West Seattle, Washington
31 Friday
(Added 12:20 pm: Seattle Channel video of today’s meeting; Conner item begins 7 minutes in)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After more than three years and 10 public meetings, the 200-apartment Conner Homes mixed-use project in the heart of The Junction has cleared one of its last remaining hurdles: After an hour and a half, the City Council’s Transportation Committee – represented by its chair, West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – has just decided to recommend approval of the “alley vacation” required for the project to go forward.
But not before a formidable voice of concern spoke out – Dave Montoure of Junction restaurant/bar West 5 (who also chairs the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board but was not speaking on its behalf), one of four people to speak during the public-comment portion of the hearing.
(Image from Seattle Channel feed of today’s hearing)
Montoure (above) said he wasn’t there to oppose the alley vacation, which only involves an underground area, or to send the project back into Design Review, but was there to strongly oppose two aspects of the project that had been longstanding points of concern- its residential lobby on California SW (“Retail frontage off California Avenue is the best retail frontage in West Seattle,” Montoure argued) and its garage entrance from 42nd SW rather than the alley (“Do you want to hear, ‘caution, vehicle approaching’ over and over” each day? he asked.)
“I’m tired of going to meetings about (this project) – but let’s not let this fatigue excuse us from our duty to our community,” he summarized.
Rasmussen said Harbor Properties, developer of Mural (WSB sponsor) to the south, also had sent a letter of concern about the 42nd SW entrance. He agreed that the vehicle crossings on the sidewalk should be “minimized”; architects said they had “pulled back” the building facade to create better sight angles, in hopes of enhancing safety. Harbor’s Emi McKittrick stepped to the podium as Rasmussen mulled their letter, which requested that the entrance be further north than currently planned; she pointed out there is no crosswalk in that immediate area. But Rasmussen ultimately said he believes 42nd would provide a “better entrance” than the alley.
(Sketch of California-facing view from presentation for Conner project in The Junction)
Rasmussen also described the 13-foot residential entrance on California as a “relatively small” area that he didn’t believe would significantly reduce the area’s retail frontage, so he did not ask for any changes in that.
The lengthy briefing and hearing underscored the fact that this is a “very important project,” as Rasmussen had described it toward the hearing’s start.
The presentation “packet” of graphics/information is now available online for this Thursday’s Southwest Design Review Board meeting on the 7100 Delridge (map) mixed-use project. You can see it here. The proposal (official permit page here) includes a 4-story building fronting on Delridge (north of the Delridge/Orchard Shell station), with 58 apartments and 1,300+ square feet of retail, and three 2-story single-family homes behind it. As part of the proposal, developers are proposing three “departures” (exceptions) from code requirements, all of which require board approval – one involves “setback” on the east side of the project; the other involves the Delridge-facing facade:
We propose modulating the street level facade on the compass orthagonal to visually break up the street facade and create small plaza spaces for retail and landscape to spill out onto the sidewalk.
And the third involves their proposal to remove two trees meeting the city standard for “exceptional”; the developer contends the trees are diseased – their location is shown in this sketch from the packet:
Thursday night’s SWDRB meeting is at 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon). There will be a time for public comment, as is always the case at design-review meetings.
From page 19 of a 25-page PowerPoint scheduled to be shown to the City Council’s Transportation Committee tomorrow, those are some of the “streetscape amenities” promised as part of the 2-building Conner Homes development planned along SW Alaska, between 42nd and California, in the heart of The Junction. Tomorrow morning at 9:30 at City Hall downtown, the committee holds the official public hearing on the “alley vacation” that requires city approval to proceed with the development’s current plan; the actual section of public right-of-way to be “vacated,” if the full council approves, is actually underground, facilitating one large parking garage beneath the two 7-story buildings – the alley will remain an alley at the surface.
As we reported here three weeks ago, Conner negotiated changes to the project with a group of concerned citizens that met with him for more than a year before signing an agreement eventually not to oppose the “alley vacation.” Our earlier story featured highlights of their agreement, which can be read in full on the last page of the presentation to be shown tomorrow; SDOT recommends approval – you can read the department’s official memo here. If the committee approves the proposal tomorrow, it will go next to the full council for a vote. As for the project timetable – Conner told us earlier this month that construction wouldn’t start any sooner than year’s end (existing businesses on the site have leases running till then).
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
With the auction coming up Friday for what’s left inside the Charlestown Street Café, less than a month after it closed, we have new information about the future of its site.
In our first report on its then-imminent closure, we mentioned spotting a “mixed-use” development proposal in the city files. And now we’ve finally spoken to the developer who is working on it.
His name is Lobsang Dargey. His firm, Dargey Enterprises, is based in Everett, where they built Potala Village – not unlike, he told WSB, what’s envisioned for the California/Charlestown site (if you check their website, you will see this project identified as Potala Village-West Seattle).
But before the project ramps up – a change, he says, is needed:
Last Friday afternoon, we published a quick first report shortly after taking a hard-hat tour of the Admiral Safeway construction site – focusing mostly on the news that the new California-fronting retail building on the site has its first signed tenant, Umpqua Bank. This morning: A closer look at what’s happening on the site. Safeway’s Sara Corn says it’s still on schedule – albeit a “tight” schedule – for the new store to open in exactly four months, on August 12th – which is 11 months after site demolition began. They are working for LEED environmental certification, which means extra steps in the process, like the duct-wrapping above. More ahead:Read More
Safeway says the first tenant has been signed for the new retail building on its Admiral site – Umpqua Bank. That’s part of what we found out during a hard-hat tour with neighborhood leaders this afternoon; the tour had been in the works for weeks, and today’s sunshine finally made it possible. Sara Corn from Safeway’s real-estate division says Umpqua will take about a third of the space; she describes it as “boutique” (here’s a video showing what one of its newer branches looks like, on Capitol Hill – coffee and chocolates, as well as cash). They’re still looking for other tenants; there will not be an in-store bank branch at the Safeway, but it will have a BECU ATM. We’re working on a separate story with multiple views from inside the project site; among them – from the store roof, which will be primarily a parking level with more than 100 spaces, there’s a view toward downtown, including the Space Needle:
And on the California Avenue side, there’s a sweeping view staircase down from the parking deck (next to an elevator tower if you would rather not, or cannot, walk) to the store:
The elevator concrete will be poured this week. We have more to show you regarding what they’re doing as they aim for LEED certification (they won’t know what level till their “points” are added up); that’s coming in a separate report. If you’re wondering about the recent protests, there’s no new information/comment on that but one of the tour participants, Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum, tells WSB she is trying to get Carpenters’ Council and construction-company reps to come discuss it at ANA’s meeting next Tuesday (7 pm, Admiral Church).
ADDED 6:38 PM: Walum confirms the Carpenters Council will be at the meeting; she’s still working on the other side. And regarding the project’s schedule – Corn told us that they’re still on schedule (albeit a “tight” schedule) for opening the store on August 12th.
After 7 months without any Southwest Design Review Board meetings – since there weren’t any developments to review – the pace continues to pick up. Just two weeks after the board met to review Harbor Properties‘ new Nova development, it has a meeting set for April 28th to resume review of the proposed 7100 Delridge development. Here’s the official notice. Most recent meeting about this development was back in August. The notice says it’s currently proposed as:
… a 4-story structure containing 58 residential units over 1,344 sq. ft. of retail space. Project includes three, 2-story single family structures and 88,800 cu. yds. of grading in an environmentally critical area. Project also includes pedestrian bridge between structures. Parking for 77 vehicles to be provided in two levels within the structure.
That proposal appears only slightly changed from how it was described during the “early design guidance” phase last August (less retail space this time). The April 28th meeting is at 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle.
(Sketch of California-facing view from latest version of Conner project in The Junction)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Since nothing’s happened publicly with the Conner Homes two-building development proposal in the heart of The Junction for two years, you might have thought that, like other once-active local projects, it’s stalled indefinitely.
Not so, we learned when its “alley vacation” component – asking to take over city right-of-way under part of an existing alley, so its two buildings can share one parking garage – suddenly appeared on last week’s City Council agenda.
As a result of that quick vote (reported here), the “alley vacation” will get a public hearing before the council’s Transportation Committee three weeks from today. (Here’s the official notice.)
The project’s potential effects on the alley that runs south from SW Alaska between 42nd and California once drew opposition vehement enough that a petition drive was started (here’s our report from July 2008). And concerns still lingered when the project finished going through Design Review two years ago.
But you won’t see key opponents speaking against it at the April 26th public hearing. In fact, some of them have signed an agreement not to. The agreement ended a process that has played out over a year and a half outside the public spotlight, addressing concerns that participants had voiced about the project. If you want to cut to the chase – this document is the result of that process, and will be presented to the Council this month; it includes changes in the “public benefits” that are considered crucial for allowing a development to take over public right of way. It also includes the text of the agreement signed with the seven participants in the mediated community discussions.
Ahead, a more detailed look, including project backstory as well as comments from Conner Homes’ Charlie Conner, who spoke with WSB a few days ago:
The city has just announced Phase 2 in its planning process for The Triangle’s future, with a “focus on providing an urban design framework to identify the future neighborhood character of this area” – which would include, among other potential flashpoints, how tall the area’s buildings might eventually be. The city’s inviting the Triangle Advisory Group from Phase I to a round of two meetings – also open to the public – starting with one at 6 pm April 14th at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Advance material for that meeting isn’t on the city website yet, but here’s the introductory document (PDF) that senior planner Susan McLain sent around with the announcement.
(“After” rendering from the “before and after” drawings by Fuller Sears Architects)
Quick note from this afternoon’s City Council meeting: Councilmembers gave unanimous final approval to the changes in the Admiral Safeway project (79 apartments instead of 35 plus flex-work spaces), which the city considered a “minor” amendment to the plan. As first reported here in January when the changes originally came to light, Safeway said the developer for that side of the site (east of the new store) couldn’t get financing for the flex-work units after all. If you want to watch Councilmember Sally Clark summarizing the change, followed by Councilmember Tom Rasmussen pointing out that the Admiral Neighborhood Association supports the change but protests not being included earlier in the revision plan, and finally the vote, it’s all in the video of this afternoon’s council meeting. The Admiral Safeway item starts 4 minutes into the session, and lasts about 6 minutes. Safeway has said the project remains on track for completion this summer.
(WSB photo of ‘The Hole,’ taken in February)
How much time, how much money, and how much work do you put into court fights over a complicated (as most parties describe it) case, before just saying, “Can we sit down and talk this out?” This afternoon — after the end of yet another court hearing in the ongoing legal fight over issues related to the stalled project that has left The Hole in the heart of West Seattle instead of the once-envisioned apartments/Whole Foods/Hancock Fabrics project — King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead asked the question: “Have you (lawyers) started talking about mediation yet?” Not really, they said, but it might not be a bad idea, several of them allowed – unofficially, of course, since they have to consult their clients. (And the parties who were not represented in court today, since the afternoon’s proceedings didn’t involve everyone in the case.)
(VIDEO ADDED: This afternoon’s council meeting, in its entirety, from Seattle Channel)
Three notes of local interest from this afternoon’s Seattle City Council meeting (besides the major citywide headline, the Families/Education Levy going to the ballot):
WHITE CENTER/NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION: We have been tracking this on partner site White Center Now. It took yet another turn today. End result: While the council is on record as saying it will make a final decision by the end of next February on whether to seek an annexation vote, amendments today make it clear that if Burien wants to start the ball rolling on annexing White Center and the rest of North Highline in the meantime, they won’t object. More here.
ADMIRAL SAFEWAY VOTE DELAY: As reported previously, City Council approval is needed for the change in one part of the Admiral Safeway project – doubling the number of apartments in the building on the site’s southeast side to 79, because the original plan for flex-work units could not get financing. After committee approval last week, the full council was supposed to vote today, but Councilmember Tom Rasmussen asked and received a 1-week delay, saying he wanted to review the public record.
HEARING SET FOR ‘ALLEY VACATION’ ON JUNCTION PROJECT: It’s been two years since the last notable public meetings related to Conner Homes‘ proposal for two buildings along SW Alaska between 42nd and California; the “underground alley vacation” that is part of the plan, facilitating the 2 buildings to share 1 parking garage, is just now reaching the council, which today agreed to set April 26th for the official public hearing on that part of the plan. (Council approval is needed since alleys, even just the underground sections of them – the aboveground section of this one would remain an alley – are considered public right-of-way.) SDOT’s street/alley-vacation specialist Beverly Barnett explained why this is coming up now (after the jump):Read More
(One of the “massing” graphics from the meeting presentation)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Harbor Properties‘ next West Seattle development Nova (36th/Snoqualmie) stirred little controversy as it sailed through “early design guidance” last night, at the Southwest Design Review Board‘s first meeting in seven months (if there’s no project to review, they don’t meet).
However, a revelation about recent city code changes loomed large: The fact that Nova and other developments in certain areas of the city could be built with no on-site parking at all (though Harbor is currently looking at providing .6 of a space per unit, about the same as its nearby Link and Mural [WSB sponsors] developments).
“When did (the rule) change?” asked Triangle property owner Jim Sweeney, saying that he believes few are aware of the changes.
Here’s the answer we found afterward:Read More
(Screengrab from Admiral Safeway construction webcam – click to go to the “live webcam” page)
This morning, the City Council’s Committee on the Built Environment unanimously approved two items giving permission for a change in the Admiral Safeway project – as first reported here in January, the building east of the new store itself will be almost entirely apartments, instead of part apartments, part flex-work office spaces – Safeway said the developer for that part of the project was unable to get financing for the office space, but could get financing for residential units. (They also at the time offered a packet of graphics and information comparing the original proposal with the changed one.)
City council staff told the committee members (chair Sally Clark, Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess) that they had received five written comments about the change – three in support, two voicing concerns such as increased traffic and effects on parking. The councilmembers were told at today’s hearing that the change to apartments actually should reduce the traffic/parking effects, since residential needs will not overlap with nearby retail needs the way flex-work units would have done. “So what’s the down side” of the change? asked Councilmember Bagshaw. Council staffer Michael Jenkins noted that community members had considered the flex-work units “desirable” (here’s our original report when the idea first came up), though he also went on to say that this change might be viewed positively by residents across 42nd SW, who now will face apartments instead of offices.
One other point of contention was acknowledged by Councilmember Clark – that while this was described as a “minor amendment” to the development agreement the Council previously had approved (their involvement was related to aspects including “contract rezoning” for part of the site as well as “vacation” of public right-of-way, an “alley” that went through the site), at least one member of the public objected to that (she specifically named longtime neighborhood advocate Dennis Ross, who attended the hearing but did not speak – no one came to the mike during today’s “public comment” time at the meeting’s start). The matter of whether the change was “minor” or not was not up before the committee for deciding, she observed, and they approved the two-part change (see the fine print in links on the agenda) unanimously. (We’ll update when the date for full-council consideration is set.) To a reported public comment expressing concern that Safeway hadn’t revealed the change sooner, Clark opined that indeed, they always prefer to see developers communicate with the community sooner rather than later. Construction on the project proceeds at a relatively fast pace, with the new Safeway scheduled to open this summer.
(The west side of the “massing” for the “preferred scheme” for the new development, from the packet)
We’ve been reporting on Harbor Properties‘ proposal for another development in The Triangle, just as they get ready to open Link. Here’s our latest report on the project, named Nova, proposed for what’s currently a parking lot immediately north of the Seattle West Suites motel. Nova’s “early design guidance” meeting – first meeting in many months for the Southwest Design Review Board – is tomorrow; the “packet” for the meeting is online today, with copious quantities of information about the proposal and the surrounding area. You can review it here. Caveat that this is NOT a plan for what the building would eventually look like; “early design guidance” is meant to bring forward at least three options for how a development might be “massed” and arranged on its site, dealing with its size and shape. The three options in the packet for tomorrow’s meeting include “Option A” with 63 units and one live-work unit, “Option B” with 65 units and four live-work units, and “Option C,” which is identified as the developer’s “preferred scheme,” with 62 units and one “community space.” Public comment is welcome at tomorrow night’s hearing, which is set for 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon). This is the first of what would be at least two Design Review meetings on the project – once it passes “early design guidance,” there would be at least one meeting to review a more fully fleshed-out plan for how it would look and what it would include.
One day before the first tenants are expected to move into Harbor Properties‘ new Link (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle on March 25th, its plan for another Triangle site will be shown to the Southwest Design Review Board. The SWDRB meeting for Harbor’s proposal at 4600 36th SW (just north of the motel) is set for 6:30 pm March 24th at the Senior Center of West Seattle. We first reported two months ago that Harbor was planning to develop the site, currently used for parking. They’re promising more details later this week, but in the meantime, the city webpage for the proposal describes it as “a 5-story, multifamily residential structure containing 63 units of housing.” That’s about a third of the number of units in Link, two blocks west. Side note – since few major developments have been under consideration around here lately, this will be the SWDRB’s first meeting since its “early design guidance” session seven months ago for the 7100 Delridge proposal (which has yet to go to a second SWDRB meeting).
(WSB photo of ‘The Hole,’ 2 weeks ago)
When last we were in court on February 24 covering the legal maneuvering over “The Hole,” once King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead rendered her order putting the foreclosure sale on hold, there was a “last day of school” sense – as if the key players didn’t expect to see each other again for a while. The next trial in the two-part case, after all, isn’t scheduled to start for three months. Then – the case took another turn. Now a new hearing is set … on April Fool’s Day … for the motion that could do no less than preclude that future trial.
From this morning’s Land Use Information Bulletin, sent twice weekly by the city Department of Planning and Development:
DATE SET FOR SAFEWAY-REVISION HEARING: We first reported in January about a change to the Admiral Safeway redevelopment project – the building on the northeast side of the site was losing the originally planned “flex-work spaces” and doubling the amount of apartments (from 40 to 78). Safeway talked with the Admiral Neighborhood Association about it on February 8th. This requires City Council approval, which will span two meetings – the first, before the Committee on the Built Environment, is now set for 9:30 am March 23rd (City Hall downtown). Here’s the official notice. (DPD recommends approval; that decision is viewable here.) The meeting is not an open public hearing, but the rules will allow testimony from those who provided written comments; the documentation says two positive comments were received, and two that expressed “concerns.”
SHOREMONT APARTMENTS: The official online notice that goes along with the new sign in front of these apartments at 2464 Alki can be seen here; as we reported earlier this week, the Shoremont’s new owner is proposing restoring the two buildings to four units each (two of each building’s units had been consolidated into one several years back), which is a big change from the last official proposal on the site under a different owner 3 years ago – demolition and something new. If you want to comment on the new proposal, today’s notice says you can do so through March 16th (and explains how).
Two updates this afternoon on sites from the WSB watch list:
SHOREMONT APARTMENTS: Thanks to Patricia for sending the photo after spotting the land-use sign that went up in the past day or so outside the once-targeted-for-demolition Shoremont (2464 Alki SW). We reported back in December that a Mercer Island investor’s deal to buy it had closed; that purchase followed a period of bank (and even federal) ownership, which in turn followed a proposal 3 years ago to demolish it and put up an ultramodern complex. The new proposal is described on the sign and on the DPD website as adding one unit to each of two three-unit buildings, for eight units total. To find out what exactly that entails, we’ll likely have to check the files downtown (which we had done a few weeks ago, knowing a proposal was in the works, but nothing had been filed yet). The DPD website says a formal comment period will open with this Thursday’s Land Use Information Bulletin.
TRADER JOE’S SITE: It’s been three whole weeks since our last update, so if you’re among those starved for incremental info, here’s the latest bit of news: The DPD officially “accepted the application” last Thursday for the main part of the project to turn the old Huling Brothers Buick showroom site (4545 Fauntleroy Way) into a new Trader Joe’s store (rendering at right). As we had written last month, there had been some back-and-forth about parking on the site and other details, but “application accepted” is one milestone toward the permit being granted. As we noted while reviewing the file last month, TJ’s thinks construction will take about six months, so assuming a permit’s granted before long, the current realistic timetable for opening is probably fall.
(WSB photo of “The Hole,” taken last month)
We’re back at the King County Courthouse, where the foreclosure sale originally planned tomorrow for “The Hole” – the long-stalled West Seattle development site at 39th/Alaska (map) – is now off, or “stayed” in legal terms. That’s the result of multiple hearings over the past week, concluding with the decision this morning.
But the party that sought the stay, the site’s current note-holder 3922 SW Alaska, did not get the other big thing they wanted in seeking the stay. They were denied their request to be allowed to proceed with their own foreclosure sale so they could take possession and, they said, start working on the site, even while their appeal of Judge Susan Craighead‘s original ruling proceeded through the Court of Appeals. (Her original ruling, last November, was simply to determine whose lien against the stalled project came before whose – she ruled that the two construction companies and another contractor had precedence before 3922 SW Alaska.)
Today, Judge Craighead said no to the proposal for 3922 SW Alaska’s own foreclosure sale, even while making it clear she doesn’t want to keep the site idle. In fact, during this morning’s hearing, as she has done before, the judge repeatedly voiced concern about the West Seattle community’s desire to see something done with the property, which that was going to be a Whole Foods store, a Hancock Fabrics store, and apartments, over a big parking garage, till the project fell apart two and a half years ago and turned into a multi-party legal fight.
The judge instead declared that the way to bring about a resolution sooner was to push the Court of Appeals to speed up its consideration of the appeal (even as the fight over the collapsed project moves toward another trial this summer). In the meantime, 3922 SW Alaska – which is associated with Madison Development‘s owner – has put up $7,714,799, to protect the interests of the three lienholders in line ahead of it. (The money was in the form of a cashier’s check brought to court this morning.)
Bottom line: The Hole remains The Hole at least until the Court of Appeals decides on the challenge filed by 3922 SW Alaska LLC. We’ll be watching to see if it does indeed get sped up (the judge noted one case of hers once made it through the appeals court in a month).
We reported “live” last night from the West Seattle Triangle open house, which drew more than 60 people, including local neighborhood and business leaders as well as city planners. (Here’s our story, including video of what City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen had to say.) If you couldn’t be there – you can still take a look at what was presented, now that it’s all published to the city’s website. The introductory overview is here; the “boards” are here, including the final few pages focusing on the potential of 85-foot-high buildings in part of The Triangle, 20 feet above current zoning; and a closer look at the “street-use concept” proposal is here. Next steps: These concepts get official city reviews, with more opportunities for you to officially comment.
(The city’s “Triangle Study Area,” which stretches a little beyond the boundaries of the 35th/Fauntleroy/Alaska Triangle itself)
6:12 PM: It’s already home to businesses and residential complexes like the West Seattle Family YMCA and Tom’s Automotive (both WSB sponsors), Alki Lumber and Diva Espresso, the VFW and American Legion halls, medical clinics for people and pets, Fire Station 32, the soon-to-be-made-over Seattle West Inn and Suites, the new Link residential/retail building and Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsors), the future lounge/restaurant The Bridge, Mountain to Sound Outfitters, the future Trader Joe’s and future Les Schwab Tire Center, and more … and from the south end of the West Seattle Bridge, it’s a gateway. So how will The Triangle evolve? Right now, it’s your chance for a closer look at proposed street-use and land-use concepts, potentially phased in over the years ahead, following months of work by city planners and a citizens’ advisory group – and your chance to share what you think about the concepts. The West Seattle Triangle Open House is under way till 8 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon in The Junction, enter from Oregon), with what’s promised to be a “short presentation” at 6:30. More to come.
7:05 PM: More than 60 people are here – both familiar faces from the business and neighborhood-association communities, and others who want to know what might be in store for this pivotal neighborhood. As shown in our photo above, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – who has been involved in Triangle planning and brainstorming for almost three years – is here too. He spoke briefly (video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown):
Also speaking were city planner Susan McLain and architect David Hewitt. (They presented very brief toplines on the ways in which The Triangle could evolve, including pedestrian streetscapes in its interior, and the latest version of the Fauntleroy Way “boulevard” concept from SW Alaska to The Bridge – which could have two travel lanes in each direction plus a landscaped median – that’s not officially written into any city plans or budgets yet, though, according to our most recent checks.)
Also here, if you have questions – Paul Roybal and Christine Alar from the county and city respectively, answering questions about Metro’s coming-next-year RapidRide (see our latest story here). One of the Luna Park business leaders who is concerned about RapidRide-related parking loss, John Bennett, is here and voiced his concerns as the presentation ended. Harbor Properties’ Denny Onslow followed him, talking about Link, the mixed-use apartments/retail building that’s almost complete in The Triangle, which he expects will bring 300 new residents to The Triangle, as well as dozens of jobs in the restaurant, yoga studio, and child-care center that are moving in. The formal presentation just ended – still an hour left for Q/A, with planning reps, architects, and RapidRide, as noted.
7:51 PM: The public’s gone and the official participants have rolled up the renderings and folded up the aisles – it’s over. McLain says the presentation will be on the city website tomorrow (we’ll post a separate update when it turns up). Next steps, as she noted in her remarks – even more public meetings and comment periods, as city departments formally review these concepts for potential inclusion in official city planning records, where they would be consulted as redevelopment happens in the area in the years and decades ahead.
(WSB photo of The Hole, taken last month)
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that a court challenge has been filed to stop the scheduled foreclosure sale of the stalled West Seattle development site known widely as “The Hole” – but the documents contain a few interesting points.
The sale was ordered in December (as first reported here) by Judge Susan Craighead, and scheduled for February 25th, after her November ruling in the first trial spawned by the legal fight over the site. The goal was to pay off the entities that she ruled had lien priority – including construction companies Aero and Ledcor.
Her ruling has been challenged in the state Court of Appeals, so the entity that has been trying to get control of the site, 3922 SW Alaska LLC, is asking the judge to put the foreclosure sale on hold until that appeal is settled. They say they have an appraisal putting The Hole’s value at $5.16 million, and since the primary liens (and interest) total an estimated $7.7 million, The Hole itself could be “security” in the matter, they argue, with a $2.6 million bond thrown in.
But they’re not proposing that the site stay idle if they get that sale put on hold: As part of its motion, 3922 SW Alaska (the street address of The Hole) is asking the judge for permission to do a foreclosure of its own, so it could “begin efforts to stabilize and develop the subject property,” saying that at the very least, that work would enhance the interests of the other lienholders, in case the lienholders win the appeal. You can read the motion in its entirety here; a hearing before Judge Craighead is scheduled for one week from tomorrow.
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