Seattle Plans

Seattle Plans is back.

2008-06-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

The blog will continue soon.

Seattle Plans on (short) leave

2007-06-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Seattle Plans went on an unannounced, last-minute vacation. Sorry, this sort of thing happens during the summer. Posting will continue on Monday with the news links.

Hey, Charles (at The Stranger's Slog) finally picked up on the tiling at 5th & Madison. Did you think he would not have thoughts? His big question:

Why did the architects choose something that opposes, that works against, that almost undoes the modernistic sleekness of the tower? Most of 5th and Madison appears to be rational (the best type of architecture—or ecotecture), and this considerable confusion of tiles appears to be so whimsical. It’s not entirely bad, just remarkably odd.

Late Announcement: Meet a Central Area developement project today.

2007-06-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight you have an opportunity to meet Jim Mueller, the developer behind the land use application for the empty lot at 23rd and Union (SW corner). Even if you don't live in the immediate area, this is a rare opportunity to understand how developers think and work. Perhaps through greater understanding comes greater respect, or at least knowledge that developers are people and they aren't all bad.

When: Tuesday, June 19, at 6 P.M.
Where: Central Cinema

More details at the Miller Park Neighborhood Association blog.

06/18/2007 Feeds Note

2007-06-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry if your feeds are spammed. Some post label editing required republishing posts...

Now you can find DPD bulletin highlights under the label "Proposed."

Monday Compendium

2007-06-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Editor's notes:
Urbnlivn is having a meetup June 27th: Details at Urbnlivn
Be sure to read the NY Times article on Bellevue (under Market)

Development
Seattle developer to remake Columbia City's main plaza [PI, June 18]
12 acres in Denny Triangle on market [PI, June 15]
Clise Properties puts Denny Triangle land up for sale [Times, June 15]
Clise family behind many of city's landmarks [PI, June 15]
One big chunk of downtown Seattle up for sale [Times, June 16]
Related: Paper Noose thoughts on Clise sale [PN, June 16]
Live-work condos present own problems [PI, June 15]
Megahomes multiplying, but how big is too big? [Times, June 15]
Old news dept: Ballard Denny's to be demo'ed for condos [BNT, June 18]

Neighborhood
Maple Leaf: A Maple Leaf lot in need of a developer [Slog, June 15]
Capitol Hill: Who is leasing old Rainbow Grocery space? [CHS, June 18]

Municipal/Zoning/Politics
City tree protection not making the cut [PI, June 17]
Related (sort of): Wallingford vigilante plant clipper [Slog, June 18]
Related (sort of): A West Seattle case of legal chopping [WSB, June 17]

Transportation
Transportation Census numbers [Slog, June 18]
Related: Seattle Transit Blog digs deeper into numbers [STB, June 13]

Market
The Cranes Are Back, So Are Tenants (Bellevue vs. Seattle) [NYT, June 17]
Thoughts on Zillow's Seattle heat map [SCR, June 18]
The Pittsburgh conversion [SCR, June 14]

A thirteen acre, master planned Pop-Up Neighborhood

2007-06-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Image is scanned from the Wall Street Journal. Please don't sue. Click to enlarge.

Due to the increasing intensity of East Denny Triangle's construction and development, I previously characterized it as a pop-up neighborhood (posted on the original Seattle Plans site, now offline, soon back online; somewhat related post here). Notable is its recent sudden growth and diversity of uses.

But all of that would pale by comparison to West Denny Triangle if someone buys and develops the 13 acres of contiguous land the Clise family has put up for sale.

As first reported by the Wall Street Journal this morning[$], the Clise family has put the potential for 13 million square feet of development up for sale, a year after the City Council raised building heights from 300' to 500'.

"[Alfred M.] Clise says he is looking for a comprehensive, cohesive plan with world-class design. 'I envision something akin to Rockefeller Center,' he says. "Mr. Clise says the family has no specific requirements, and the investor with the proposal that impresses them the most will likely get the land. Office condominium and hotel towers are probably a given, but he is open to additional features, such as
green space, museums or performing-arts facilities."

Mr. Clise believes that the strong job growth outlook for the Seattle area and the 5% vacancy rate for top-quality Class A office space are good reasons to sell now. The WSJ does point out, however, that Mr. Clise may have "missed his window" as interest rates last week rose to nearly 5.25%. The Clise family states that they will hold out for their desired selling price (something in the hundreds of millions).

Wow. It would be a truly awesome project with tremendous impact on the city. Here is to hoping that someone with truly world-class design ideas scoops this up. It certainly would help alleviate the effects of Vulcan's uninspired Portland-cloning design ideas for South Lake Union.

Other (free) coverage:
PSBJ, PI, Times, Times #2

06/14/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

2007-06-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Just one highlight from yesterday's DPD bulletin:

Downtown: 1400 6th Ave (east side of NE block)
Modifications to east façade of Sheraton Hotel & RoW
It looks like the Sheraton is going to be a good citizen and do something about that vast expanse of concrete wall on 7th Ave. Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (of many local & famous projects), should be able to figure it out.

Thursday Compendium

2007-06-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Development
Colman Center: office space for creative types [PI, June 14]
Hotel not residential disappoints Seattle officials [Times, June 14]
Sims hopes to buy time for rails-for-trails (?!) [PI, June 13]
Related: Sims wants to speed up land-swap deal (?!) [Times, June 14]
Megahomes multiplying, but how big is too big? [Times, June 14]
Visions for a new Seattle Center being made public [PI, June 12]
Related: Seattle Center: daily destination? [Times, June 13]
Hist. comm. approves new lighting for Steinbrueck Park [PI, June 13]
In Other Neighborhoods. . . [Stranger, June 13]
Historic Central Area hall looks as if it's on its last legs [PI, June 12]
More Ava condo information [SCR, June 11]

Neighborhoods
WS: Seattle Housing Authority acquires WS apts [WSB, June 13]
GT: Duwamish cleanup gets a bit messy [PN, June 13]
GT: Stop work order: demo of Old Firehouse Market(!) [PN, June 13]

Municipal/Zoning/Politics
City Council: Primary Primer [Stranger, June 13]
City Council: Follow up with Venus Velazquez [Slog, June 14]
City Council: Joe Szwaja profile [Slog, June 14]
More City Council links on Slog [Slog, June 13]
(I didn't see any Times or PI coverage this week. Did you?)

Transportation
Beyond Sound Transit 2 [OR, June 13]
Related: ST2 includes study of Burien light-rail [Hi.Times, June 12]

Market
New housing market: Urban car camping [Slog, June 14]
Sabey sells P-I building to California company [PI, June 14]
WA 1st quarter mort. delinquencies down QoQ, up YoY [PI, June 14]
Seattle foreclosures up QoQ, up YoY [PI, June 13]
Homes cited as too costly for too many [PI, June 11]
Related: Seattle Bubble's article review [SB, June 12]

Striking design proposed for 1903 5th Ave (photos)

2007-06-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Model above is the original proposal for 550', 46 story hotel/condo tower at 1903 5th Ave. Changes detailed and more photos below.

I told you previously that the proposal for 1903 5th Ave was something to get excited about, and it is, not just because it would dwarfs Escala and the Westin towers and everything around it. Its thoroughly modern looks would be unlike most all of them.

Placed on a site just 108' by 120' (if I heard correctly), this tower has a tight podium and a solidly straight-up expression clad in a "greenish blue" glass, despite some changes to the original model. In order to thin the tower, "shoulders" have been lost (balconies on the corners rise higher up) and the podium has risen some stories. Added transparency at the base connects pedestrians to activity within the building. Notches have also been added to the tower's heights to avoid a "Darth Vader" feel. Interesting features include a rooftop screen inspired somewhat by an inverted parasol and transparent tube elevators at the podium corners facing 5th Ave.

For what it is worth, out of respect for the developer, a cordial man with whom I conserved briefly (and gave me permission to photograph his model for this obscure blog), I'll refrain from sharing more details until this project progresses further through design review.

The design review committee seemed slightly positive. Concerns shared among the committee members were lack of exterior expression of interior activity at higher elevations and some issues with the podium. One member expressed some worry that the tower could become "retro." I could not figure her intent, but if she meant a retro vision of the future, I do admit that that is my greatest worry here. It's too early to tell, however, and I remain terribly excited about the possibility of its being built. Here's to hoping that the committee allows this tower to make a statement, which it undoubtedly will by its height alone, unhindered and uncompromised.

More photos here.

Related: DJC article [via Urbnlivn, Feb 13]

The DSA Luncheon: Middling, but why?

2007-06-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry Charles, the 49th DSA Annual Event was no party. As little more than a downtown meet and greet, there was no champagne, nor models (scale building or marketing), new information, grand initiative, or revolutionary vision. The economy is great right now but it would seem people are ~~thinking~~ worrying ahead about the viaduct and the general transportation mess, the potential for a local housing mess, rising interest rates, a national slowdown, or something else...

It was hard to get excited about much. The first speaker, outgoing 2006-2007 DSA Chair Pat Callahan (a real estate guy), is a terrible public speaker (sorry Callahan) and as a result (though still without excuse) the crowd's murmur rose somewhat over Callahan's farewell, devoted largely to the viaduct. Stalling an immediate rebuilt viaduct was considered a great victory; the outstanding potential of a rebuilt viaduct was the next great threat. The viaduct problem was one of too many self-interests.

After Callahan was done the incoming 2007-2008 DSA Chair, John Hanley (a real estate lawyer guy), gave a bland speech that said absolutely nothing and was completely uninspiring. His introduction to the podium, with a broad array of boards he's served on (from affordable housing to alcoholism and others I can't remember), was more interesting than his speech.

Kate Joncas, DSA President, turned things around. She spoke with some energy about a downtown's ability to foster diverse interaction and its importance to civil society. People outside downtown live and interact with too many people too similar to themselves and the Internet is largely a collection of niches. (Here was something to think about.) She said that great public open spaces were needed in order to draw a diverse crowd downtown. Her hope was to see a family picnic outside City Hall and girl scouts selling cookies (I think she said) on 2nd and Pine. That got a laugh and then some applause.

The final speaker was Edward K. Uhlir, the man put in charge of creating Millennium Park in Chicago by Mayor Daley. The park is absolutely amazing. Uhlir gave a very informative presentation that held the crowd's interest; the man himself sounded tired however.

Here's to hoping the economy doesn't tank by next February when DSA holds the State of Downtown event, the closest it gets to a party.

Original Content: Coming tomorrow!

2007-06-11T17:43:00.001-07:00

Finally, you can expect some real journalism on Seattle Plans.

Tomorrow I'll be at the DSA's Annual Event. While I won't be live-blogging, I will provide you with a full report sometime afterward. I say sometime because tomorrow evening I plan on attending an early design-review meeting you care about to give you a second original report the following day. Bonus!

Monday List

2007-06-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

This doesn't deserve the "compendium" label- Sorry, I just needed to get this out the door...

Development
Seattle looks at widening apartment, condo tax break [PI, June 11]
Affordable rentals vanish as apartments go condo [Times, June 10]

Transportation
Crosscut special report: Tolling the Puget Sound [Crosscut, June 11]
Kemper Freeman really hates transit [Slog, June 11]
Related: Transit opponents overview [STB, June 9]
3rd Ave to stay bus lane until viaduct replacement built [STB, June 10]

Neighborhood
Wallingford: Park NIMBYs oppose school project [Times, June 11]
Windermere: Denny mansion loses piece of its history to [PI, June 11]

Market
Local home sales cool off; why are prices still hot? [Times, June 10]
Belltown Market Analysis [SCR, June 8]

Sunday Compendium: Delayed

2007-06-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am out of town. Sunday's news links will be up tomorrow. I've also got at least three posts brewing... hopefully I'll have some time to post this week.

As always, send tips, stories, or feedback to seattleplans@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.

06/07/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

2007-06-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Highlights from yesterday's DPD bulletin:
Downtown: 600 3rd Ave (entire block)
180 residential, 540k office, plaza, Metro tunnel connection, 600 spaces
This is the early design review for Triad Development's proposed "civic square." (You've heard about this previously.) The site is currently an entire city block of dirt surrounded by a plywood fence. What you may or may not realize is that the architectural firm, Norman + Partners, and its namesake, Lord Foster, is a big deal. Such a big deal that you might want to attend the early design review: June 26th, 5:30pm (possibly 7pm) at City Hall.

Central District: 2203 E Union St (SW corner)
6 stories, 91 residential units over retail, 100 parking spaces
This gets included because 1) it's also been a large dirt field for some time and 2) it's at the intersection (23rd & Union) featured in this week's Stranger short feature on the Central District. The Central District has seen tremendous change; since 1990 African-Americans went from over half the household population to just over one third now, whites from one third then to over half now.

Roosevelt: 6515 Brooklyn Ave NE (north half of west block)
4 stories, 42 apartment over 4 live-work, retail, 71 parking spaces
This project wins this week's smart growth award for working to end the tyranny of single-family homes by tearing down 5 single family houses and replacing them with over eight times as many apartments right next to a planned light rail station (albeit a years ahead of time).

Sidewalk cafe applications:
La Dolce Vita Ristorante
The Local Vine
Globe Cafe & Bakery

Thursday Compendium

2007-06-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Development
Future affordable housing funding requiring green standards [PI, June 7]
Qwest Field North Lot development moves forward [Times, June 5]
Stone Way QFC project stalled; currently a big pit [Times, June 5]
Related: Pending groceries in West Seattle [WSB, June 5]

Neighborhood
Georgetown: Neighbors talking trash with city [PI, June 7]
CD: A story (about change & race) [Stranger, June 6]
Related: CD story correction [Slog, June 7]
Mossback finds his n'hood: N. Dakota (Leave already!) [Crosscut, June 4]
WS: Current and potential condo conversions [WSB, June 3]

Municipal/Zoning/Politics
Wanted: Seattle City Council candidates, not weenies [Times, June 7]
Related: Idiot, you kicked out the cool kids! [Slog, June 7]
Related: Limited interest in City Council races [PI, June 4]
Meanwhile, Seattle Port Commissioner race gets crowded [Slog, June 7]
City Council campaign funds & strip club zoning [Stranger, June 6]
New initiative from Dick's owner: More talk? [Times, June 5]
State doubles funding to protect public lands [PI, June 4]
Related: Where that funding is going on the Eastside [Times, June 7]
1m in Sno Co. by 2040 (King Co. projections too) [Herald, June 4]
Middle class moving out/what's middle class? [PI, June 4]

Transportation
(I can't cover the light rail/RTID debate; there's too much.)
Kemper Freeman against Bellevue light rail? (Why?) [Times, June 7]
UW, Sound Transit agree on extension for $1.6 billion [PI, June 7]
The other tunnel debate: Bellevue's preferred light rail [Crosscut, June 5]
Related: Some Bellevue LR planning alternatives [Orphan Road, June 6]

Market
Links to/reviews of all the monthly market articles [SeaBub, June 7]
Best Sunday real estate ads [UrbnLvn, June 7]

5th & Madison: Now what?

2007-06-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Without a doubt, that tiling is going to fill in the orange area:

Now the question is, what's going to fill in the area above? Please say it's stripes!

Sunday Compendium

2007-06-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

Wow. I can tell summer has arrived:

Development
The next wave of condos [SCR, June 2]

Transportation
RTID Moves Forward [Slog, May 31]

Municipal/Zoning/Politics
King County: take our urban lands, please [SeaTrans, June 1]
Sally Clark's nightlife proposal [Slog, June 1]
Related: Earlier post [Slog, May 31]

Neighborhood
CD Quality of Life: Under Attack! (Uh, Deano's closed.) [MP, May 31]

If you need something more, check out the Vintage Seattle blog. It launched May 3rd and it has enough content now to keep you occupied for some time. (I try to task your attention only when it's best.)

05/31/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

2007-06-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

Highlights from yesterday's DPD bulletin (sorry, no photos this week):

Note that the DPD site will be down 06/02/07 from 6am to 2pm.

Lower Queen Anne: 300 3rd Ave W (NE corner)
7 stories, 195 apartments, 7 live/work, min. retail, 250 parking spaces.
The only thing I could find about this project specifically is that the developer is R.C. Hedreen Co., developer of the Olive 8.

Lower Queen Anne: 225 Roy St (South side)
2 stories, 29,000 sq. ft. performing arts theater, no parking.
Theatro Zinzanni's new digs is going through a second design review. I can't find the architect, Stephen Quinn.

Capitol Hill: 1531 Broadway (NE corner)
Walgreens Signage Special Exception
"Two additional projecting signs at street frontage." (Are these light boxes or just neon signs?) Lodge your complaints by June 13.

Sidewalk cafe applications:
Moxie
Cafe Paloma

Confidential to dave: A drive-by of that U. District office building suggests it's full. No leasing signs and it just looks occupied from two sides.

Thursday Compendium

2007-05-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay. There's a lot:

Development
$32m Nitze-Stagen deal saves historic downtown church [PI, May 31]
Related: How the deal went down [Times, May 31]
Related: Seattle Times previous version [Times, May 30]
Bellevue: "Thinking big for the future of Bel-Red" [Times, May 31]
Check out area development over time on Trulia [CHS, May 31]
Fallout from ST Capitol Hill plans & other development [PI, May 30]
Related: Capitol Hill light rail station detail [SeaTrans, May 30]
Related: ST Capitol Hill light rail station page [ST]
"Schnitzer Northwest expanding, changing name" [PI, May 30]
"Seattle's 'Ladybug Guy' hits his blue period" [Times, May 30]
Washington Hall: likely to be sold, demolished [Crosscut, May 29]
Related: Paper Noose upset. [Paper Noose, May 30]
Downtown hotel switch incredulousness in writing [Seattlest, May 29]
Condos are spreading out [PI, May 28]
Related: Even in West Seattle [WS Blog, May 29]

Neighborhood
First Hill: M Street Grocery: Ok for neighbors [MetBlog, May 31]
Intl Dist: CASA Latina has some friends [PI, May 31] Fremont:
"It's back! The wait for 'the Interurban' is over" [PI, May 31]
Cap Hill: New park!; Comment & meet w/Park Dept [MillerPark, May 31]
Cap Hill: CHS blog wants you to move in [CHS, May 31]
Ballard: Bitches and moans (like everyone else) [Times, May 30]
WS: Trader Joe's Rumor [WS Blog, May 31]
WS: Competing offers to buy, Renter vs. Developer! [WS Blog, May 31]
WS: Land use updates [WS Blog, May 30]

Transportation
Sound Transit's shore-hugging rails [Times, May 30]
ST small-biz mitigation: example of success(!) [SeaTrans, May 30]

Market
"Case-Shiller: Seattle Not Really Special" [SeaBub, May 29]

Construction
Carpenters agree to work [PI, May 30]

Email tips, rumours, wild speculations to seattleplans@gmail.com

5th & Madison: Tiling still rising

2007-05-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Vashon118 posted a 5th & Madison photo from last Friday on the SSP forum (scroll down a bit). The tiling continues to rise! Just a week after it first appeared, it's risen two more floors. Oh, the humanity!

I'll have another update later this week.

Monday Compendium

2007-05-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Development
"Colman School fire was an accident" [PI, May 27]
"Condos springing up near Pike Place Market" [PI, May 25]
"Deal to build homes near Qwest Field moves ahead" [PI, May 25]
UW B-school's new building $15m short. [$ PSBJ, May 25]
"Sound Transit directors OK expansion of light rail system" [PI, May 24]
Downtown developers change minds, build hotel [PI, May 24]

Neighborhood
Mid Beacon Hill Issues [BeaconHill, May 25]

Municipal/Zoning
Hempfest gets a SAM park easement from City [Slog, May 28]

Transportation
Light rail in the bus tunnel! (photo) [SeaTrans, May 24]

There were plenty of opinion pieces but none were worth your time.
Feedback and tips appreciated.

Sunday Compendium: Delayed

2007-05-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Sunday Compendium will be delayed one day on account of the holiday.

5/24/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

2007-05-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I couldn't pass up a happy hour invite yesterday. Without further ado...

Highlights from Thursday's DPD bulletin (sorry, no photos this week):

Downtown: 1903 5th Ave
46 stories, 175 hotel, 190 condos, retail, 250 underground parking.
Urbnlivn reported the DJC article on this mega-tower (which suggests it might be built in the next development cycle), but did anyone follow up on the architect's website? Check it out. Is Seattle going to get itself a NY-style tower? Whether you like those designs (Time Warner Center!- !!!) or not, this is going to be a standout tower. Wild speculation: If this actually gets built, you're going to hear a lot about it, not only because there will be absolutely nothing else like it in Seattle, but it's going to be Seattle's best. Oh, and expect some belly-aching from "Old Seattle" Seattleites about this NY-attitude development.

Downtown: 810 Western Ave
12-stories, office over ground retail, 185 parking spaces.
Colman Center will be updating its design. This is the render you've seen previously. Colman Center was actually presented as a test case in one of the Green Factor presentations, which showed all the terraces covered with green roofs (PDF, slides 123-128).

Lower Queen Anne: 100 Republican St
6 stories, 228 apartments, 17 live/work, 155 parking spaces.
Remember last week's update? 147 live/work units should have set something off. How would you fit 147 live/work units around the ground floor exterior? You can't. It's really just 17 units. That leaves 138 parking spaces for 228 apartments.

Overheard: Green Factor leader out? Design Review review?

2007-05-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Before I forget, at last week's Green Factor Workshop I overheard the following words in this order:

Moddemeyer
position not funded
city-wide
Burien [?!]

Which might mean that Steve Moddemeyer, the brains behind the new Green Factor landscaping requirements for commercial areas, might be out of a job next year (or budget) as the city prepares to take Green Factor city-wide. I'm not as sure I heard Burien.

Also overheard: Something to the effect that the city is going to review the Design Review process, starting sometime in early July. This comes at little surprise, given Sally Clark's March editorial about updating neighborhood plans and the neighborhood plan planning process survey that's whirling around the neighborhood sites. (You have until May 28th to fill it out.)

I can't vouch for the accuracy, nor the newsworthiness, of any of this.

Everything you wanted to know about the Condo Expo

2007-05-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

Can be found at Urbnlivn, here.

I just didn't have time to get to it myself. On a positive note, check back here tomorrow for DPD bulletin highlights and some wild speculation.

And remember, tips to seattleplans@gmail.com.

Thursday Compendium

2007-05-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Development
"Ladybug guy's paradise about to be paved" [PI, May 24]
"Developers plan to build a hotel instead of housing" [PI, May 23]
Downtown church spared in land deal [PI, May 21]
-Related: In Other News: Church [Stranger, May 23]
"South Lake Union streetcar making tracks" [Times, May 21]

Neighborhood
Wallingford Park will close for school expansion, n'hood upset [PI, May 23]
Schizophrenic man caught in city cleanup plans [Stranger, May 23]

Municipal/Zoning/Politics
"Some interesting newcomers could shake up the Seattle City Council" [Crosscut, May 24]
City panel OKs plan for siting strip clubs -- with restrictions [PI, May 24]
In Other News: Clubs [Stranger, May 23]
In Other Neighborhoods: Magnolia & SE Seattle [Stranger, May 23]
"The master negotiator between business and environmentalists" [Crosscut, May 23]
"Growth and density: Let's do the numbers" [Crosscut, May 21]

Market
Condo Expo: "Where's the Party?" [Stranger, May 23]
Rhodes & Gardner: Q&A on residential real estate [Times, May 22]
"First-time buyers find ray of hope in condos" [Times, May 21]

Transportation
"Pacific Northwest ports encouraged to work together" [PI, May 23]
Will Seattle vote for the RTID? [Stranger, May 23]
"Viaduct solution elusive as work looms" [PI, May 23]
"4 lanes open again on Fremont Bridge" [PI, May 23]
"Getting There: New ramp torn down over state's bad design" PI, May 20]

Sunday Compendium

2007-05-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Development
"Children's Hospital to double number of beds, facility size" [Times, May 20]
"Google leases Fremont offices" (not Bellevue's Tower 333) [PI, May 19]
The Sonics: In Sabey's Associated Grocer space? [Crosscut, May 18]
Related: Georgetown's questions. [PaperNoose, May 18]
Related: Sonics not going to Associated Grocer space. [Times, May 20]
Zoo garage: It's never too late to reconsider. [Times, May 18]
Related: PI version here. [PI, May 18]
Getting ready for yesterday's condo expo. [PI, May 18]
Related: Be sure to check out this video of Seattle's 2010 cityscape.

Neighborhoods
"Save Georgetown! No Dump!" [MBH, May 20]
"Neighborhoods Vs. Schools and Skateparks" [Slog, May 17]

Municipal
"How is a crosswalk born in Seattle?" [CHS, May 18]

Transportation
Seattle Transit meets with Sound Transit. [SeaTrans, May 18]

Market
Seattle Time's Home Values Special Report [Times, May 20]
The latest condo sales numbers. [UrbnLivn, May 20]
A synopsis of the Condo Expo. [Sea Condo Review, May 20]

I'll try to have a roundup of more tidbits from the Condo Expo tomorrow.

05/17/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

2007-05-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Highlights from yesterday's DPD bulletin (sorry, no photos this week):

Lower Queen Anne: 100 Republican St
6 stories, 228 apartments, 147 live/work, 155 parking spaces.
Robert Burkheimer, the same guy that owns the shuttered QFC on Broadway, now has an early design guidance notice on the shuttered QFC in lower Queen Anne (just NW of the Seattle Center). He's asking for a height-limit raise, from 40' to 65' (is this starting to sound familiar yet?) and a possible subterranean alley vacation. (Not as intriguing as it sounds.) I'm going to speculate wildly here (honestly, this is speculation): The 147 live/work units are only because he's trying to avoid having to put in any retail at ground floor, and the less than 1:1 ratio of parking spaces to units guarantees that these will be apartment units, not condos. (If this gets built.) I like this a lot. Monthly Monorail passes are $40.

University District: 4501 12th Ave NE
8 stories, 222 hotel rooms over retail and restaurant, underground parking.
This is the vacant space that used to be a natural grocery store (just west is the newish office mid-rise that stood mostly vacant for some time). The architect's page only shows interiors of other projects, including Courtyard by Mariott Bellevue, Hilton Bellevue, Downtown (Seattle) Ramada, and Watertown Hotel. Nothing to speculate here.

5th & Madison: !

2007-05-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are photos of the southern side of 5th & Madison (click to enlarge):

Seattle Plans wasn't sure, and so asked a trusted opinionator. The first word out was "hideous," followed by, "Is that for real?" Yes. It is real.

Now the question is, how high is that going up?
Is this going to fill out the orange area?

New Civic Group: "Seattle Great City Initiative"

2007-05-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Josh Feit has a post on Slog with some great details on the new Seattle Great City Initiative group, headed by Mike McGinn.

I'd like to quote something but it all sounds so good.* Just read Feit's post.

*Since politics will come up, expect an explanation of the particular leanings of Seattle Plans someday soon.

The Slate piece is not worth your time.

2007-05-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm probably too late to have stopped you, but don't bother with this perfunctory architectural review of Seattle ["Seattle's Best (and Worst)," Slate, May 16]. I don't care if someone wants to point out middling Seattle architecture, but do us right by covering it all and being factually correct. Somehow Crosscut come up with 344 fawning words for this junk.

Thursday Compendium

2007-05-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Development
Details of Children's City Block Transaction [Times, May 17]
Queen Anne Couple Fights for Demo Mitigation [Times, May 17]
--PI version here. [PI, May 17]
McIver wants to wait on Dearborn Rezone [Stranger, May 16]
"Boom in Condos keeps Builders Going" [PI, May 16]

Neighborhood
Praise for Signage(!) on Capitol Hill [Capitol Hill Blog, May 16]
Real estate & employees, and "Teardowns to Townhomes" [WS, May 16]
Planning for the next Madison-Miller Plan [Miller Park, May 14]

Market
Single Women Not Interested in Downtown Prices [Times, May 17]
Urbnlivn updates on condo price changes [Urbnlivn, May 16]
"WCRER: Affordability Still at Record Lows" [SeaBub, May 16]
Foreclosures Up MoM, Down YoY [PI, May 15]
NY firm buys 5th & Madison condo, says no changes. [PI, May 15]

5th & Madison Condo Update

2007-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

If you were walking around Downtown today, you might have noticed what's going to cover the south side of the 5th & Madison condo building.

For the rest of you, I'll have a photo tomorrow. It's a doozy. (Forgot the camera. !@#$)

Also: 5th & Madison recently changed hands. Twice.

Pop-Up Neighborhood: Update

2007-05-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

A number of updates regarding the East Denny Triangle area:
(Previous post here)

1. "Security Properties Plans 37-Story Residential Tower" [$ DJC, May 7]
The 37-story, 310 unit apartment tower would be at the SW corner of Pine St & Ninth Ave, former site of the Pande Cameron Building (see next item). It took me so long to get last week's East Denny Triangle "Pop-up Neighborhood?" [May 9] post up that it looks like I ripped off this DJC article! (Confession: I only just found out because I'm so far behind on my DJC reading.)

For those without subscriptions, choice quotes from the article:

“It's an interesting little emerging neighborhood,” said Blaine Weber, a principal with Weber + Thompson, which is designing Ava. He said the new residents and hotel guests should fuel restaurants, art galleries and other retail. “I think you have a recipe for a fabulous, vibrant neighborhood.”

And:

The planned project is in an area that is seeing an influx of housing. Houston-based Hanover Co. is building a 27-story, 224-unit upscale apartment complex at Eighth Avenue and Olive Way and R.C. Hedreen Co. is constructing the 39-story Olive 8 hotel/condo project, also at that intersection. Vancouver, B.C.,-based Executive Group and Fana Capital Corp. of Seattle plan the high rise Ava hotel/condo development at Eighth and Pine adjacent to the Camlin Hotel.

2. "Mix-up Allowed Demolition before Landmark Review" [$ DJC, May 7]
A demolition permit for the 1928 Pande Cameron building, on the SW corner of Pine St and Ninth Ave and known for it's "extensively detailed" terra cotta work, was issued the same day it was applied for early last year, even though it should have been reviewed by the city's Historic Preservation Office. (If they had determined it eligible for landmark status, it then would have gone before the city's Landmarks Preservation Board for decision.) However, it was doubtful that the building would be declared a landmark due to "integrity issues." (Too many modifications over the years.) The fallout?

Alan Justad, DPD spokesman: “There's no other way to put it: It's unfortunate.”
Christine Palmer, Historic Seattle: “It was very ornate, very beautifully done. It's a lost art. Nobody's building with [terra cotta] anymore.”
Brad Andonian, Owner: "Saying it was historic because of the terra cotta is 'like saying a building has old brick so it should be important.'”
The terra cotta pieces: Saved. "The terra cotta was removed by a private party after the building was vacated."

(Thanks to David for bringing this to my immediate attention.)

3. "Children's Hospital eyes South Lake Union site" [PSBJ, May 11]
The site is a full city block bordered by Stewart, Terry, Boren and Virginia streets; that's actually in the Eastern half of Denny Triangle. (Didn't I say this area had identity issues?) There's potential for a 1 million square foot office or lab space development. (Didn't I tell you this was going to be a diverse neighborhood? [Sorry.]) "'It's just another great story on what is going on between downtown Seattle and South Lake Union,' said [Kip] Spencer [of OfficeSpace.com]." (Didn't I say something about extraordinary? [Ok, really sorry now.])

I'll keep you posted. Send your tips to seattleplans@gmail.com

News Compendium

2007-05-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

It seems there's little to report since Sunday, so expect a Sunday/Thursday feature.

Also, linking to DJC stories seems redundant, so I think I'll just occasionally highlight or link to an article as it pertains to a posting.

Email tips here: seattleplans@gmail.com

Site Feeds

2007-05-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

You can now subscribe to the Seattle Plans Atom or RSS feed via the sidebar links. I can now try to stop apologizing for intermittent updates.

Get Ready for Seattle's Great Inclusionary Zoning Debate

2007-05-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Background:
Seattle's DPD and City Council are planning to consider major upzones (greater density, usually by raising building height limits) in some of Seattle's neighborhoods. The first of those neighborhoods, the Dravus/Interbay area, will likely go before the City Council by the end of the summer. Last year the State Legislature passed a bill that gives cities the ability to offer incentives to developers in exchange for inclusion of affordable housing units. (Previously the legality was murky, though untested.)

Where the City Government Stands:
Although no announcements have been made to the press, it’s understood among stakeholders that Mayor Nickels supports using this tool to create affordable housing and has directed his DPD staff to identify areas ripe for upzones that will include some sort of inclusionary zoning requirement. Likewise, seven of the nine City Council Members say they are supportive, though it’s said that when pressed for details, most falter.

Where it goes from here:
No one is particularly interested in reliving the Downtown Density Bonus fight (the one over the $18/sf number) so it's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. I'll do my best to keep you updated on where the issue stands. Of course, if you have any tips, rumors, or other information, please to send it my way: seattleplans@gmail.com.

Update: Comprehensive list (since 09-06) of local inclusionary/incentive zoning programs.

Events:

Neutral(?):
The City Council will be hosting a forum on incentivized inclusionary zoning similar to the recent community benefits forum.
Dates, details to be determined.
June, 2007
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
Free
More info coming.

For/Neutral(?):
Housing Partnership Workshop
The Ins and Outs: Inclusionary Programs for Affordable Housing
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Council Chambers, Kirkland City Hall
$40 per person, includes breakfast
A discussion surrounding the details of inclusionary programs:
Structures, Who Pays?, Mandatory vs. Voluntary, Mkt & Comm Reaction
More info: luisassociates@comcast.net

Against:
Master Builders Association of King & Snohomish County
The Truth Behind Inclusionary Zoning
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
MBA Housing Center, 335 116th Ave. SE, Bellevue
$25 members/$30 non-members
An economist will explain why it does more harm than good.
More info here.

Sunday Compendium

2007-05-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

Development:
First Hill's white-brick-arch building is coming down. [Slog, May 12]
Capitol Hill condo conversions. [PI, May 11]
2-3 month additional delay at Noma (Proj Mngr fired!) [UrbnLivn, May 11]
East Denny Triangle block transaction. [PSBJ, May 11]
Cascade/South Lake Union block transaction. [Times, May 10]
-PSBJ version here. [PSBJ May 10]

Neighborhood:
N'hood dynamics of New Holly's diverse population . [Times, May 13]
Difficulty selling landmark "Painted Lady of Beach Drive." [WS Blog, May 12]
Fluff piece on Eastlake. [Times, May 12]
West Seattle land use notice and a demolition. [WS Blog, May 11]

Construction:
Cause of the crane collapse in Bellevue. (Flawed design.) [Times, May 12]

Municipal/Zoning:
$13 million tax windfall from the Blackstone transactions. [Times, May 13]
Strip club zoning politics and misinformation. [Slog, May 11]

Transportation Infrastructure:
Beacon Hill light-rail tunnel cost overruns! ($1 million.) [PI, May 11]
Seattle Transit blog has something to say. Sort of. [SeaTrans, May 11]

Market:
Market update. [Seattle Condo Review, May 12]

A reevaluation of the Seattle Plans plan.

2007-05-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

Having now realized the time commitment necessary to blog, I'm going to need to rethink the focus of this blog.

I'd like to cover new development and provide some analysis and original content. But it's hard to do that without the time necessary for it. Until I have more time, then, I think you're going to have to expect a lot of links to other sites that are already devoting some time to this. It sounds like a recipe for blog-death, but I'm hoping that as this blog develops, someone out there will appreciate a clearinghouse of Seattle development news culled from a multitude of sources. I know it's something I've wanted for a long time.

To get this blog rolling, I'm going to try a regular feature every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday updating you on all of the development news since the previous update. I'll use this as a base and, time permitting, try to intersperse these regular posts with light analysis, market updates, construction photos, rumours, or whatever else might be interesting. Later today I'll do a live test.

Less talking about the blog and more actual blogging will commence now.

I'd appreciate any tips (about the blog or missed coverage) and feedback. You can email seattleplans@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

The move to Blogger.

2007-05-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

First, my apologies to those that have already bookmarked the site and subscribed to feeds. I'm new to blogging and I wasn't sure which service would be the best match for me. I did a live trial of Typepad thinking no one would notice the site so fast. Thanks for noticing, and if you're reading this, thanks for following me here.