OK, post Seattle stuff here. For the whole Puget Sound region.

www.live2200.com
http://www.live2200.com/images/westlake-rendering.jpg
The Cosmopolitan
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/proposals/cosmopolitanseattle.jpg
The Braeburn
www.thebraeburn.com
http://e2ma.net/userdata/1260/images/medium/e1090257302.jpg
2201 Westlake
http://www.vulcanrealestate.com/images/2201-Westlake_bannerA.jpg
Construction Start: Fall 2005
Occupancy: Fall 2007

Mixed-use development in the center of Seattle's new urban center
100 residential units
302,200 SF of sustainable, productive office space
14,000 SF of ground floor retail including a restaurant
3,000 SF exercise facility for Tenant use
Proposed Streetcar stop directly in front of building

http://www.hotel1000seattle.com/features-architecture.html
http://www.hotel1000seattle.com/images/architecture.jpg

Of course there is the WaMu Tower
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/583/28seattle-wumutower-thumb.jpg
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/583/28seattle-wamutower.jpg

www.cristallaseattle.com
bigger rendering on the website
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_hi_CristallaExterior.jpg

Someone else take over :)

Silver Cloud Hotel next to Safeco Field
http://www.silvercloud.com/images/16/16rendering.jpg

Preliminary plans for a tall, skinny residential tower sorta near the Pike Place Market
http://img.bizjournals.com/u/f/seattle/20050321/coverimage.jpg
^
The top-left has a small rendering

A better rendering of the Hotel 1000
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_hi_1000First.jpg

Stewart Place
http://www.touchstonecorp.com/resources/Stewart%20Pl%20Model%20-%20sm.JPG

Avenue One Condos (finished, I think)
http://www.avenue1condos.com/v2/grfx/image_left.jpg

This thing, northern downtown - might be old rendering
http://djc.com/stories/images/20010124/bentalltower.jpg

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over in Bellevue . . .

Complex near Medenbauer Center
http://www.callison.com/images/slideshow/Meydenbauer_1B.jpg

Then of course Lincoln Square
http://www.onelincolntower.com/images/content/lincolnsquare1.jpg
http://www.lincoln-square.com/images/content/ACFB3.jpg

I really like avenue one, beautiful in mine eyes

Viaduct! 4.1 billion!

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/viaduct/Images/Tunnel_Illustration_AG_Larg.jpg

Light rail 4.6 billion!
http://www.soundtransit.org/images/projects/lightrail/CentralLink_Map2005.jpg

Nice buildings. I like that Cosmopolitan Building and any addition to the Seattle skyline is nice.

I still wish they would have released a better rendering of WaMu.

The Neptune
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_mu_neptunestreet.jpg

Colman Tower?
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_co_ColmanWestern.jpg

Westlake Plaza
8th & Westlake, Seattle

http://www.touchstonecorp.com/resources/elevation%20east%20-%20cropped.jpg

Avalon on the Square:
http://www.millikendevelopments.com/images/avalonphoto.jpg
Bellevue:
1020 Tower
http://www.bellevuedowntown.org/magazine/supportgraphics/17weaving2.gif

Lincoln tower from a few weeks ago:
http://img195.exs.cx/img195/8357/313054lv.jpg

Also:
South downtown is a complex neighborhood. It includes two world-class stadiums, an exhibition center, a highly effective waterfront, as well as eight existing and proposed transportation systems, including The The Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Greg Smith is an active member of Seattle Vision (website), a plan for real estate and economic development of South Downtown Seattle in and around Pioneer Square, prepared by major property owners in the area.

http://www.seattlevision.org/Images/Splash.jpg

The vision identifies:

• 16 buildings in the Pioneer Square Historic District as candidates for rehabilitation
• A neighborhood embracing the two stadiums
• 12,000 multi-family housing units, and an elementary school
• Over 4,000,000 square feet of commercial space for retail, office and institutional use
• 15 acres of public open space
• A major flagship hotel on Pier 48


http://www.seattlevision.org/home.html


Second & Pine

http://www.gbsre.com/images/thumb/thumb_1080245825.jpg
http://www.gbsre.com/properties/individualPDF.php?ID=8&pic=1080245825

http://factory.oxblue.com/client/wamu-sam/

Olympic Sculpture Park
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20030717/OlympicSculpturePk.JPG
Olympic Sculpture Park will feature a 2,200-foot-long, Z-shaped path.

Second and Pine
http://www.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2001/03/127106.jpg

2000 third ave
http://www.lmnarchitects.com/projects/office_imgs/2000_lrg.jpg

7th and westlake
http://www.officespace.com/osoweb/Seattle/BLDG/seventh/Building.jpg

Some projects that don't have renderings:
four seasons and residences
8th and olive
sheraton expansion
5th and yesler
4th and virginia

I think this one is history, at least most of it. The Port of Seattle is getting sooooo busy, there's no way they're gonna sacrifice that entire pier for commerical development.

http://www.seattlevision.org/Images/Splash.jpg

that 7th and westlake is an awesome rendering.

Looks like its just about finished.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle3/6121Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle3/6149Medium.jpg

beautiful......just am awesome building.

^I agree. I think there are more of them in the pipeline. :)

Very beautiful! The blue color is attractive.

^I think more developers should follow the concept of integrating the original facade with the new structure.

^^nice avatar p.s. :)

OK. Is there a summary anywhere of the buildings that are under construction or are CERTAIN to be under construction this year? Has this tabular summary already been prepared? If so, where is it? Anything less than 200 feet I find to be of nominal interest.

Here is my effort at a list. I would appreciate corrections, additions, missing projects, duplications, etc. For example, if one of these projects is listed twice because it has two names, let me know. Heights? Let me know. I'll update this summary table as you respond. Thanks!

Name---------------------Floors---Height-----City
Wamu----------------------42-------608-----Seattle
One Lincoln Tower----------41----------------Bellevue
8th and Olive---------------35----------------Seattle
Second and Pike------------35?---------------Seattle
The Cosmopolitan-----------33-------330-----Seattle
8th and Westlake-----------30?---------------Seattle
Tall tower near Market------30?---------------Seattle
Seventh and Westlake------24?---------------Seattle
Hotel 1000-----------------24-------240------Seattle
The Cristalla----------------22----------------Seattle
1020 Tower----------------22?---------------Bellevue
Four Seasons Hotel---------21----------------Seattle
Second and Pine------------21-------250------Seattle---The Avalon
2200 Westlake--------------18-------218------Seattle---Also called Pan Pacific hotel
2201 Westlake--------------18-------208-----Seattle

References:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homerealestate/2002227977_homecondo03.html
Also: The emporis Site

This thread isn't only for Skyscrapers is it? :D

seattle.... blaghhh!!!! most of those buildings i didnt like. basicly only WaMu and the already built (one of my favorite buildings in the world) Bank of America Tower.

what...............lol. I know this is your opinion......r u comparing them to vancouvers? Vancouvers are really ugly...they all look the same...even my cousins who lives there says the towers are ugly. I d k what u r talking about.

seattle.... blaghhh!!!! most of those buildings i didnt like. basicly only WaMu and the already built (one of my favorite buildings in the world) Bank of America Tower.


It's tough to see buildings that look different eh? :) IMO, some of these are better looking the Vanvouver's. Like jiggawhat said, they're all starting to look the same...blahhh :sleepy: Like an urban subdivision. But I still like vancouver.

Vancouver does have a nice skyline but most of the buildings really are ugly residential towers IMO. When you look at a chunk of buildings you can see all the open and closed curtains and blinds which really make it an eyesore.

^thank you! I'm glad we're not the only ones that are starting to feel that way.

That's funny, I've always been impressed by Vancouver's natural surroundings as well as its concentration of high-rises, but I always thought its skyline and the buildings themselves (with a few exceptions) were damn hideous.

^thats what we are saying....HORRIBLE architecture. It would be good if they had some of thier cool buildings...but when they all look the same...they just get lost in the sea of mush.

Just a Flash website available now:
http://www.1521second.com/

Haven't heard to much about that one, thanks for the input. Looks like 36 stories, 400ft/122m Great design to!

^I like the design. They could have done a better job though imo.

that looks like a rough sketch to me...

It kinda looks like Two Union Square with that roof thing on the top.

^I like that part. I was thinking more on the windows. I'm glad that they're going to be big windows though.

Here's a little website for 1521 Second Aveue. www.1521second.com.

Was previously posted by Bond

Also:
Information regarding the increase in the downtown height limits:

for more info click on the link

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/center_city/index.asp
In terms of geography, jobs and density, Center City represents the core of the region. By 2024 it is projected that this area will produce 57,000 new jobs and over 24,000 new housing units. For an expanded overview of the Center City Seattle strategy, read our brochure (1MB PDF).

Here's a little website for 1521 Second Aveue. www.1521second.com.
Hey, pay attention, dammit. ;)

Alright already!!^^ :doh:

New rendering of the WaMu tower

http://img219.echo.cx/img219/7839/wamucopy0sn.gif

Hey, pay attention, dammit. ;)



hey bond, you pay attention damnit, I already made a thread for the wamu center renderings.

^I posted the rendering above at 11:33. You didn't start the other thread until 12:10. So I beat you to it, actually. :D

ACTUALLY, Mr. Bondage, I posted it at 7:10 a.m. on the forum time. You didn't post yours until 11hrs 23mins AFTER that.

I win. :horse:


Bond --> :toilet:


Because I "pwned" you so bad, look at my avatar and title under my name. :D



.

^THEIF!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also posted my post at post at 6:33 forum time. So I STILL beat you!!! :P

New rendering of the WaMu tower

http://img219.echo.cx/img219/7839/wamucopy0sn.gif

Much better looking!!! Not revolutionary or anything like that but nice.

http://www.boomspeed.com/atucker7/wamucenter2.jpg

i think its a beautiful building...i wish it had a crown like the frost bank tower in austin. Hmmm...

^that wouldn't be bad. Maybe a cool spire? :)

yeahhh...

The design is fine, just tack on a few hundred more feet. :cheers:

Here is an updated list from what I can gather. Please let me know of corrections or comments. I didn't distinguish between UC and proposed.

Rossiapacifica

Name---------------------Floors---Height-----City
Wamu----------------------42-------608-----Seattle
One Lincoln Tower----------41----------------Bellevue
1521 Second Ave-----------36----------------Seattle (also called 2nd and Pike)
8th and Olive---------------35----------------Seattle
Camlin Block----------------35----------------Seattle (is this the same as 8th and Olive?)
The Cosmopolitan-----------33-------330-----Seattle
4th and Virginia-------------31----------------Seattle
8th and Westlake-----------30?---------------Seattle
Tall tower near Market------30?---------------Seattle
Seventh and Westlake------24?---------------Seattle
Hotel 1000-----------------24-------240------Seattle
The Cristalla----------------22?---------------Seattle
1020 Tower----------------22?---------------Bellevue
Sheraton Hotel-------------22----------------Seattle
Four Seasons Hotel---------21----------------Seattle
Second and Pine------------21-------250------Seattle---The Avalon
2200 Westlake--------------18-------218------Seattle---Also called Pan Pacific hotel
2201 Westlake--------------18-------208-----Seattle
5th and Yesler--------------17---------------Seattle
2200 Westlake tower 2------11---------------Seattle
2200 Westlake tower3-------11---------------Seattle

Here is an updated list from what I can gather. Please let me know of corrections or comments. I didn't distinguish between UC and proposed.

Rossiapacifica

Name---------------------Floors---Height-----City
Wamu----------------------42-------608-----Seattle
One Lincoln Tower----------41----------------Bellevue
1521 Second Ave-----------36----------------Seattle (also called 2nd and Pike)
8th and Olive---------------35----------------Seattle
Camlin Block----------------35----------------Seattle (is this the same as 8th and Olive?)
The Cosmopolitan-----------33-------330-----Seattle
4th and Virginia-------------31----------------Seattle
8th and Westlake-----------30?---------------Seattle
Tall tower near Market------30?---------------Seattle
Seventh and Westlake------24?---------------Seattle
Hotel 1000-----------------24-------240------Seattle
The Cristalla----------------22?---------------Seattle
1020 Tower----------------22?---------------Bellevue
Sheraton Hotel-------------22----------------Seattle
Four Seasons Hotel---------21----------------Seattle
Second and Pine------------21-------250------Seattle---The Avalon
2200 Westlake--------------18-------218------Seattle---Also called Pan Pacific hotel
2201 Westlake--------------18-------208-----Seattle
5th and Yesler--------------17---------------Seattle
2200 Westlake tower 2------11---------------Seattle
2200 Westlake tower3-------11---------------Seattle

The "tall tower near market" and 1521 second ave are the same thing. Unless you are referring to 2nd and Pike which is also 36 floors.

2201 westlake has an 11 story tower as well.

The camlin block tower is not the same as 8th and olive, its across the street. There actually isn't an official proposal yet but it was rumored to maybe reach 600 feet, which will be the new height limit for that area if the mayor's proposal goes through.

If you're gonna include bellevue projects, then there are a lot you are missing. (wasatch block, meydenbauer block, pSE site, city center II, ect)

^I was just going to say that about the 1521 second ave tower.

Here's all the pics i've found of HIGH RISE projects under construction or proposed for downtown seattle. I apologize for any duplicates of pics that already showed up on this thread.

Under Construction
WaMu Center
http://img219.echo.cx/img219/7839/wamucopy0sn.gif

2200
http://www.live2200.com/images/westlake-rendering.jpg

Cristalla
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_hi_CristallaExterior.jpg

Hotel 1000
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_hi_1000First.jpg

Cosmopolitan
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/proposals/cosmopolitanseattle.jpg

Approved/Proposed

1521 Second
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/primages/news_newslane.jpg

2nd and Pike
http://www.gbsre.com/images/thumb/thumb_1080245825.jpg

2nd and Pine
http://www.baumbergerstudio.com/support%20files/portfolio%20support/4pict4.jpg

Four Seasons
http://www.djc.com/special/construct2005/FourSeasons.jpg

West 8th
http://www.touchstonecorp.com/resources/new%20rendering%20-%20sm.jpg

7th and Westlake
http://www.officespace.com/osoweb/Seattle/BLDG/seventh/Building.jpg

5th and Yesler
http://www.djc.com/special/realestate2004/5THYESLER.JPG

2000 Third Ave
http://www.2000third.com/images/corner_site.jpg

2201 Westlake
http://www.slufan.org/images/2201_Westlake.jpg

No renderings available for:
8th and Olive
4th and Virginia
Sheraton tower 2
Schnitzer denny triangle towers
Benaroya mixed use

that 1521 tower doesnt look like the tower on the website. LOL. they arent two different towers are they?

West 8th looks amazing! The four seasons design looks disgusting. Also anyone know the height to 1521 second

2000 third I thought was canceled?


Here something new from Seattletimes.com

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2005/04/19/2002246821.gif
Nickels seeking to privatize plaza

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wants to shrink and privatize a plaza planned for the site of the city's old Public Safety Building, located across the street from City Hall. The old Public Safety Building once housed the Police Department and Municipal Court.

Nickels seeking to privatize plaza at city building

By Jim Brunner

Seattle Times staff reporter



JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES

The old Public Safety Building once housed the Police Department and Municipal Court. It is supposed to be demolished by this fall.


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Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wants to shrink and privatize a plaza planned for the site of the city's old Public Safety Building, located across the street from City Hall.

Nickels' preferred proposal, one of three options, would trim the size of the plaza by roughly half of what once was envisioned. The smaller size would make room for an additional, privately owned apartment building in addition to the private office tower that long has been planned for the block.

The mayor's aides said his plan would bring more money into city coffers by making the site more appealing to developers and would avoid "social problems," such as crime, that could come from opening a big, new downtown plaza.

The site is bounded by Third and Fourth avenues and James and Cherry streets.

Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said the mayor's proposal still would retain a "significant public open space" while adding much-needed housing to downtown.

But the proposal drew opposition yesterday from some City Council members, who vowed to fight any reduction of the open space that long has been in the plans for the new Civic Center.





"It is a complete abandonment of the long-standing vision that many of many of us have worked on for many years," said Councilman Peter Steinbrueck.

Council President Jan Drago said the mayor's plan was "unacceptable" and that the council would be drafting its own alternative, which would retain public ownership of a large plaza. Both the mayor's and the council's plans for the block likely will include a new underground parking garage.

The debate comes as workers are tearing down the old Public Safety Building, which had housed the Police Department and Municipal Court since 1950 until the opening of the nearby $92 million Justice Center in 2002. Demolition is supposed to be completed by this fall. The new $76.6 million City Hall opened in 2003.

The new City Hall and Justice Center, along with the Seattle Municipal Tower (formerly Key Tower) comprise the city's massive Civic Center project, which has cost more than $260 million so far. That doesn't include whatever needs to be spent on the Public Safety Building site.

Brenda Bauer, Fleets and Facilities department director for the city, said that by turning over ownership of the new plaza to a private business, the city could avoid a crush of new expenses involved in building and maintaining the space.

Bauer also touted the benefits of creating more "eyes on the street" by building new apartments on the site. The mayor's proposal suggests a 100-unit apartment building, located on the southwest portion of the block, with retail stores at street level.

That element, Ceis said, is crucial, because consultants have told the city that with the current high office-vacancy rates downtown, attracting developers who want to build an office tower may be difficult. But plenty of developers might be enticed by the opportunity to build a new apartment building.

"We think the residential piece would make [redeveloping the block] more attractive and make it happen sooner," Ceis said.

The city already plans to encourage new downtown activity with the pending sales of the nearby Alaska and Arctic buildings, which will be converted to condominiums and a hotel, respectively. They currently provide office space for city workers. A council committee plans to consider those sales today.

Ceis said a privately owned and operated plaza could avoid some of the problems that have plagued the nearby City Hall park, a grassy area next to the King County Courthouse where homeless people hang out. Ceis said the city could still guarantee public access to the new plaza by including a "covenant" in any purchase agreement.

Drago and Steinbrueck said they intend to fight any effort to sell the public land to private businesses.

While the mayor has stated his preference, he also developed two other options for consideration by the council. One would basically eliminate the entire plaza in favor of new office and apartment developments. The other would more closely mirror the original plans for the block, building an office tower on the northern third of the site and leaving the rest for a plaza.

Drago said she hoped the council's alternative would be ready by May 14, when the city plans to celebrate the official opening of City Hall's new plaza that faces the Public Safety Building site.

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com

^They should make that office building bigger than 20 stories. :( 30 would be better.

^why not build both and make it a taller building? :D

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20050420/450southlakeunion_vulcan.jpg
Ada M. Healey of Vulcan Real Estate demonstrates an interactive model of the Paul Allen-owned company's plans for South Lake Union. The model is in the South Lake Union Discovery Center, which opens to the public April 30, at Westlake Avenue and Denny Way and serves as a real- estate office, home show and exhibit hall. (April 19, 2005)

Credit: Paul Joseph Brown/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Related Story: Allen displays his vision for South Lake Union

www.seattlepi.com

Some First hill projects:

Avalon Madison Building
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/SJM87/430_RENDERING.jpg

Horizon House Tower
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/SJM87/254_HZHMarketingRenderings72-5.jpg

^^ The Avalon Madison building has been on hold with a foundation already in place for 2 years now, the vines and all that are growing on the alley area of the project. They removed the crane and left it behind for a long time. I wonder if they will return and complete the project, it's been a while and looks empty with a big hole in the ground.

Really I read that construction has resumed but maybe I heard wrong.

i wonder if in the future that like the area around the space needle or south lake union will become as dense as Downtown.....and have really tall high rises and maybe a 1000 footer since its a LITTLE bit firther away from seatac...i d k...just thinkin...lol

I wish they would just get the avalon madison finished already.

i wonder if in the future that like the area around the space needle or south lake union will become as dense as Downtown.....and have really tall high rises and maybe a 1000 footer since its a LITTLE bit firther away from seatac...i d k...just thinkin...lol

The thing about building really tall highrises around the space needle is that it would be misproportional because of the space needles small height. The space needle is a landmark that should stand on its own. So buildings shouldnt really be built to close to it. Take the CN tower, its really tall so building really dense to it wouldnt be a problem.

damn.......then take over pioneer square.....or south lake union...lol

wouldnt it be cool to see a wall of high rises lining the shores of south lake union....if u were looking from the lake..

Yeah pioneer square and south lake union are perfect places for highrise growth. They need to even it out a bit past boa.

^we could see a small scale of that kind of develpment if they approve the new height limits.

While not as flashy or as large as the highrise projects here, if you look on the DPD website at the permit bulletin page, there are lots of single family house lots that are subdivided and replaced with 3-4 townhomes, especially in the CD but all over. I think it's exciting for the urban fabric of seattle overall, a big downtown is great and should obviously be the primary focus but an overall densification and urbanization of seattle's currently primarily single family neighborhoods would do so much for the energy and vitality of the city.

wamu growth, photo from rainier meadows :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/SJM87/sea2.jpg

it will be higher then that by a little i believe cause the space needle is more off in the dustance making it appear smaller...where as the wamu tower from that angle will be taller becasue its closest to the water. ...such as the wells fargo tower...

Yeah very true because of elevation differences. Its just a rough estimation showing how high is it may look in relation to the similar height of the space needle.

It looks like 2 Union Square won't be blocked completely. What do you think?

From the looks of it maybe a portion of it only because the wide side of the wamu building will face the water. So 2 union square will still peek over the top because of the elevation going up and it's right side will be seen.

The 2 Union Square could be blocked for the most part, and the 608 ft tall WA-mu tower would be probably a bit lower than the Space needle in the skyline, because I think the elevation where the wa-mu tower is built is lower than the elevation where Space Needle is, which is at 175 ft elevation. I can't wait to see the completed Wa-mu tower to the skyline by 2006.

:D

Haha, cool graphic!

Sad to see two union square being blocked, but I'm sure it will be visible from other angles, possibly for a limited time? :D

Thats not the best angle of 2 union square anyways, so it wont be a total loss.

The Space Needle is more like 75' elevation. I'm being lazy and not looking it up. I'd guess they're pretty close in base elevation.

hmmm...either way...it will impact the skyline from that angle and from queen anne...i cant wait to see pics from there as its steel starts going up!

The Space Needle is more like 75' elevation. I'm being lazy and not looking it up. I'd guess they're pretty close in base elevation.

It's actually about 125 ft elevation, not 75 ft elevation, thanks for trying. ;)

Hmm 125ft, is a pretty significant difference.

Dunno guys!

A City of Seattle map (small jpg, I'm assuming it was 50' increments) shows only a little of the Seattle Center at more than 100'. Right around the PSC and Children's Theater.

The Seattle Marathon claims to start at 100'. Though the Space Needle is a bit higher.

One site said its top elevation is 725', which would mean it sits on 120'.

Remembering that the 100' level is around 100' in elevation, look at the photo. I'll buy 100' but 125' looks too high.

I've yet to find a readable firsthand, authorative source. Only spent 20 minutes though.

however it looks...it looks...we wont change it...we will just have to see for ourselves...lol..

http://www.avenue1condos.com/ave2/images/building-button.jpg

From the creators of avenue 1, 190 condos and live/work lofts at Western and Cedar

Begin summer 2005, completion winter 2006

Here's a cool pic of WAMU a few days ago!

http://img17.echo.cx/img17/4531/111185lkj17pr.jpg

I watch it rise everyday outside my office window......imagine my view when it's complete! :cool:

Major re-development area in Southeast Seattle...

Here's the link for all the information u need, about new homes/townhouses. I have drove past the area, it looks really nice! There's been doing so much construction on MLK way where light rail will run on the median.

http://www.othellostation.com/ Enjoy! :D

^very cool!

I just drove by it today and they're to floor 19, the core that is...

Bellevue news:

The skinny on `pencil tower'
2005-05-09
by David A. Grant
Journal Reporter

It's been dubbed ``Euro tower'' by city planners, ``point tower'' by the architect who designed it and ``pencil'' or ``wafer'' tower by others.

Whatever the name, a 20-story condominium tower proposed for downtown Bellevue is one slim building.

How lean is it?

It's so skinny that the lot on which it may someday be built is just 5,682 square feet in size, smaller than a typical single-family house lot in Bellevue.

It's so skinny there will be just one condo per floor -- a total of 18.

It's so skinny that instead of a conventional underground parking garage, there's only room for a robotic parking system that does everything for car owners but warm up the engine.

Jeffrey Hummel, the Seattle architect who designed the building, said tall, thin buildings and automated parking systems are more common in Asia and Europe, where buildable land is scarce.

But it's a first for Bellevue, said Hummel, who has located only two such parking systems in the entire nation -- neither of them on the West Coast.

``It's driven a lot by its constraints,'' Hummel said of the project at Northeast 10th Street and 110th Avenue Northeast. ``It's a small site. To bring it to its highest and best use we had to figure out how to get value out of it.''

``We wondered how to make high density work on a little tiny site. You do it with the parking system. Also, by pushing the tower up you get high value out of the upper floors'' with better views.

An underground parking lot with a ramp takes up too much space, Hummel said, so he decided on the mechanical system that will accommodate 32 cars, requires no ramp and no employee to park the cars.

He described the underground parking system this way: A condo resident drives his or her car into an elevator ``portal,'' gets out and uses a key card to activate the system.

The car, sitting on a ``pallet,'' descends to a parking garage where the ``mechanical parking system,'' as Hummel describes it, lifts the pallet and car out and deposits them into a ``cubbyhole.''

To retrieve their car, the owner simply swipes the key card and the vehicle appears at street level, ready to roll.

``It's like a candy machine where you push the button and you watch while it delivers the snack. You push A3 and out pops your car,'' Hummel said.

Located at the corner of a narrow block, the tiny site is now occupied by a small single-family house that contains a dental practice.

The first floor of the building will contain a lobby, Hummel said, with an exercise room on the second floor and condos beginning on the third.

Units will range in size from 1,260 square feet on the lower floors to 1,600 square feet on the top five stories.

Prices will start at $400,000 and rise to $1.4 million for a penthouse with roof access.

Hummel estimates the total cost of the project at $8.7 million, a modest amount for a 200-foot tall, concrete frame building.

In contrast, a proposed project a few blocks away known as Bellevue Towers calls for 480 condominiums in two 40-story towers at an estimated cost of $325 million.

The owners of the property are a Russian developer named Igor Gershman and his son, Eugene, who lives in Bellevue, Hummel said.

A partnership headed by Eugene Gershman purchased the lot in April for $1.3 million from David Myaskovasky, who bought it for $400,000 in 1998.

Hummel said the new property owners are willing to try something different, even though some people have expressed skepticism about the skinny building.

``They don't immediately jump to the conclusion it can't be done,'' Hummel said of the Gershmans.

David Grant can be reached at david.grant@kingcountyjournal.com or 425-453-4237.

Check out how the new WaMu Center Tower is going to stand out in the Seattle skyline from this angel.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/9195Medium.jpg

Nice!! It's going to make an impact from a lot of angles! woohoo

It looks really nice. Pan Pacific complex is coming along too.

http://images.ibsys.com/2005/0511/4478738.jpg

i want a rendering from like far away...hmmm

^ Definately looks like a really nice building

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/9239Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/9236Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/9248Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/9258Medium.jpg

Going to really impact the skyline. We are witnessing bellevue's growth into a major city.

I cant wait till it tops out!

Yay for Lincoln Tower! When I saw it the other day I freaked out (and sort of embarassed myself, too :) )

Lincoln Tower : May 9th taken from Bellevue Square

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02376.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02377.jpg

..sorry for the quality, I was driving..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02371.jpg

WAMU : May 10th (Whats that tower rising in the distance?)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02389.jpg

Here....wondering what is it

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02395.jpg

thats the new 24 storey madison tower.
http://www.madisontowerseattle.com/images/architecture.jpg

down on 1st ave, if you go into what use to be the sales office for cristalla. it is now the sales office for maddison tower. they have one of those big 5' tall models of it and it looks much different then that rendering. i also went into the slu discovery center. they're big model of 2200 makes me really excited. i noticed a sign on 4th and virgina for a proposed 31 floor residential tower. does anyone know more about this? also there are a couple of cranes in the south end of downtown. i'm not really sure what they are. one of em is really close to I-5 and looks like it could be 5th and yesler. is there a chance they could have started on it without any of us hearing?

Does anyone know what the crane is for right off of I-5 South next to Bank of America? :dunno:

who is involved on the 5th and yesler one. it could be that? that's not to far from boat

yeah that may be it! :dunno: It is located in the same area.....I just didn't think that was still on......:uh:

hmm
whats is 5th and yesler?

5th and yesler finally rising?

5th and Yesler
http://www.sclaterpartners.com/work_projects.php?mdx=2&pdx=16

Here's a nice rendering of Lincoln Tower too :D
http://www.sclaterpartners.com/work_projects.php?mdx=1&pdx=12

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10005Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10006Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10007Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10008Small.jpg

yeah and this good model...

http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/7th_Westlake_lg.jpg

bellevue place expansion...

http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/BP_Expansion_2_lg.jpg

Progress of the Pan Pacific Center as of May 10, 2005

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/veranda/DSC02360.jpg

thanks for the updates! It should rise pretty quick now...

Bellevue place expansion is boring looking...

i would have to agree....they should put a nice slender tower there with a nice crown...

How tall is the bellevue expansion? 300ft?

yeah that may be it! :dunno: It is located in the same area.....I just didn't think that was still on......:uh:

Hey guys, the 5th and Yelser status on emporis.com (skyscrapers.com) it says it's never built. They haven't updated about that new building under contstruction, there are a heap load of buildings under contstruction and it's going crazy!

yeah....i went by that project today and saw it from the freeway....if they are building what we think they are building...it will stand olut very well from that end of town. Can Someone go look for a sign or anything?

I was over there yesterday. My pictures are aweful but there is a huge hole in the ground with lots of construction activity. 25 story office tower is what I was told.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10047Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10050Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10051Medium.jpg

so its not this one anymore?

http://www.sclaterpartners.com/images_proj/5thYesler_1_lg.jpg

I like this one^

wow, great architecture!

i like it too!

but im not sure if thats what they are building?

weird....good work guys! :okay:

Why arent they using that design ^^ anymore, it looks really nice.

^I know, it looks very international, unique. I'm not sure why they're no longer using the same design...probably to save on the cost of the resources for that type of sleak design. just a guess though...

pwright, are those pics from the 5th and yesler site? if so, t hen where did you take the pic of that sign? it looked like the site is still a grassy knoll from that picture.

The sign is right next to the construction site. Just a few feet south of the construction site is a grassy knoll. In those 2 pics I took, there's a grassy knoll between the construction site and those tall evergreen trees. Come to think of it that sign has been there for quite a while. I believe the rendering jiggawhat displayed is the real deal.

hmmm....i dunno. maybe they are buidling two towers! I dont like this guessing game...at least they are building somthing!

I found some permit info on the DPD website:

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/notices/gmr/2004-12-27.asp#2401763

There are permits for 3 different sites, owned by King County I believe.
I think the crane is busy building a eight story parking lot (Great!), rising but 3 stories on the 6th ave side because of the deep site.
The second site is adjacent to the west bordering 5th ave and jefferson. another parking lot and a 5 story office building
There is a third site across 5th ave from the second, it is currently occupied by a parking garage to be replaced with a 13 story office building for city or county workers.

It saddened me greatly to learn that this gorgeous hole was going to be filled with another fucking parking lot. I prefer the hole. No doubt it will be painted with the same impossibly dismal pallete that covers everything these days (see that Lincoln Square building). "How about Suicide Grey and Third Word Mud with a little of last night's Taco Bell around the trim?" Starting to look a lot like the ole Soviet Union round here.

But perhaps being gov buildings they'll use the same folks who did City Hall and the Justice Center, which are some of the more attractive buildings downtown imo.

"How about Suicide Grey and Third Word Mud with a little of last night's Taco Bell around the trim?"

haha.


Welcome to the forums.

so those cranes that we saw arent even the fifth and yesler building under construction?

I don't think so. The crane is building on the corner of 6th and jefferson.

This shot by pwright1 is of an adjacent lot on 5th ave just south of the crane. It looks like this project is replacing that cool looking silver "5th and yesler" posted above
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10051Medium.jpg

^^ Yeah that rendering is on emporis

Well used to be.

dumb

It's ok.

cosmopolitan crane is up. i went up on the roof top deck the other day. i have an unobstructed view of it. a pretty good view of 2200 and i can now see wamu poking up over that big white rectangle building too

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10297Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10295Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10298Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10302Medium.jpg

Hotel 1000
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10289Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle4/10288Medium.jpg

awesome pictures.

Here is the 5th and Yesler construction site from above. If you look hard enough you can see the 5th & Yesler Bldg sign posted on the grassy knoll just south of the construction site.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle5/11013Medium.jpg

^ohhhh....so i guess the construction is for something else then. probalby the garage that soemone mentioned above. sucks.

here's an early rendering of Hedreen's upcoming "Olive 8" hotel/condo coming to the denny triangle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/PacificNW/Olive80001.jpg

Here is the 5th and Yesler construction site from above. If you look hard enough you can see the 5th & Yesler Bldg sign posted on the grassy knoll just south of the construction site.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle5/11013Medium.jpg

It doesnt look very big :dunno:


nice rendering for olive 8

...here's an early rendering of Hedreen's upcoming "Olive 8" hotel/condo coming to the denny triangle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/PacificNW/Olive80001.jpg
I like the groovy rolling egg artwork around the bottom.

^ohhhh....so i guess the construction is for something else then. probalby the garage that soemone mentioned above. sucks.

here's an early rendering of Hedreen's upcoming "Olive 8" hotel/condo coming to the denny triangle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/PacificNW/Olive80001.jpg


Hopefully it's a really really really early rendering so that they had time to change it.

it does look like one of those early kind of renderings that will change alot.

I like the groovy rolling egg artwork around the bottom.


I like the awesome small square windows with the larger rectangle ones above them,its very inventive

^inventive? you mean innovative? I hope you were being sarcastic because it's not innovative ;) My guess is that the bottom portion will be a Hotel and the top portion is condos, hence the larger windows...

^Inventive is a word, too.

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20050602/8andM1.jpg

Stalled First Hill project to restart later this month

Construction is set to begin again soon on the First Hill mixed-use project at Eighth and Madison that was stopped just after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Ah good to this project finally start up again.

New Capitol Hill condos in the 48-unit Meritage

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20050603/Meritagerendering.jpg
Meritage, a 48-unit condo project at 124 Bellevue Ave. E., is among the latest residential developments on Seattle's Capitol Hill.

Walked by WaMu on Saturday. Glass panels and granite(?) going in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle5/11353Medium.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle2/seattle5/11355Medium.jpg

cool......great more beige! ;)

thats from the seattle art museum side right?

^^No, that's the Union St. side.

most of what's in the photo is sam though

Oh ok. I misunderstood.^^

i dunno the streets..so it is of the sam?

^it's union and 1st avenue

yes it's of the sam

Hello all. Im new to this site. Does anybody have construction pictures of the the Cosmopolitan?

i might, all it is right now is a hole with a crane sticking out though.

^yeah there is not much there yet. Welcome to the forum Dancer. :)

^inventive? you mean innovative? I hope you were being sarcastic because it's not innovative ;) My guess is that the bottom portion will be a Hotel and the top portion is condos, hence the larger windows...


I was definitely joking, that building is hideous!

hey guys, I work am currently working on the WAMU tower. Its one of the best jobs I've worked on. If you guys only saw what i see everyday, such great sights, especially up on the core highrise. I can get you some pretty bad ass pics of the building too, or whatever else haha.

i wanna see pics.

That sounds great.

I saw like 3 cranes pretty close to each other south of downtown Seattle near 5th and Yelser, 2 cranes nearby. I guess there's a explosion of construction so far I've seen. So far, I think there's more than 15+ cranes popping around Seattle alone, some outside from downtown.

Yeah man Clu do it! :cool: :uh:

Welcome to the forum by the way! :)

Here's some construction/crane shots

WaMu from Denny Way
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/construction2/PICT0638.JPG

Threes Company
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/construction2/PICT0743.JPG

What's the building on the right being redeveloped?
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/construction2/PICT0760.JPG

it's the cobb building being converted to residential

I wonder, since condos are selling like hotcakes in downtown, what is happening with the Avalon? I was really looking forword to seeing that project breaking up that two block span of nothing between Macys and 1st ave.

about 8 months ago i heard something about it being jumped from 21 floors to 27 but i haven't heard anything at all since then.

yeah...that would be great....maybe soon we will hear about the avalon

That sounds good about the hight. I hope somthing happens soon

More height is always good :)

This is cool! I just went to vulcan's website and downloaded the fact sheet on 2201 westlake I would post a picture if I could but there is tons of good stuff in there to see :yes:


http://www.vulcanrealestate.com/TemplatePropertyPortfolio.aspx?contentId=71 (http://)

^
Invalid URL.

I had to copy and paste in the address bar.

sry guys im still trying to learn how to use this stuff. I hope you can get to the site. Its good stuff

Great site!

there is a good fact sheet on Ally 24 on there to

There were ads for 2200 and the cosmopolitan in the WSJ weekend section last friday.

Just got back from the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Waterfront presentation. Very cool stuff and a lot of people in attendance. You had a few protesters outside that want to rebuild the viaduct (besides money and a view, I don't understand the argument) and a few more whiners and complainers inside.

I have to admire the people there to answer questions for all of the complaints they have to put up with. Most of them were really professional and informative.

On my way back home I took a couple of pictures of the WAMU/SAM building and the new Cristalla building. You'll see from the pics that some of the exterior on the WAMU/SAM tower is being put on; they are going to be putting up the rest in the next week or so. Half of the steel for the SAM is fireproofed and the exterior frames are ready for the windows and skin. Should be an interesting couple of weeks.

Cristalla from up close is absolutely amazing. The quality of work on this building is fabulous and the integration of the old Bethel Chapel exterior works well. The sidewalk has very intricate details and stands out from the rest of the street.

Enjoy the pictures!!!

How do you post pictures?

How do you post pictures?
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=59844

Monorail is coming in at 2.1 billion and opening december 2010. I say kill it now.

The original renderings had columns 3 feet in diameter. The columns are now 4'9''. They're gigantic. I'm sorry but it's so ugly, it'll ruin 2nd avenue in downtown. They really ought to just scrap it and use the money for light rail north or if they must, design light rail for that corridor so it can tie into the rest of the regional system.

Stupidity IMO, it just seems so expensive and so ugly and so wasteful to use a different technology than is being used for the rest of the region. 4'9''!!!!!

It's 4MB but worth it. By the way, I agree with PDXPaul; taking a second look I think it would be better to put light rail on the same corridor.

http://www.soundchurch.com/construct.jpg

Monorail's building, debt costs balloon to $11 billion

By JANE HADLEY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

It will cost more than $11 billion to pay for the 14-mile monorail Green Line project and the debt to finance it, according to documents made public yesterday.

That's more than triple what Sound Transit will pay for construction and debt service for its 14-mile light rail line from downtown Seattle to Tukwila.

The total also is more than five times the construction tab alone for the monorail, a ratio that troubles state Treasurer Mike Murphy.

"You've got to be kidding me," Murphy said yesterday. "That's ludicrous."

He said the typical principal and interest payments on a state project amount to double the construction cost of the project. That ratio would suggest a total cost of less than $4 billion for the $1.9 billion monorail.

Monorail officials said Monday that they would overcome budget obstacles by extending collection of a Seattle car-tab tax until 2050 or beyond. Murphy said the state ordinarily does not issue bonds longer than 25 years, because there is no "economic advantage."

In addition, the monorail expects to pay higher interest rates than Sound Transit -- up to 7 or 8 percent for junk bonds, which will pay for part of the project Seattle voters narrowly approved in 2002.

The monorail has been forced into some unconventional financing arrangements because the project is about 20 percent more expensive than expected and because its motor-vehicle excise tax revenue is 30 percent less than expected. Seattle residents pay 1.4 percent annually of the state-calculated value of their vehicles.

OnTrack, which bills itself as a monorail watchdog group, was critical of the tax extension plan.

Click Here
"There's a huge price with extending the term of the bonds out as long as they're going," said OnTrack policy analyst Krista Camenzind, calling $11 billion "an amazing amount of money to pay for bonds."

"The kids who graduated from high school this month will be paying this monorail tax for their entire working life and maybe into their retirement, but they had no say in planning or approving the Green Line," she said.

City Councilman Richard Conlin, who has been a monorail skeptic, said it's too early to draw any conclusions, but he added: "When I heard there was 45 years of payments, it's troubling. I really need to look at that very carefully."

Of the $11 billion in debt service, he said, "That's a ton of money."

The City Council must ultimately approve construction of the West Seattle to Crown Hill line on city streets.

Longtime monorail critic Henry Aronson said the extended tax bite would make it difficult and perhaps impossible for Seattle to pay for other transportation projects, such as any future monorail lines, extending light rail or replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the state Route 520 bridge.

"The monorail board seems perfectly happy to mortgage four generations of taxpayers to pay for one-fifth of the monorail plan offered to the voters in 2002," he said.

Monorail spokeswoman Natasha Jones said the $11 billion number looks big because it includes inflated future dollars.

"It does look like a big number when you get out that far," she said. "We opted to spread that over a larger period of time. These are choices we all make in our everyday life. Do you pay off your mortgage in 15 years or do you spread it out over 30 years?"

Jones noted that the monorail is a "tangible asset," not clothes or food or a trip. "This is a 100-year system we're aiming for," she said.

It's reasonable not to put the entire cost on current users, she said.

Paying for future extensions of the monorail or other transportation projects "is a discussion the community will need to have," she said. "They can look at federal dollars or other taxing mechanisms."

Murphy, the state treasurer, said he ordinarily does not get involved in local issues but made an exception for the monorail.

"I have a several-inch-thick file on these guys. Everything I have seen just does not pencil out," he said. Murphy says he does not believe the monorail will have enough income from the car tab tax to pay for the debt.

He said the monorail's finance director, Jonathan Buchter, recently asked for a meeting, but Murphy told Buchter he had already met several times with him and "now I want to meet with your board." A meeting is set for early July. State Auditor Brian Sonntag, who is also concerned about the project, also plans to be present.

"When we see folks going off the deep end, we feel it's important to comment on it," Murphy said. "The number keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger and they haven't turned a spade of dirt yet. That's the issue for me. I would never ever, ever indebt the state of Washington in the way they are indebting the citizens of the city of Seattle. It's unconscionable what they're doing."

The Seattle Monorail Project released its voluminous report Monday detailing finances. Buchter has insisted that the numbers do pencil out. However, he was gone yesterday and will be for the rest of the week, Jones said.

Murphy said the monorail "did a tricky thing" when it told voters debt would be capped at $1.5 billion in 2002 dollars. That means that the debt is "an open-ended deal" and the more time passes, the higher the debt cap is.

Richard Borkowski, president of People for Modern Transit, said there are many uncertainties hanging over the project.

"The price keeps going up and they're delivering much less than what was voted on," he said. "They're buying fewer trains, the frequency is less, there are fewer stations."

Jones said the critics have been claiming "the sky is falling" for the past three years.

"We've risen to every challenge that's been thrown our way," she said. "We've been able to do all the things critics have said we couldn't do. We've done a great thing. We've delivered an elevated-automated transit system citizens have been clamoring for decades."

The project will bring 2,100 jobs every year for construction, she noted. The monorail is scheduled to open Dec. 1, 2010.

MONORAIL COSTS

To pay for the 14-mile monorail project and the debt to finance it, more than $11 billion will be required. That's more than triple what Sound Transit will pay for construction and debt service for its 14-mile light rail line from downtown Seattle to Tukwila.

# Monorail construction costs and debt service: $11 billion.

# Sound Transit's Central Line construction cost and debt service: $3.24 billion.

*cough* ELEVEN BILLION?????? Time to anabon the monorail and don't BUILD it!

you have to take in consideration that the 11 billion dollar figure is including inflation in 2050 when it is suppose to be paid off $1 will be worth about what 10 cents is now

I hate inflation in costs. Can you imagine paying $5 for just an apple in few decades later? Or maybe $4 for a aluminum can soda pop, and our minimum wage would be probably $10-12 a hour while high level jobs paying $40-50 per hour.

i just read the decision document for the new sheraton expansion. it says 22 floors on top of a 3 floor podium. in another paragraph it said it was 25 stories. i think it's suppose to start construction pretty soon, my mom was talking to a lady that worked at a coffee shop in the bottom and she said they were gonna have to close pretty soon because of construction of the expansion. that's pretty cool being 25 floors instead of 22 means that it could be pretty close to 300' or maybe even over.

Any more info on that pier 48 project thing? ^^ Bret's last pic

Pier 48 is Colman Dock, the Washington State Ferries terminal in Seattle. I spent a few minutes talking to them about what they were going to build. Basically they are going to make a massive terminal like the train terminals in Europe (think Paris, London) but more modern. This will be a signature, iconic building for the waterfront. The holding areas for the cars that are waiting to board is actually underneath the dock and extends south under the water. The entrance would be at Jackson Street.

Costs are $250 million covered by the 5 cent gas tax approved a couple of years ago. WSF will also receive revenue from any part of the property that is developed for commercial purposes. The entrance on Alaskan Way will be open and well light, modern and restore some of the shoreline to make it feel more natural.

If the monorail will cost $11 billion 2005 dollars then we should probably start over. Though I would like to know how that number was arrived at, and in an article where it is mentioned 7 times it should be explained in the article.

If the stated $11 billion includes "inflated future dollars" as the SMP's Jones said, then it is that really $11 billion dollars? It's hard to check any of these numbers with the "documents made public" or the "voluminous report" the SMP apparently released, because reference to them is vague and linkage to them nonexistent.

I guess for me, this article reads more like a paid advertisment by some Martin Selig front than any kind of news, let alone journalism. In light of that, I find the $11 billion figure suspect, for now.

Say it ain't so, SMP

Incidentally, wonder how much a gallon of gas will go for in 2050.

Pier 48 is Colman Dock, the Washington State Ferries terminal in Seattle. I spent a few minutes talking to them about what they were going to build. Basically they are going to make a massive terminal like the train terminals in Europe (think Paris, London) but more modern. This will be a signature, iconic building for the waterfront. The holding areas for the cars that are waiting to board is actually underneath the dock and extends south under the water. The entrance would be at Jackson Street.

Costs are $250 million covered by the 5 cent gas tax approved a couple of years ago. WSF will also receive revenue from any part of the property that is developed for commercial purposes. The entrance on Alaskan Way will be open and well light, modern and restore some of the shoreline to make it feel more natural.

Pier 48 is close to Coleman Dock, to the south. Coleman Dock is Pier 52. The project, as I understand it, would encompass both.

I don't know what's going on with funding, but I'd be surprised if funding was wrapped up that neatly. Is there a website that describes this?

You're right. 48 is next door.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/projects/SeattleColmanDock/

The pictures I shot were from the Alaskan Way Viaduct meeting at Benaroya Hall on Tuesday night.

Pier 48 is Colman Dock, the Washington State Ferries terminal in Seattle. I spent a few minutes talking to them about what they were going to build. Basically they are going to make a massive terminal like the train terminals in Europe (think Paris, London) but more modern. This will be a signature, iconic building for the waterfront. The holding areas for the cars that are waiting to board is actually underneath the dock and extends south under the water. The entrance would be at Jackson Street.

Costs are $250 million covered by the 5 cent gas tax approved a couple of years ago. WSF will also receive revenue from any part of the property that is developed for commercial purposes. The entrance on Alaskan Way will be open and well light, modern and restore some of the shoreline to make it feel more natural.

Ah thanks for the info

Pier 48 is Colman Dock, the Washington State Ferries terminal in Seattle. I spent a few minutes talking to them about what they were going to build. Basically they are going to make a massive terminal like the train terminals in Europe (think Paris, London) but more modern. This will be a signature, iconic building for the waterfront. The holding areas for the cars that are waiting to board is actually underneath the dock and extends south under the water. The entrance would be at Jackson Street.

So, will this be a terminal for ferries only?

In the current rail plan for Seattle, is there a central rail terminal for the future lines to meet at, such as a Union Station. I'm a bit ignorant on how the system works now and the plans for the future.

King St. Station has amtrak, sounder, and a light rail station(next door, I think to the north) plus a monorail station I think next door(west) too.

Okay, cool. Is that the one that's a replica of the Campanile in Venice? That's a fitting centre for mass transit.

I really like Seattle and it's on my list of places that I might want to move to after college. Besides the high cost of living, the only thing that holds me back is the surprisingly small scale of rail transit in the city, especially for such a large, supposively liberal city. I suppose it costs more to build light rail in Seattle, than say Denver, which is building a very impressive light rail system. I guess in Seattle they have all the tunnels that add to the cost, plus the higher cost and land the higher density which adds up the tab. Hopefully in the coming decades, rail service will be expanded to the Eastside, but maybe that's a pipe dream.

Past Seattle city planers were just dumb as rocks. They should have had a vision for the future other than lets keep this city small. Like when in the 70's the federal government offered to pay for the city to build a subway. Now the city has grown and it is way too expensive to do much

Like when in the 70's the federal government offered to pay for the city to build a subway. Now the city has grown and it is way too expensive to do much

Whoa, I can't believe any city would turn down an opportunity like that. That's just sad.

Here's what happened.

Late 60's, early 70's....... Boeing has a massive economic downturn and lays off a bunch of people.... Seattle freaked and people started to move away.

The city fathers at that time came up with the idea of Forward Thrust which had a bunch of items on it (Kingdome, Metro, parks, aquarium, etc. and most importantly a new subway system). Forward Thrust had several portions of the intiative so people could vote yes or no on the individual pieces. The opposition basically told people that they could get everything minus the subway for less than the entire subway system would cost. Everything passed except the rail portion.

When it was defeated the money that was to come from the Feds went to Atlanta and thus was born MARTA (Metropolitan Alanta Rapid Transit Authority).

You can read more at http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=2168. Read what Mayor Braman said about the rejection of the transit portion.

Thanks for the info. Good website, too.

Even without much rail, Seattle has the #2 transit ridership in the Western US per capita, any way you slice it. Buses aren't sexy, but along with some exclusive rights-of-way they carry a lot of people.

Also, add to this...Seattle also wanted a monorail system in the 1900 ish, but they failed....Germany was the first country in the world to have a system wide monorail, it is upside down with overbuilt tracks and beams. It still in operation and it's over 100 years old. It goes up to 35 miles per hour. I'm suprised it still runs, lol.

Don't say we never post nuthin' in the westcoast-

'The 400' Condo Development in Bremerton! 66 Units

http://www.400wa.com/v2/content/building/rendering1.jpg

'Harborside' at Washington Avenue between 2nd Street and Burwell Street in Bremerton, Washington

http://www.windermererealestate.com/projects/assets/images/harborsidecondos1.jpg
http://www.windermererealestate.com/projects/assets/images/harborsidecondos2.jpg

Don't say we never post nuthin' in the westcoast-

'The 400' Condo Development in Bremerton! 66 Units

http://www.400wa.com/v2/content/building/rendering1.jpg

ooh, that condo tower looks nice! That would be a nice addition to Bremerton's
downtown or whatever, since ya didn't mention where in Bremerton, that's okay though. :)

Couple of Tacoma projects

Reverie at Mercato-
Elevation
http://www.marcatolife.com/images/reverie/home_main.gif
The first phase of the entire 'mercato' area is reverie so there's going to be more projects in the orange area.
http://www.marcatolife.com/images/location/location_main.gif

And Hawthorne hill, this project is right next to the I5 on the southside overlooking downtown, I remember seeing it under construction when I was driving back from seattle a month ago
http://www.rynessnw.com/images/hawthornehill/photo.jpg

I'd assume downtown, it is next to the water though so that elimates a lot of potential sites.

A Few things

Seattle has a very very strong retail market, because there just isn't a lot of supply coming online. I'd expect there to be retail on the 2nd & Pike and 2nd & Pine projects, but are those formally part of the plans? I was thinking toys r us on one side, needless markup and a fcuk on the other, in my dreams.

How goes approval of increased heights in downtown Seattle? I hope it happens soon! With everyone predicting an end to the housing bubble by the year, Seattle's market seems pretty healthy, prices not super sky high but job growth is strong and Seattle is a bit of a destination city(say moreso than Portland). But the GMA still exists and people need houses. Again 100k+ more people in Seattle by 2025. Gotta put 'em somewhere.

Also Greg Nickels is still unopposed, so it looks like he'll be sailing into reelection so we can expect continued push for higher heights in the neighborhood urban centers which is excellent.

Hi, I've been following the thread for awhile, I love this site!! Anyway, I wanted to post an update for everyone from the eastside. Its my first attempt at posting some images.....here it goes.

Lincoln Tower is just a couple floors from topping out. I took this photo last week from my condo.. I actually have an entire series of photos of the building as its been going up for the past year.
http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/DSC03336c.jpg

Ashwood Commons Rendering...
http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/AshwoodCommonsBellevue.jpg

I took these photos from the Ashwood commons construction site last week. It seems to be going up pretty quickly. I noticed yesterday some more of the outer skin is starting to be put in place.
http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/DSC03324c.jpg

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/DSC03332c.jpg

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/DSC03334c.jpg

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/Post1/DSC03335c.jpg

Cool stuff. A new building with big curves in the Seattle area? I can't believe it!

AWESOME UPDATE! where did u find that rendering of ashwood commons...ive been looking forever!

AWESOME UPDATE! where did u find that rendering of ashwood commons...ive been looking forever!

here it is. there is a PDF file flyer for the project at the site you can download. Ashwood Commons (http://columbiapartners.com/ashwood/)

Cheers

UPDATE: Lincoln Tower is topped out. I actually asked a forum at the site on Saturday. I think I embarassed my girlfriend by being such a nerd. :) Oooh, I'll get some cool pictures uploaded tomorrow.

Nice stuff. I wish I could get some photos of the model that is on Emporis.com

wow...i thought they still had two stories to go...hmm...maybe that was the core that he was talking about for lincoln square?

great updates! :okay:

rainier! do u think u could take pics of bellevue soon? I ask you cause u r the best picture taker i know! and u get the best vantage points. :)

^He had a really cool thread on Bellevue this past winter, including some shots from the most amazing vantage point in bellevue I've ever seen, and that angle has never been on the net before.

Even without much rail, Seattle has the #2 transit ridership in the Western US per capita, any way you slice it. Buses aren't sexy, but along with some exclusive rights-of-way they carry a lot of people.

too bad buses are not immune to traffic like a real transit system. If we had one more people would use public transportation in this area.

here is a link to a new rendering of 2201 westlake

http://www.vulcanrealestate.com/content/docs/FactSheet_Westlake2201.pdf

great rendering...i see one side of it is 12 floors...but the other side is 18-20 floors? hmm it says 12 though. Hope for the best.

Wow another project right next to 2200 Westlake that's under construction! Denny Triangle is a boomtown! :P

^It's not u/c. They are waiting for an office tenant before beginning construction.

BTW sequoias, if your list in your sig is based on emporis.com, it's not correct, they don't even list the Cosmopolitan(formerly Century Tower) as under construction, when in fact the crane is already up there. They made such a big deal about cristalla being constructed, but they wont even give the cosmo any ink, and it's 100 feet taller!

^It's not u/c. They are waiting for an office tenant before beginning construction.

BTW sequoias, if your list in your sig is based on emporis.com, it's not correct, they don't even list the Cosmopolitan(formerly Century Tower) as under construction, when in fact the crane is already up there. They made such a big deal about cristalla being constructed, but they wont even give the cosmo any ink, and it's 100 feet taller!

You misread, I said the 2200 Westlake is U/C, not the 2201. :) I do already know about emporis, they haven't updated in weeks and they are money robbing thieves with out of date data.

Wow another project right next to 2200 Westlake that's under construction! Denny Triangle is a boomtown! :P

The other day I went down to the Discovery Sales Center (or whatever they call it) across the intersection from 2200. I had not realized the ambition and scope of Allen's development plans in the area until I saw them embodied in that huge scale model of the South Lake Union/Denny Triangle neighborhood. If you haven't already seen it, put on a salesman-proof vest (mine is a sleeveless muscle shirt with a huge corn-dog and "Food of the Gods" silkscreened on the front) and go check it out.

rainier! do u think u could take pics of bellevue soon? I ask you cause u r the best picture taker i know! and u get the best vantage points. :)

No problem...this weekend as long as the weather holds up....and the homeowners don't kick me out of THE' secret spot! ;)

The other day I went down to the Discovery Sales Center (or whatever they call it) across the intersection from 2200. I had not realized the ambition and scope of Allen's development plans in the area until I saw them embodied in that huge scale model of the South Lake Union/Denny Triangle neighborhood. If you haven't already seen it, put on a salesman-proof vest (mine is a sleeveless muscle shirt with a huge corn-dog and "Food of the Gods" silkscreened on the front) and go check it out.

Personally I was surprised that so many projects were missing, meaning stuff that other companies have built. And everything was remarkably out of scale, except the Vulcan projects. But it's fun to look at.

it does look like another project is beginning a few blocks from 2200 on denny i think. it's a parking lot across the street from a park. it was fenced off and there was a bunch of tractors and stuff digging. it had signs but i was driving so didn't have time to read

That's a 400-unit retirement residence that's basically 12 stories (or so) for the entire block with a courtyard in the middle and a small opening on the west side (a rectangular capital C in plan). What I hear is that they're just digging up tanks and maybe doing a little remediation, and one source says groundbreaking is years away. But part of me thinks they might be starting Phase I. Personally I'm very excited about this project because it'll be an entry to Cascade, and because 400 units is a big number for a Seattle-sized block.

great news, and thanks rainier...i dont think the weather is supposed to be that great...but it'll be all good. :)

Sorry I was late about this guys.

http://img31.echo.cx/img31/9627/p62600245ta.jpg

http://img31.echo.cx/img31/3568/p62600253wb.jpg

http://img31.echo.cx/img31/1341/p62600313io.jpg


Oh, and yes, a foreman told me he thinks it's topped out. I mean, how would you not know? Oh, well; it's close even if it's not all the way. It says on Emporis, anyway.

Looking good, you think wamu has a width closely the same?

The other day I went down to the Discovery Sales Center (or whatever they call it) across the intersection from 2200. I had not realized the ambition and scope of Allen's development plans in the area until I saw them embodied in that huge scale model of the South Lake Union/Denny Triangle neighborhood. If you haven't already seen it, put on a salesman-proof vest (mine is a sleeveless muscle shirt with a huge corn-dog and "Food of the Gods" silkscreened on the front) and go check it out.

Mine is just going naked--that way not only do they not try to sell you anything, they want you to leave...

Anyways--someone should try sneaking some pics of that model..I'm interested to see what exactly is envisioned there.

great pics tri town...i was just down there yesterday...it is very tall. My brother might buy a condo in there...which is a bit exciting.

Looking good, you think wamu has a width closely the same?

WaMu will be much wider -- a full half-block. I'd guess at least twice as wide.

All,

I happened to be on the Bainbridge Ferry this weekend, and snapped a couple photos of the WAMU tower. BTW did you catch the Front page story in this Sunday's edition of Seattle Times (Lincoln Tower in Bellevue)


http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/post2/DSC03351a.jpg

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/post2/DSC03348b.jpg

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/post2/DSC03350b.jpg

Great pics! Just think about that first pic when four seasons is built and the viaduct is gone.

awesome pics! thats a better perspective of its height.

Got a chance to skim through some DJC papers today and came across a couple articles that stood out to me regarding luxury hotel brands. In addition to Pan Pacific and Four Seasons opening new hotels in the next couple years, St. Regis (starwood's luxury brand) and Conrad (hilton's luxury brand) are looking to enter the market.

There is a rumor that Hines development is looking to buy the 2nd and pine site next to the macy's garage and develop a hotel/condo project with St. Regis as the hotel operator.

Conrad on the other hand is looking to expand in the US and Seattle is among its target markets. The article mentioned that they are in talks already to put a hotel here so im assuming the olive 8 or madison tower projects could be a good fit.

Cool :cheers1: I really want that 2nd and Pine project to happen

I found this rendering of the new 1020 Tower in Downtown Bellevue. From what I've read, its scheduled construction start is next year.

http://mytravellinks.com/skyscrapercity/post3/1020_tower.gif

Very nice, about how tall is it?

This is cool. I would put the picture here if I new how but the site is cool to
http://www.weberthompson.com/portfolio/highrise5.html

I have a picture from the Alaska Way viaduct that shows the new WaMu tower. By the way, why does WaMu have two buildings now? Just because they can? And are they going to have full occupancy in both buildings?

1521 tower
http://www.weberthompson.com/images/portfolioimages/bg_hi_1521Second.jpg

wow! A 37 story tower, that's something! I bet that's a 400+ ft tall tower. That's like a block or 2 from the wa-mu tower under construction.