Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Construction in Admiral District Starting too early, residential area!
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March 9, 2015 at 3:21 pm #816915
Mike K.ParticipantI live at 3200 California ave. The Gigantic construction pit which has been going on for over a month now has been causing me and my wife undue stress. They are starting earlier every week. They are incredibly loud. This monstrosity that is being built, is going to ruin this quiet area. Does anyone know, in a residential area, are they really allowed to start at 7 AM? I don’t know how this is legal. Any other neighbors being this loud this early would get the police called on them. I think that this whole thing is sickening and unfair. It seems like they could at least be good neighbors and start at 9 am or something like that. Starting at 7 am the day after daylight saving (losing) time is just wrong. Not everyone works M-F and it is a 7 story, monstrosity being built, the bedrooms of our lone building are all facing this dirty dusty pit, our landlords are using this as an excuse to raise rents, meanwhile, I will have serious difficulty working graveyard at admiral Safeway to pay for the increase. Is there some place i can complain about the noise starting so early. Who approved this? How can they legally be allowed to start the noise so early. Cracks in my building have shown up from the Giant jack hammers last few weeks. I am at the end of my rope. Any and all helpful responses will be appreciated.
March 9, 2015 at 3:40 pm #822651March 9, 2015 at 3:49 pm #822652
WSBKeymasterMike –
The construction notice that we published a month ago lists 7 am starts on weekdays, 9 am on Saturdays. Does not mention Sunday work.
Demolition to start Tuesday for block-long 3210 California SW, now ‘Admiral East Apartments’
That notice also includes contact info for the superintendent, who would be your first stop with concerns/questions before you go to the city (the info that Kimberley provided above), unless you already have talked to them and gotten nowhere. If they are doing work on Sunday, they would need a permit for that, and starting before 9 am on Saturday would be a variance.
-TR
March 9, 2015 at 5:47 pm #822653
Mike K.ParticipantThank you for your response.
Its just too noisy for a residential area.
7am is unacceptable. The worst part, is they seem to always do the most noisy work first.
I’m sorry but this project is not welcome.
March 9, 2015 at 6:03 pm #822654
LisaMParticipantMike K – as neighbors in this area, we fought this project from the very start, over 5 years ago when the Developers applied for a re-zone to build higher than what was formerly allowed. We went to countless meetings, wrote letters, met and tried to formulate sound arguments, but to no avail. They won. We then went through the Design process and went to more countless meetings, argued for a more reasonable-sized building, etc. I am not sure that really made any difference as we now have this gi-normous building going in. But there you go, this is the Way Things Work in Seattle..the developers usually win. I just wanted you to know that many of us put years of effort and time into trying to make this a more neighborhood friendly project.
March 9, 2015 at 6:36 pm #822655
TanDLParticipantDevelopers always win in Seattle these days, no matter how many people write to officials, protest, petition, attend meetings or get the press involved.
March 9, 2015 at 11:54 pm #822656
CeeBeeParticipantAnd, to make things worse, the DPD is considering a change to the code so that if construction crews violate the noise ordinance, they will not get a stop work or violation notice, the city could just issue a “citation” Here’s the summary of the proposed change, page 28 of the Directors Report
25.08.590 Noise Control – Granting of variance
The proposed change would allow DPD to issue a citation for failure to comply with conditions of a noise variance or with permit conditions relating to noise, as an alternative to a stop work order or notice of violation, for incidents that are either a single incident or occasional. The citation process is a less severe penalty that would allow DPD to make the point that conditions are to be followed without moving immediately to substantial penalties.
(found at this link http://buildingconnections.seattle.gov/2015/01/21/code-correction-amendments-for-public-review/ )
March 10, 2015 at 2:59 am #822657
beachdrivegirlParticipantI get more frustrated with parking etc but I am a morning person….
March 10, 2015 at 6:18 am #822658
singularnameParticipant7 am is just plain wrong and shouldn’t exist in any context on the planet (this is not sarcasm!)
March 10, 2015 at 2:40 pm #822659
mark47nParticipantJust so you know, 7am is a typical start time for construction crews and has been for decades…everywhere.
March 10, 2015 at 6:54 pm #822660
SueParticipantMike, I sympathize. I live near the Junction and am surrounded by construction. When it’s not construction, it’s the sound of the Safeway trucks making those back-up beeping noises and running their noisy engines. Since I awaken before 7am for work M-F, it generally doesn’t bug me too much. But on weekends (or weekdays when I need to sleep in), I must resort to earplugs.
March 10, 2015 at 6:54 pm #822661
Mike K.ParticipantWhenever myself or my wife looked up the Pre-construction meetings, they were always on say, Wed during the day, or similar times which average people were working. Thank you so much for your posts, It helps to know we are not the only people against this monstrosity. I love how the last poster seems to think that just because “everyone everywhere” does something that it is right….funny stuff guy. The fact is, that some consideration should be taken to do the most noisy work a little later in the day, I know it’s not perfect, but to paraphrase. Just so you know, 7AM is a typical time for people to be sleeping, and has been for decades…EVERYWHERE!!
March 10, 2015 at 6:58 pm #822662
Mike K.ParticipantAddendum, I am not a Passive complainer, I barricaded my walls with stuff to cut down on the loud noise, and wear earplugs, but earplugs don’t stop the noise from a 40 foot jackhammer, especially at 7AM. Furthermore, if the crews had started the really noisy work after 9 am I would never have even brought it up….
March 10, 2015 at 8:38 pm #822663
mark47nParticipantSo, You’re saying that construction workers aren’t average people? What about the barista who opens a store at 5am, just to pick one other job among many. Pretty elitist way to look at the world. Also, judging by the traffic in Seattle, to say nothing of the struggle for folks here in WS on the bridge, I’d say most of WS has been up for some time at 7am.
As for noise complaints, buy some earplugs. I work graves for half of my shifts and that does the trick for me. Construction is going to happen. If you can’t tolerate it, or the noise, you shouldn’t live in an urban environment.
March 10, 2015 at 9:15 pm #822664
jissyParticipantMike — I feel your pain. I live very near the new plant being built down by Lowman park and in order for them to start their work AT 7…. the workers are parking their trucks, beeping their alarms & slamming their doors, chatting on the street over their morning coffee (and boy do voices carry) and the big trucks are queuing up and getting in position (yep, those noisy back-up alarms that Sue mentions) WELL before 7:00 a.m. to start AT 7 a.m. It is annoying as hell and I’m sorry, this is just the beginning — you might want to consider moving b/c it’s NOT going to get better, trust me, that’s a lengthy project.
March 10, 2015 at 9:26 pm #822665
wakefloodParticipantReminds me of the Louie (C.K.) episode where he imagines what the sanitation workers are REALLY doing down in front of his building when they pick up the garbage.
March 10, 2015 at 10:24 pm #822666March 11, 2015 at 8:34 pm #822667
Ms. SparklesParticipantMarch 11, 2015 at 10:47 pm #822668
clulessinwsParticipantJissy, file a complaint on the dpd website.
March 13, 2015 at 3:31 am #822669
singularnameParticipantMike K … I had some business in that area today. Good lord, man–That is a nightmare of a project! sympathies and condolences …
March 13, 2015 at 7:45 am #822670
DianeParticipant@Mike K; totally feel your pain; and yes, jackhammers at 7am totally suck; not everyone works the traditional 9-5 that requires getting up by 7am and out the door; I also have worked non-traditional hours my entire life, and have had to deal with inconsiderate stressful noise that disrupted my sleep; it is a nightmare; so sorry; I empathize
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@mark47n; your comments are heartless and lacking any consideration for the significant impact of construction on sleep and peace/enjoyment of living in neighboring housing; it is very disruptive, and ear plugs do not suffice for most people; and no, not everyone in WS is up by 7am~
concur with comment by LisaM; yes, there were many many many of us who fought this development from being so ginormous; sadly, agree; developers usually win almost everything
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Mike K, and all; I can REALLY empathize with your upset about 7am construction noise right now; 2 weeks ago, I was awakened at 7am by the demolition of a 1911 house outside my window; there was zero notice to neighbors; at least with the giant project on California, the public was notified and wsblog posted specifics about when it would begin; when they demolish single family homes, apparently DPD doesn’t even find it necessary to notify adjacent neighbors that we will be disturbed for months by demolition and construction; and yes, the street closure signs that went up AFTER the demolition started, say the work starts at 7am; and it certainly does
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again Mike K, I agree; I wish they would do the least noisy work earlier; we’re now on week 2 of construction noise that starts 7am, with extremely loud banging often at earliest part of day, and much less noise after noon, and they seem to finish by 3; agree, wish the work was more like 9-5
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I also work a lot of nights, so my sleep has been impacted; even with fans, white noise, ear plugs, and noise canceling headphones, often the construction noise is so loud, and percussive, that it wakes me up
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so yes, it seems wrong; it should be unlawful to disturb neighbors with loud construction noise at 7am; there are many people who work in jobs at night who need to sleep
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one correction to your original post; this ginormous project will be 5 stories, not 7; although it’s so massive, will be hard to tell any difference
March 13, 2015 at 6:10 pm #822671
JanSParticipantinteresting…we have all had to deal with this from time to time. I live across the street from Admiral Safeway and Element 42. Dealt with it for a long time. Last summer a house behind me was upgraded with an addition…started at 7am…hammer, hammer, hammer. Summer. Windows open. Massage practice in home. Nope…all summer long into the fall. Annoying as hell, but within the law. It is what it is. How about when the maintenance people at Safeway, etc., break out the big blowers at 9:30pm to clean the grounds around the store and the apartments. Thankfully, their delivery trucks now take a different approach and I no longer hear them coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Yep, noises happen, whether you sleep at night or during the day…
March 14, 2015 at 4:57 pm #822672
Mike K.ParticipantThanks Diane for your general support. JanS, there is a HUGE difference between trucks/leaf blowers and jack hammers. You can block out Loud trucks and leaf blowers with good earplugs and a fan, the jackhammers and other stuff, are actually causing cracks in the cement walls outside my door, they are not just noise, they are earthquakes. But I do appreciate everyone’s opinions here. It’s nice to have some intelligent conversation on the topic.
March 14, 2015 at 6:57 pm #822673
JanSParticipantIf your apartment building is getting cracks in it, is management of your building talking with the construction company? Just curious…wondered if there was back and forth communication…
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