Will North Admiral Airbnb solve housing crisis?

[WsJenny]

I usually don’t speak out like this but recently I found out that a Historic mansion in the Admiral area of West Seattle is going to be rezoned and partially DEMOLISHED to make way for a narrow, modern, box house. After it’s constructed, it will be used as an Airbnb/VRBO/Hot Pad so the new home won’t even be helping with the housing crisis in our city. The subdivided lot will not meet the neighborhood’s zoning requirements but I’m sure the developer will find a loophole that will allow it >:( !! The home if permitted, will be on a 3205 SF lot even though the neighborhood is zoned as SF5000.

The landmark house is at 1620 Sunset Ave SW, in this same neighborhood where another property owner completely tore down a perfectly good house and is in the middle of replacing it with a McMansion! That disaster is even the house RIGHT NEXT DOOR at 1628 (haven’t the neighbors been through enough???). Those owners replaced a beautiful single story brick home with a huge two story house that towers over a neighboring house, boxing it in and taking away any view and light. The only upside of this house is that the owners have said they plan to live there and not Airbnb it. But still, it’s a stress on parking on the small street and the construction was not welcome!!! Why can’t people just be happy with things as they are?!?

And after going through that pain, now we’ll be dealing with this other project! I’m even more upset/worried with that one because the developer Dave B. Biddle of Blueprint Capital is recorded as the owner/owner’s authorized representative and that company has an infamous reputation in West Seattle. They disregard neighborhood values and don’t consider the existing neighbors when building micro housing with no parking or when cramming houses onto lots that don’t meet zoning requirements. They actively IGNORE neighbors’ concerns!!

According to the Airbnb description for the existing house, it flaunts the history of the home, “Designed by famed architect Arthur Loveless, the house was built in 1909 in the grandest style of the day by shipping magnate HB Kennedy. Its rich history includes a Hollywood turn as a location in filming the popular 1993 movie Sleepless in Seattle.” So the historical significance is only valuable when trying to market to Airbnb tenants but that all goes out the window if someone can make more money by ruining the property? It would be an incredible shame for another historic property to be partially demolished/altered just to make way for another narrow, box home that won’t even provide long term housing! The neighbors not only get stuck with another major construction headache and an eyesore of a home but then have to deal with the revolving door of strangers/temporary weekend renters in the neighborhood all while the Developer walks away with his profits!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[TSurly]

This has to be one of the most NIMBY posts I have seen in a while. People on here complain when the City doesn’t allow them (property owners) to do what they want with their property or, in this case, when property owners do what building codes LEGALLY allow them to do.

It also belongs in Rants and Raves, don’t foul the Open Discussion section with this.

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[WSB]

Actually it’s a fine topic for Open Discussion. There’s a lot of confusion about building codes etc. I looked at this one. The site may have held one large house but it is multiple lots. There’s no “rezoning” proposed but the lots are being used as separate lots for the first time. Lots of property on the books like that, and yes, Blueprint has been a longtime specialist in those properties. As for AirBNB – a view house that sold across from ours has been used as one for some months now. It definitely does nothing for the housing crisis but West Seattle is short on lodging- as a tourist 30 years ago, I was shocked to find there was (still is) only one motel/hotel in this beautiful part of the city – so it does alleviate that a bit. – TR

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[LD]

Side note: Did you know you can search AirBnB by city+zip? It is interesting to see which of your neighbors are in the vacation rental business, and also just how many West Seattle properties are not available to meet the housing needs. West Seattle has one motel and many, many, many rooms, homes and RVs available for your short-stay rental.

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[gxnx]

The housing crisis (and any crisis) is caused by the city ClownCils..their pathetic ironic bureaucratic policies.

Vote them out.
Vote for Republicans.

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[TSurly]

Care to elaborate, or just stick with the grade school level Trumpian response?

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[Michael Waldo]

TSurly- absolutely correct. And just what are these incredible republican solutions?

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