a previous proposal for the site stalled.
Trinsic says this is its first Northwest project, with a mix of “studios, one bedroom, two bedroom, and townhome units,” designed by GGLO. The rendering above, first shown here last year, includes a public pedestrian hillclimb that’s part of the project, described by Trinsic as intended to “mend the broken link between 36th Avenue and the transit station on 35th Avenue SW … a notable display of public-private partnership that addresses the long-term outlook for the site.” The project also includes “a through-block, open pedestrian corridor which guides pedestrians from the transit stop to the hill climb at the west end of the building (and) an iconic elevator lobby tower with communal meeting and hang-out spaces at every floor.” Other features mentioned in the Trinsic announcement include “storage spaces for small and large recreational equipment” and a “plan to provide outdoor gear for rent including paddle boards, kayaks, cruiser bikes and other gear.” The general contractor is Compass Construction, whose banner you might have noticed on the fence at the site within the past week. (Compass is also the contractor for 4730 California, the mixed-use project under construction midblock between Alaska and Edmunds in the heart of The Junction.)
The lone building on the 4435 35th SW site formerly housed The Bridge, which moved last year to its new home at California/Graham in Morgan Junction.
SIDE NOTE: Lost track of all the development underway/recently completed in West Seattle? We mapped it – see it here. (We’re adding the newest project reported here, just last night – 4800 40th SW.)
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