06/14/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

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.

Striking design proposed for 1903 5th Ave (photos)

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]

06/07/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

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

5th & Madison: Now what?

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!

5th & Madison: Tiling still rising

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.

5/24/2007 DPD Bulletin Highlights

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.

5th & Madison: !

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?

5th & Madison Condo Update

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.