I think it maybe the Dearborn Street Development (Rainier Ave S/Dearborn st) Its a 10 acre site and will resemble Redmond Town Center with condos on top. Its facing a bit of resistance from the local community, notably Little Saigon neighborhood.

http://www.trfpac.com/

http://www.nwasianweekly.com/20062449/images/dearborn.jpg

I would be resisting this too. It's so "could-be-anywhere" bland. Should have prominent features that take advantage of the historic and cultural neighborhood.

I'm a big fan, regardless of architecture. It would be a big boost to that semi-wasted part of town.

Also, we need a better connection from the I-90 trail to Downtown. And that intersection with Rainier needs to have shorter wait times!

2nd and Pike update, Gregs Smith's condo tower was in the business journal this week. If you get a chance, check it out...

synopsis:
-They are currently looking to land a 5 star hotel operator
-final design will be finished within 60 days

I can't recall if they gave a time frame for construction on this but I personally feel that this project is 3 years off given where we are at in the condo and hotel market cycles and what is expected to come on line in the next couple of years.....this would really clean up that block though.....I believe there is another high rise (existing historic building, proposed 20 or so stories addition to existing improvements) proposed across the street from this devlopement....


So it's now a hotel/condo project? Wow, this project has come full circle. The original proposal a few years back was about a 20 story hotel/condo (old zoning rules) then changed to 35 story condo tower then just recently I read that it was going to an office/condo hybrid and finally now its back to hotel/condo. This may be a good move since all of the hotel/condo projects, minus the ultra expensive four seasons, have sold very very well. Did the article mention what the planned amount of hotel rooms and units will be? I hope this could be the project that can finally lure Ritz Carlton to Seattle.

^^^In a perfect world it would land a ritz or St. Regis but given that they are marketing to a true 5 star hotel, I'm guessing the condos will be very expensive...

Yeah but neither New York or Europe lie on the Cascadia tectonic plate which makes Seattle, as well as Vancouver and Portland, home to the most dangerous earth quake regions.


most tunnels in europe are located in italy or other mediterranean countries with a very active earthquake history....

Seattle has countless buildings whose garages and/or basements extend under the water table. As for tunnels, has anyone crossed the Fraser River, where the tunnel is actually below the water?

Speaking of connections from the I-90 Trail to Downtown, there's a very exciting proposal in the paper for a trail around the top end of Beacon Hill, including a skybridge over I-5.

BELLEVUE BOSS
"Question for olive 8 buyers and other upscales condo buyers.......has anybody bought at Enso? I never really had an inclination to even explore the opportunity because I was so happy with my purchase at O8 but I just checked out enso's website and it looks like the materials/fixtures/colors/layout are superior to anything else on the market with the exception of 1521 and the four seasons....it kinda makes me wonder if I should have bought a smaller 1 bed facing south at Enso? Anybody else have any thoughts on Enso?"

I considered waiting for enso as well ( and I have not seen the finishes there so I cannot comment on that) but I decided to buy at olive8 for alot of reasons, but as far as how it compares to enso :

-I think the 08 building itself (with somewhat of a "starchitect cache") will be even more amazing than any renedering so far and in a totally different league than enso, from its white smith-tower-esque portions to the blue glazing, it will be an enviable condo building imo. Richard Gluckman was actually inspired by the smith tower and said seattle needs another white tower ( smith tower is one of my favorites so I may be a little biased ) and although I do not know alot about the subject, I have learned ( not from a sales person:) but from a contractor ) that the quality at olive8 will be very impressive.

-I feel the south lake-union/enso area is somewhat contrived, or vulcan is trying to create an "instant-neighborhood" where one didnt exist before, which is great, but I dont think it comes close to the downtown package of pike-market, retail core, restaraunts,theatres etc. Not to mention olive8 is the epicenter of capitol hill, south lake union, retail core, and everything really. In short I think the 08 location kicks ass.

- the pan pacific will be right across the street from enso, but that does not compare to having it in your building, with room service and all that, and even if you dont use those services , from a resale stand point, I think having a potential buyer entering thru a swank lobby will do a lot of selling. this has yet to be proven, but my two cents.

^^
good assessment...I think the building/location itself is far superior as well but the finishes and color options at Enso are superior to Olive 8 however they are a different stlye. Enso takes more modern approach where Olive 8 promotes are more timeless personality...either way I can't complain and I feel that I got a good deal at O8......

I would be resisting this too. It's so "could-be-anywhere" bland. Should have prominent features that take advantage of the historic and cultural neighborhood.

The key issue here is that it will price the Vietnamese renters out of their neighborhood, *without* providing any affordable housing.

Why would it do that? The Little Saigon folks even complain that quality of life will decrease due to added traffic. Their arguments contradict each other.

I categorically disagree with the idea that we should keep neighborhoods crappy as the method for keeping them cheap.

Also, on a regional level, the most influential thing we can do to keep housing affordable is to keep supply ahead of demand, to avoid the SF-type bidding war. Even market-rate housing helps with this.

Even market-rate units are much more "affordable" if people can ditch their cars. This project will enable that. It will also enable tens of thousands of other people to avoid driving, by providing retail within walking distance and along major bus routes.

" from its white smith-tower-esque portions to the blue glazing"
Will part of olive8 be white? i thought it was all glass?

New arena renders! http://www.king5.com/sports/stories/NW_022707SSBsonicsarenaJG.8fad9a.html

I hate new Sonic arena! REALLY UGLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on! That guy can do better than that crappy arena! We deserve nicer arena than that! I don't want to pay tax for that stupid ugly arena! That guy is really wealthy and he can afford to build it on his own without ours help!

^^^
I think it actually looks first class but I don't support it. Our city has far bigger problems that we need to address before building ANOTHER stadium for a team that does not deserve one, not to mention that the key would be up to par with the rest of the league with some renovations..Seattle building another stadium is like a teenager with bad credit and little money going out and financing a car....clay bennet is a business man and he is out to make a buck and that is the extent of it.....if an owner gets the city to pay for a new stadium it is like winning the lottery over night for these guys because it greatly enhances the value of the team/investment.....

In addition, does Renton even have the traffic infrastructure to handle the traffic????? Sports teams who locate their facilities outside of downtown historically do not do very well because of the transpotation issue. I know I will not be making the journey from Seattle out there and pay $110 to watch a sub par team....undoubtly, ticket prices will jump with a new arena. How much more can the prices continue to climb before fans stop going???

I will not be voting for this scam so Bennett can make more money at Seattle's expense......

^^ Exactly how I felt about Seattle's financial situation. Many time I question what they really spend on ours tax money. I expect my tax money to be in work not being spent on junks. I wish we have more power with ours tax money. Sometime I feel pressured by many people who support it while I am against it and won the election that forced me to pay more taxes than I wanted to. I rather to have my tax money spent on education, hospital, police/firefighter, public transit and anything that will benefit everyone not junks like sport arena or stadiums or NASCAR. Sighs :ohno:

Also I have bad feeling about Bennet. I have a feeling once that new arena got approved and built... He would fool us by take Sonics/Storms to Oklahoma City anyway. If that happens, I am sure many people around here will got pissed.

there is now way he would do that, if gets the stadium, his investment becomes a booming success....there are no emotions in business and guys like him (gordon gekko mentality)...

I grew up bleeding green and gold so I want the Sonics to stay. The thing that most people are overlooking here is that the proposal extends an existing restaurant/hotel/car rental tax. There won't be any additional taxes to fund this arena. There is no way why a first class city like Seattle should let a NBA franchise walk.

On a side note, is it time to start a new thread?

^^^
I grew up watching kemp and payton as well and those days are over. The Sonics are a team in turmoil from a number of perspectives.....from the arena, to the head coach, to letting antonio daniels and nate walk away, to over paid worthless players, to lewis wanting out of Seattle and opting out of his 2 year $25 MM contract, to the mgt team, to a losing team with a serious lack of synergy and motivation....how much of an economic driver are the sonics anyway???

If this stadium was going to be built downtown, I would be supportive but in Renton???? I just don't see it as a viable investment for the tax payers...lets improve the sidewalks and street scapes downtown and build additional parks and light rail lines to make this a move liveable city......lets provide shelter and food for the homeless, increase the police force, and improve the port.....

not to mention, what are they going to do with the Seattle Center and the Key arena if the sonics vacate????

Will part of olive8 be white? i thought it was all glass?

the first 18 floors ( the hotel portion ) will be white, some kind of stone, I am not sure which kind, above that will be almost all glass/fritting.

Yeah I am very curious what city of Seattle will do to soon to be abandoned Key arena. I hope city of Seattle will find something to do that arena. I think Key arena is really nice unique arena. I hope they will not tear it down and replace it with something... I heard city of Seattle wants to change its Seattle Center... It might included Key Arena too.

Building a new arena will piss me off. I want the Sonics to stay but not at that price and not when it’s because of some extremely greedy billionaires.

Is there a reason why they're not renovating key arena instead? Maybe I should read the article.

And I didn't know O8 was going to be white on bottom! Terra cotta? (That's what smith tower is) I love bright white buildings!

Arena doesn't matter because it just extends taxes you guys are already paying. The same taxes that were used for the Mariners and the Seahawks.

Key Area may be leaving? When did this happen? I like the look of the Key better than the new one. And why move it out of Seattle (obviously cheaper...), it really pulls that whole area together I think.

An interesting read regarding additional possible code changes for the SoDo area:

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/02/26/story1.html?b=1172466000^1422275

Arena doesn't matter because it just extends taxes you guys are already paying. The same taxes that were used for the Mariners and the Seahawks.

I just think that tax money could be spent on something better then keeping the super rich from having to spend their own money. The Ballet and the Opera’s annual operating budgets are about as much money as some of the players’ make by them selves and we had to pay for almost all the renovations to the Opera House without much help from the city. I think if the city has money to spend on sport arenas then they should chip in a bit to help the arts. Oh and some better streets and parks would be nice as well. Don’t get me wrong I love to go to basket ball games but at that price I think I would rather fly down to Salt Lake to see the Jazz.:D

^^ Yeah, I don't really care for Sonics, I'm sure there are plenty of people like me in Seattle. Why not use that tax on more meaningful stuff, like improving the waterfront, where people don't have to buy a ticket to enjoy. Or how about replacing the deteriorating 520 bridge? Because I'm sure alot more people uses it than the viaduct, I've never used it before, probably because I grew up on the eastside. I would like a MoMa equivalent museum in Seattle. We can always use more culture, then Seattlelites will learn to appreciate pretty things versus that ugly eyesore of viaduct...in conclusion, let the Sonics go to Oklahoma where they can pay their own arena to charge people hundred plus $$ tickets to use it. We've got enough sports facilities as it is. I don't wanna pay for more. And whats wrong with Key Arena? Its pisses me off to see some big business man trying to con people into paying for them. I believe he tried to do it without a public vote initially? What an ass!

^^ Agreed! :ohno:

Hi everyone-

I’m one of many who are waiting to close at the Cosmopolitan. Unfortunately, my closing date is not for another couple of months, so I’m looking for others who might be closing earlier.

Has anyone been inside the building? I’d love to hear stories/experiences about the orientation and closing processes. Post stories/pictures here or come over to my Cosmo Seattle blog where I’ve made the same request:

http://cosmoseattle.blogspot.com/

By the way, I REALLY like the architecture and aesthetic of the building—even the asymmetrical roof! (-8


-Cosmo Seattle

From the DJC:

Upscale hotel/condo tower expected to be under way soon

By LYNN PORTER

Construction is expected to begin within a year on a 46-story project that will include a 175-room five-star hotel and about 200 upscale condos at Fifth Avenue and Stewart Street across from the Westin, the senior project manager said yesterday.

OOOOOOOOOOO :D now that is good news :banana:

^^^now that is very interetsing....eighth and pine, this proposed project and 2nd and pike are all now competiting for a hotel operator and upscale condo sales.....there is no way that all 3 of these are going to get built......very intertesing......

I just think that tax money could be spent on something better then keeping the super rich from having to spend their own money. The Ballet and the Opera’s annual operating budgets are about as much money as some of the players’ make by them selves and we had to pay for almost all the renovations to the Opera House without much help from the city. I think if the city has money to spend on sport arenas then they should chip in a bit to help the arts. Oh and some better streets and parks would be nice as well. Don’t get me wrong I love to go to basket ball games but at that price I think I would rather fly down to Salt Lake to see the Jazz.:D


Except that is like Social Security. Creating a tax for something and then using it for something completely different. The tax was created for the stadiums. When those are paid off it either should be taken completely off or voted on being used for something else. They should direct it towards other projects just because the people are already complacent about using them.

The only reason this is even a discussion is that the team isn't that good right now. If they were winning everyone would be clamoring to keep them.

if i had to pick any of those three it would be 8th and pine

^^^now that is very interetsing....eighth and pine, this proposed project and 2nd and pike are all now competiting for a hotel operator and upscale condo sales.....there is no way that all 3 of these are going to get built......very intertesing......

I was thinking the same thing. I'm hoping one of these projects can land a Ritz or St. Regis. I don't think it's that unlikely that all three of them could be built, the hotel/condo concept is still relatively new to Seattle and still has enough allure to attract more buyers.

Btw, can you post the article?

^^^
I agree..the area around the new proposal is already established, I can wait on that project...2nd and pike sounds interesting, it will be nice to see that block get cleaned up but my biased opinion would like to see eighth and pine get built because I will be living at O8....

Except that is like Social Security. Creating a tax for something and then using it for something completely different. The tax was created for the stadiums. When those are paid off it either should be taken completely off or voted on being used for something else. They should direct it towards other projects just because the people are already complacent about using them.

The only reason this is even a discussion is that the team isn't that good right now. If they were winning everyone would be clamoring to keep them.


The Sonics are late to the party, we just built Safeco and Qwest field. Not to mention the city was betrayed by Howard and the goon squad. There is not much support for the Sonics right now anyway you look at it. The Sonics have had a ineffecient mgt team in place for years and have successfully hacked off several players that created the history and legacy of the sonics....Nate, Gary, Kemp, Daniels, lewis, etc..the list goes on and on....and what about Hill and Weiss???LOL!!!Bob Weiss, wow, what a first class replacement for Nate!!!! No wonder the team went to hell. This franchise is in serious turmoil beyond a new stadium.... I would be very surpirsed if this vision in Renton comes to fruition....

From the DJC:

Upscale hotel/condo tower expected to be under way soon

By LYNN PORTER

Construction is expected to begin within a year on a 46-story project that will include a 175-room five-star hotel and about 200 upscale condos at Fifth Avenue and Stewart Street across from the Westin, the senior project manager said yesterday.

WOW!!!! That's great news! I looked at the first page to see if they have rendering for that new building... I didn't see one that related to this development. Do you or anyone has rendering for that building? I am curious what that building will look like.

Except that is like Social Security. Creating a tax for something and then using it for something completely different. The tax was created for the stadiums. When those are paid off it either should be taken completely off or voted on being used for something else. They should direct it towards other projects just because the people are already complacent about using them.

The only reason this is even a discussion is that the team isn't that good right now. If they were winning everyone would be clamoring to keep them.

I see what you are saying and I agree for the most part but i dont think renovating Key Arena was an issue at the time the tax was put into place. (I wasnt here so Im not sure) I think its time we get rid of it but thats just me. BTW even when the Sonics were good a few years ago I still didnt have a hard time finding tickets. :lol:

I took a long walk around downtown/Belltown today. I saw a blue tower crane came up a while ago near 3rd & Bell street. Anyone knows what they're building?

is that Moda?

by the way, intracorp has two new additional communities planned for the downtown area....more info will be availble soon...I'm realy not a big fan of their work but i'm all for development...

also, as of yesterday, 5th and madison is now topped out....

by the way, intracorp has two new additional communities planned for the downtown area....more info will be availble soon...I'm realy not a big fan of their work but i'm all for development...


So these 2 new projects do not include 2nd & John (Expo62) or 1915 2nd ave?

I hope they fill out some more lots in Belltown. True, their projects are not the most aesthetically pleasing but they should be commended for really developing that north end of Belltown.

your in the know...those are the two projects....are you impressed with the way that the parc is turning out? To be honest, I'm really not at all.....I actually signed there and had second thoughts a day later...I'm glad I did not go through with that one...I even tried to buy a retail condo there as well but they were closed to investors....the building needs more glass IMO...

The Parc is bland and boring so far. That's unfortunate, and surprising since Avenue One looks pretty good.

Intracorp has a project by the Art Institute also. They demo'd and have let it sit since this summer.

Moda has a blue tower crane that just got installed.

I think MODA looks pretty mundane and very average especially for belltown, there is nothing special or appealing about that building at all. It would fit in perfectly in any suburb....is there any ground floor retail planned at MODA that we can look forward to?

while we are on the topic, I saw a rendering of Trio in an advertisment in the business journal and it actually looked really bad. I help that it turns out better than the renderings that I have seen.....I guess it is important to understand that developers primary motivations are $ and not urban design....

I never like The Parc. I have watch from demolish to top out. I live really near to that site. It is designed for Arabian americans. I seen so many buyers who sold the condos there are Arabian amercians. I guess that design attracted to that kind of buyers.

MODA? Do anyone has rendering for that?

Intracorp has a project by the Art Institute also. They demo'd and have let it sit since this summer.


Here's the site for the project by the Art Institute. http://www.arthousecondos.com/home.htm

Site says groundbreaking is this year. I don't think it's a Intracorp project anymore, there's no mention of it on their website so I'm guessing they sold the site to another developer.

^^ That development look okay to me but could be better.

the arthouse looks good to me, very pearl district ish.....

I like it as well.

www.modacondos.com

*thumbs down*

The beauty for the developer is that the building is 100% sold with a list of 100's of back up buyers which affords him the opportunity to cut corners and compromise on quality on this building....he doesn't have much of an incentive to impress anyone now...this building will be very "middle of the road" just like his last belltown development....

MODA isn't bad but I wish it will be taller than just six stories building.

I actually like it. Those are definitely the price ranges downtown needs right now. If it turns out looking like the Lenora, that'll be awesome.

Moda is a lot better looking than Art House.

Its great that buyers of that price range can live in Belltown. I'm not shocked that no achitectural statement is being made on a moderately priced, 5-over-1 building

Moda is a lot better looking than Art House.

that is a very serious matter of opinion, but I respect yours.....

moda looks like it is better aesthitically suited for Everett than belltown...glass facades vs. brick and cedar (I'm not really sure what MODA is)? To me there is no argument between the two but that is only my opinion....

Its great that buyers of that price range can live in Belltown. I'm not shocked that no achitectural statement is being made on a moderately priced, 5-over-1 building

I agree, your absolutly right about that......he doesn't have to with that niche in the market....belltown could easily support an additional one or more of these calibur projects right now....

The neighborhood around MODA is serious in need for major redevelopment. Yesterday when I walked around at that area. It is like almost dead neighborhood. The developers should take over these areas for redevelopments and bring people back to that area.

I hope one day developers will buy The City Church block, Temple building next to that property and Grand Insurance Group building behind that church and parking across from The Cedars Apartment soon for major redevelopment that will attract a supermarket like Albertsons.

*thumbs down*

The beauty for the developer is that the building is 100% sold with a list of 100's of back up buyers which affords him the opportunity to cut corners and compromise on quality on this building....he doesn't have much of an incentive to impress anyone now...this building will be very "middle of the road" just like his last belltown development....[/QUOTE]

I don't know, but I don't think this building looks half bad...the roofline is interesting, the facade is broken up..it honestly looks better to me than the 'Parc' or even the new '4 Seasons' which has gone from an interesting rendering to an absolutely boring building...at least in the front. More beige and gray, totally pedestrian and uninteresting, faceless lower half...a real dissapointment.

I like Art House a little bit more then Moda. I wish they weren’t such Lazy asses about putting out more info to potential buyers like my self though.

I forget to ask you guys... I saw a small tower crane at Blanhard and 3rd streets. It is near MODA. Anyone knows what they're building right now?

I think that is a low-income or retirement project. Its not going to be very tall either, 5 or 6 floors.

Ugh! These new 6 stories buildings in downtown area are huge waste! I think City of Seattle should set another restriction... Any new development in downtown area should be more than 12 stories period.

I like having a bunch of six-story and seven-story buildings. It's still an increase in density compared to the old one-story commercial and parking lots they typically replace. On the other hand, in 2020 or whenever, when Belltown might be fairly built out, I'll probably want everything new to be a high-rise. And in 2030-2040 we might be replacing a lot of what was built in the 80s and 90s.

BTW, they call this building five stories, but the first floor looks double-height and might have a mezzanine. PS, assuming that this building plus its share of the street total about 30,000 sf, it's denser, on average, than manhattan.

Yeah. I support the idea of having 5 or 6 stories buildings surrounding downtown area. I prefer 12 stories and up buildings to be built in downtown area. Also I think all new buildings should have retail/restaurant on the street level. I hate that Mosler or Gallery and other buildings doesn't have street level retail/restaurant. Some part of downtown area are so dead when the buildings don't have street level retail/restaurant.

First, Gallery has street-level retail on the corner.

Second, there's not a city on the planet that's dense enough to support good retail in every building in its dense neighborhoods. Certainly no part of Seattle can, except places that draw customers regionally, such as the main Retail District, the Market, and the Central Waterfront.

Belltown is a textbook example of a neighborhood where too much retail is required already. Rather than a couple avenues with great retail, we have seven avenues with retail that's occasionally ok but generally spotty. We should require retail on a select few avenues, and make it optional everywhere else.

Belltown is a textbook example of a neighborhood where too much retail is required already. Rather than a couple avenues with great retail, we have seven avenues with retail that's occasionally ok but generally spotty. We should require retail on a select few avenues, and make it optional everywhere else.

I really agree with that. I think it'll be great if we have a famous street where all of the retails are concentrated, kinda like Vancouver's Robson street. I'd like to see that happen to 5th ave in Seattle because its got alot of landmarks on it already and its one of the few streets in downtown that actually spans the whole city. What street do you guys have potential in downtown Seattle???

Wish some of that retail space were large anough to house a public school. That's what is needed for north downtown.

Yeah. I support the idea of having 5 or 6 stories buildings surrounding downtown area. I prefer 12 stories and up buildings to be built in downtown area. Also I think all new buildings should have retail/restaurant on the street level. I hate that Mosler or Gallery and other buildings doesn't have street level retail/restaurant. Some part of downtown area are so dead when the buildings don't have street level retail/restaurant.

BTW Mosler has street-level retail as well. I think 3 or 4 spaces and a coffee shop

Remember folks, this thread now only exists to maintain the developments list at the beginning of it... Please do not discuss projects here. That should occur in a thread created for the project.

The more rules, the more I keep to SSP.

i'm all for rules if they help it be more organised and lead to more in depth conversation. the thing that i like about ssp is that they seem to have more information, but this one is getting better as more people join. when i find something before anyone else i usually post it here first for some reason though.

I don't want to click on a different thread for every project or topic. Too much clicking and waiting.

I do wish there were less meaningless posts, like "hey, make it taller", or "thanks". I come here for substance, and sort of put up with the chat room stuff.

The more rules, the more I keep to SSP.

I didn't know that SSP had a Seattle forum.

I'm a big fan of the "Northwest" format on SSP. I also like the neighborhood threads like "Belltown" and "Capitol Hill". Big enough to be active, small enough to be focused.

yeah, I know about the issue of ssc being rather sprawling these days... there are ideas which if pursued will solve that problem though.

I dont mind discussing projects on this thread.....we don't have enough traffic to warrant seperate threads per discussion.. every section has its own character and I feel this is a Seattle section quirk that most of us have become accustomed to.

We'll figure it out in time Jason....

I think it should be fine to discuss projects. I hope we can find an easier way to accomodate this.

First, Gallery has street-level retail on the corner.

Second, there's not a city on the planet that's dense enough to support good retail in every building in its dense neighborhoods. Certainly no part of Seattle can, except places that draw customers regionally, such as the main Retail District, the Market, and the Central Waterfront.

Belltown is a textbook example of a neighborhood where too much retail is required already. Rather than a couple avenues with great retail, we have seven avenues with retail that's occasionally ok but generally spotty. We should require retail on a select few avenues, and make it optional everywhere else.

Are you sure? I looked at Gallery's website recently. It doesn't mention retail space including vitural tour. I think I know what you are talking about... The video shows that is bonus room at the street level is for Gallery residents only.

I really agree with that. I think it'll be great if we have a famous street where all of the retails are concentrated, kinda like Vancouver's Robson street. I'd like to see that happen to 5th ave in Seattle because its got alot of landmarks on it already and its one of the few streets in downtown that actually spans the whole city. What street do you guys have potential in downtown Seattle???

It would be nice to have "Fifth Avenue" shopping avenue but monorail is an issue that took over most of space which made it difficult for shoppers or retailers to open their stores there. Also one way avenue is also will make it more difficult to lure shoppers.

In my mind... I think Westlake should be become "famous" street for new retail district because it will have new streetcars and couple of new developments are under construction or planned for that street. Also I would love to see that street to become european style street with sidewalk cafes, beautiful landscapes, maybe new park, and fountain.

BTW Mosler has street-level retail as well. I think 3 or 4 spaces and a coffee shop

Well I looked at that Mosler website, it didn't show retail space or say anything about it. The vitural tour didn't show that too.

In my mind... I think Westlake should be become "famous" street for new retail district because it will have new streetcars and couple of new developments are under construction or planned for that street. Also I would love to see that street to become european style street with sidewalk cafes, beautiful landscapes, maybe new park, and fountain.

That would be amazing Seattle really needs more cafes and stuff...

Are you sure? I looked at Gallery's website recently. It doesn't mention retail space including vitural tour. I think I know what you are talking about... The video shows that is bonus room at the street level is for Gallery residents only.

I'm a buyer at Gallery.

Well I looked at that Mosler website, it didn't show retail space or say anything about it. The vitural tour didn't show that too.

He's a buyer at Mosler.

It would be nice to have "Fifth Avenue" shopping avenue but monorail is an issue that took over most of space which made it difficult for shoppers or retailers to open their stores there. Also one way avenue is also will make it more difficult to lure shoppers.

In my mind... I think Westlake should be become "famous" street for new retail district because it will have new streetcars and couple of new developments are under construction or planned for that street. Also I would love to see that street to become european style street with sidewalk cafes, beautiful landscapes, maybe new park, and fountain.

5th Avenue is already a good retail street for several blocks in Downtown proper, basically Olive through University.

Westlake can't be a major retail street as-is, because the pedestrian crossings are too long, and pedestrians can't even walk along it at some intersections. They should make each triangle island part of a pedestrian crossing.

Just FYI

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/Copyofmoslerlofts3gx.jpg

It would be nice to have "Fifth Avenue" shopping avenue but monorail is an issue that took over most of space which made it difficult for shoppers or retailers to open their stores there. Also one way avenue is also will make it more difficult to lure shoppers.

In my mind... I think Westlake should be become "famous" street for new retail district because it will have new streetcars and couple of new developments are under construction or planned for that street. Also I would love to see that street to become european style street with sidewalk cafes, beautiful landscapes, maybe new park, and fountain.

I agree with you but I think mhays is right. I think north of Denny it will be much more pedestrian-friendly though. Not quite as great as I want but much better then it is now.

I'm a buyer at Gallery.

That doesn't answer my question. lol

He's a buyer at Mosler.

That still doesn't answer my question. lol

Just FYI

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/Copyofmoslerlofts3gx.jpg



I agree with you but I think mhays is right. I think north of Denny it will be much more pedestrian-friendly though. Not quite as great as I want but much better then it is now.

Thank you for pointed it out. I thought it was entire streetlevel is just for lobby in what I saw from the virtural tour from that website. It doesn't look like retail space to me but its nice design though! Thank you for answered my question. :)

5th Avenue is already a good retail street for several blocks in Downtown proper, basically Olive through University.

Westlake can't be a major retail street as-is, because the pedestrian crossings are too long, and pedestrians can't even walk along it at some intersections. They should make each triangle island part of a pedestrian crossing.

Yeah. I think City of Seattle already planned to re-design Westlake with new tree lined, new sidewalks, traffic lights, few another things to add on around at the time they're building new streetcars. I seen the plan somewhere around downtown Seattle. I don't rememberr where I saw it. That was last year.

That doesn't answer my question. lol

As buyers we have much more info than the websites.

As buyers we have much more info than the websites.

Yes but your answer isn't right answer to my question. It is more like bragging than giving the correct answers. Anyway.

Guess what? Donald Trump just announced on Seattle Times Newspaper today that he wants to build a new Trump Tower in downtown Seattle. This time will be luxury hotel-condo project. His daughter, Ivanka Trump is involved this project too. They hope to get it built by late 2009 if everything go well.

check out the rendering of Borealis, the develpoment at dexter and denny that is now u/c..not bad for work force housing...this area is really going to turn into something in 2-3 years....I also stoped by a new trendy bar last night on 5th avenue, "Vesel", one block south of brooks brothers..check this place out, very vancouver ish.."Qube" on 2nd and stewart is not to missed either....new places are poping up everywhere, it is about time.

http://www.wgclark.com/project/?page=underway&sub=79

Guess what? Donald Trump just announced on Seattle Times Newspaper today that he wants to build a new Trump Tower in downtown Seattle. This time will be luxury hotel-condo project. His daughter, Ivanka Trump is involved this project too. They hope to get it built by late 2009 if everything go well.

Awesome news! I always watch the Apprentice, Donald is the man!

Aren't we due for a Seattle development news #7 by now?

I know we are making steps in the right direction but this is great news.:banana:

http://www.djc.com/

Seattle ranked 5th most walkable city

Factors contributing to the ranking were air quality, the percentage of people who walk to work, access to parks and number of athletic shoes sold.

^^ That's great to hear! :) I tried to read the entire article of that link you shared but I have to sign up for it. I don't want to become member of that site just for now. Can you please copy and paste that article here? Thanks! :)

Big doings at the corner of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue North, but no sign up yet (other than MORTENSON). I can't believe it could be a residence, given the busy and verrry noisy intersection. Anyone know what will rise on that site? True, there are residences a block away on Minor, but maybe that is just enough distance removed from the noise.

Excavation work at 818 Stewart Street between the Continental and the Greyhound Bus Terminal. I'm sure it has already been mentioned on this forum, but there are so many great projects in process, I can't remember them all off hand.

In "no-man's land", the Fifth and Yesler building (Martin Selig) rendition sign is upright again. It had fallen over and was lying on the ground for at least a year gathering moss. Might this mean progress in the near future?

Mercer and Fairview is a lab building, probably five stories. Are you saying it's started for real?

I just drove by Runstad's King County Office building this morning......this project is moving right along (Topped out and in the process of installing the glass and marble facades).....the building itself is pretty bland and looks like something to come from the early 90's or late 80's....but all in all it doesn't look bad by any means.....

Mercer and Fairview is a lab building, probably five stories. Are you saying it's started for real?

Yepper Pepper. Heavy earth moving equipment is on site. The labs will need to be sound-proofed and either able to handle traffic rumble motion or will need to be strenghthened against. What labs are planned?

I don't know.

I'm sure it will be biotechnology lab.

Thought I would just post this in here since I thought it would be too much to open up a new thread for a somewhat insignificant project that is almost done.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/CopyofPICT0300.jpg

^^ That building is alright but could do better.

I forget to mention it few days ago I went to downtown Seattle to do the errands. I saw the sign of Notice of Proposed Land Action sign next to 1512. It said it will have 22 stories with 90+ units.

I dont know what this projct is but somebody on either SSC or SSP was saying that they think it's going to be tall.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/CopyofPICT0304-1.jpg

Ummm I am not really know about this development... I am sure somebody here knows about it.

I remember beautiful old building got razed at that site. I believe that is part of Light Rail construction process. I am not sure yet.

I think you might be right. Nothing has been in the DPD notices.

Escala is in mass excavation now.

^^ Just posted some pics in an Escala thread :)

On the recently cleared site across from the Paramount, I believe that is to be a House of Blues. Didn't think they were levelling the current structure as it appeared right in size (but I've been gone for 3 weeks!).

Also, on the corner of Fairview and Mercer there has been a sign with rendering for about 3 years now at the site showing a 6-7 story office building that was supposed to have broken ground a long time ago. I haven't seen or heard anything else since seeing a leveled lot today.

I think House of Blues is going into the Paramount in a currently-unused space.

Anyone planning a building at the teardown site would have to go through design review and mup. That hasn't happened.

^^ I don't think it will happen anytime soon because Sound Transit is still using it to build light rail system. Sound Transit plans to extend it from downtown Seattle though Capital Hill to University District to Northgate. It won't be completed until 2016. I suspect it might start to develop something on that lot after year 2010. I could be wrong about it. :dunno:

Pics of gallery, 5th and mad, and parc belltown:
forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=73539&page=29

^^ The link isn't working.

Does anyone know if there's any chance of rezoning the top of Beacon Hill for residential high-rises? It seems like a prime location (awesome views, fast light-rail connection to downtown, available land), and the area seems underdeveloped.

I haven’t heard of anything and I doubt if it ever happens that it would be any time soon. :dunno: That would be nice though

Well on that note welcome to the forum:D

I think i fixed the link

I'd expect a denser urban village to grow around the upper Beacon Hill stations as well as the MLK portions, but there's been no word of an effort to zone for high-rises. This seems highly unlikely in the short term.

^^ Amen! I predict when light rail system completed, all neighborhoods around the stations will get redeveloped for sure like it happened to Portland.

Maybe not PC, but Beacon Hill is not a hotbed for real estate. Could change with light rail, but will be like pulling teeth.

I'm more excited about the Sea-Tac link, and possible north links up to Northgate. (and hopefully beyond that someday!)

BTW, while Seattle is ahead of Portland in development overall, Portland is SO far ahead of us with light rail...no comparison! Where was Seattle when Portland started building rail 25 years ago???

I'm more excited about the Sea-Tac link, and possible north links up to Northgate. (and hopefully beyond that someday!)
I really do hope so, and I'm pretty confident it will be so in the next few decades. I hope we're not forgetting our North Sound friends, so a line up to Everett, and one down south to Tacoma would be lovely. But it's a line that goes to the Eastside suburbs that makes me giddy like a schoolboy. Ridership will be major if they can extend to the Eastside.


BTW, while Seattle is ahead of Portland in development overall, Portland is SO far ahead of us with light rail...no comparison! Where was Seattle when Portland started building rail 25 years ago???
No doubt. Freaking A. That really kills me, why they didn't start thinking about this years ago.

We voted it down in the 60s, and the feds gave OUR money to Atlanta.

No Seattle poliiticans BLEW IT! When they had opportunities to do it long time ago. I hate to say it... Seattle is famous for arguing over nothing! That pisses me off, seriously.

No Seattle poliiticans BLEW IT! When they had opportunities to do it long time ago. I hate to say it... Seattle is famous for arguing over nothing! That pisses me off, seriously.

aka corrupt politics. :(

aka corrupt politics. :(

It's not that it's corrupt. It's that Seattle built strong neighborhood groups early on, with the streetcars, and those communities are very, very anti-development because they want to keep single-family housing.

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with Seattle politics - it's just that it's going to take some time to get enough density to override the single-family zoned areas' voters.

We voted it down in the 60s, and the feds gave OUR money to Atlanta.

And yet... :)

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/Bensch00/Light%20rail/044.jpg

Yeah, it's great that something is happening. I'd just rather have the X-shaped subway system we would have had decades ago, paid largely by the feds.

Yeah, it's great that something is happening. I'd just rather have the X-shaped subway system we would have had decades ago, paid largely by the feds.

What were there proposed routes for this X-shaped system? And why did the city turn it down?

Hmmm I'm very curious about x system. Please eborate.

I was hoping for a quick map. Anyway, we had votes in 1968 and 1970 for a four-spoke rail system. Here's an essay. http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3961

Plenty more out there. I'm just being lazy.

Ugh that pisses me off seriously! I don't understand these people back in late 60s! Great we have to fix their huge mistakes! I hope the government will not rebuild an elevated highway... I don't want ours kids or grandkids to fix ours mistakes! :ohno:

^^LOL Those wont matter much because we are leaving them this thing called "Global Warming"…… Go us :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

^^ LMAO!!!!!! You cracked me up! :lol: :lol: :lol:

What were there proposed routes for this X-shaped system? And why did the city turn it down?

I read a report by Sound Transit and it sounded like a Bart-esque system with 32 stations, 47 miles of track for the 4 major travel corridors: south, east, northeast, and northwest. East Link resembles one of the proposed routes from 1968, except the old route had extensions to Bothell and south to Renton. This was a ST study on the East link corridor...so I dunno about the other proposed routes.

Pics from today:
Sheraton precast concrete is being painted a version of white.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/sheratonpaint.jpg

Swedish hospital project gets its tower crane.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/swedishcraneinstall.jpg

Sheraton: Oh say thankya, big big! I was worried.

Sheraton: Oh say thankya, big big! I was worried.

I gotta wonder if the paint was a last minute decision. If they really always planned for white I'm surprised they didn't color the concrete instead of taking on this long term maintenance obligation. Maybe it was less expensive to plan on painting the precast and avoid the inconsistencies that precast can have. It seems that the original Sheraton is painted cast-in-place concrete but maybe I'm wrong.

^^ That does look much better.

Thank God that they finally painting that Sheration expansion! It look much better now! Whew!

Pics from today:
Sheraton precast concrete is being painted a version of white.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/sheratonpaint.jpg


Whoa that Sheraton hotel project went up really fast! I think it looks better with the white stuff on it instead of the grey concrete precast.

The white is quite possibly a primer coat, sealing the concrete. All drawings that I've seen of the hotel have indicated the same color as the original tower.

Which begs the question: With they repain the older tower? It has moss growing on the northern side, facing the Convention Center. Not attractive.

^
Yeah I've noticed that moss too. If they *don't* repaint the old tower, they're dumb. It needs it pretty bad.

Won't this addition make Sheraton the biggest hotel in Seattle (by number of rooms), or did they already have this title?

The key to hotel longevity is continual updating of their interiors. I think exteriors are important, but at the end of the day, how the lobby looks, and how the rooms look, and the service(s) offered will keep hotels important for decades and decades. Hopefully, Sheraton will continue to do this with their Seattle property.

Won't this addition make Sheraton the biggest hotel in Seattle (by number of rooms), or did they already have this title?

I recall reading that the Sheraton will overtake the Westin in terms of room count.

It's currently something like 880 Westin and 875 Sheraton. The Sheraton expansion eliminates a few existing rooms, but takes the total to 1,240. Or something like that.

Currently Westin: 891
Sheraton: 838
Sheraton Expanded: 1253

I guess that convention planners usually want at least one hotel in a market that has over 1200 hotel rooms when planning large conventions so that they can have a headquarters hotel. There was the potential for this when the Convention Center was being built, (Hyatt) but it got limited to the 312 rooms that it has. This was done because the local hotels said if they subsidize the hotel adjacent to the convention center, you can forget about any of them expanding for many, many years. Whether this was a bluff or not, the Convention Center needed expansion so badly, they decided to okay a smaller hotel and let the market decide what could happen. All in all, probably a good idea, as there has been a good amount of hotel construction occuring.

I'm looking at the PSBJ book of lists. The Grand Hyatt has 425 rooms including 113 suites and 312 other rooms.

Since West 8th is now u/c I changed its status on Jiminy's first post.

I went to Capital Hill last night, I saw a tower crane went up on Brix construction site. It is on north Broadway across from Taco Bell and QFC. I am surprised nobody mentioned Brix here yet.

brix is something like a 6-story woodframe condo project. I think this community is more interested in concrete-steel highrise construction

I don't think it is about steel/concerte high rise... I think most of us are more interested in taller buildings like 12 stories and up.

The brix is still a pretty large project though. I like the design alot too, especially that of the red brick townhomes facing tenth. Here is the website:

www.brixcondos.com

Ladies & Gentlemen this is a SPECIAL REPORT.

DEANO'S at 22nd & Madison is now CLOSED

The brix is still a pretty large project though. I like the design alot too, especially that of the red brick townhomes facing tenth. Here is the website:

www.brixcondos.com

I love their floor plan alot... I almost consider that loft... Only cons about it... It has bad view of ugly pink building and brown building... Also there has bus stop next to it... I don't want to live next to bus stop again... I had enough... I love the location of it. Again, I'm very picky! :(

Ladies & Gentlemen this is a SPECIAL REPORT.

DEANO'S at 22nd & Madison is now CLOSED

Ooh, are you suggesting that project might be starting?

Ladies & Gentlemen this is a SPECIAL REPORT.

DEANO'S at 22nd & Madison is now CLOSED

It's been closed for a few weeks now, the owner had to give up his liquor license.

Ladies & Gentlemen this is a SPECIAL REPORT.

DEANO'S at 22nd & Madison is now CLOSED


OMG now where am I going go to get my crack fix :cry:

Deano's was almost a city icon. I wonder if the city finally pined something on him or did he just give up.

OMG now where am I going go to get my crack fix :cry:


^Just sit at an outdoor restaurant on Broadway and wait for the Pleeeaaassseee Lady to wander by.

There was mention in the DJC that GIS, the developer of European Tower in Bellevue, has plans for a 40-story condo tower at Stewart and Minor in the Denny Triangle.

Wow thats way over in the corner by I-5. Sounds good, any other details?

As I mentioned (somewhere) earlier, Stewart is becoming a corridor of high-rises from I-5 to the water!! Yeah!

There was mention in the DJC that GIS, the developer of European Tower in Bellevue, has plans for a 40-story condo tower at Stewart and Minor in the Denny Triangle.

Interesting news indeed.

Anyone know what this crane is doing on top of the building just south of Washington Mutual Tower? It's pretty rare to see a building owner have a derrick crane installed. Seems like a major exterior cladding renovation or something.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/2007March29/crane3rdave.jpg

I'd hope it's getting an exterior re-finish, eesh...

It's kind of boring but I don't mind it. Basically a background building surrounded by larger stuff on all sides. Thankfully they took the skybridge to the Olympic away several years ago.

Why can't I think "derrick" without thinking "Der-rock" from Zoolander?

HELLO MY NAME IS ROBERT I LIKE SEATTLE I LOVE THIS CITY.THANS.

Anyone know what this crane is doing on top of the building just south of Washington Mutual Tower? It's pretty rare to see a building owner have a derrick crane installed. Seems like a major exterior cladding renovation or something.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/2007March29/crane3rdave.jpg

I hope it will get demolished soon. I went inside of that building... Not impressed. I know few people works in that building and they don't like this building at all but they had no choice.

Schnitzer NW set for local office development

Schnitzer Northwest won't be taking on more office projects in the Puget Sound region this development cycle, but will build more condos if it finds the right sites.

http://www.djc.com/

I was hoping "big brother" would go up during this cycle but that was a little unrealistic. :(

Did you read the article?

"Schnitzer Northwest has under construction in Seattle one office building and plans two others.

The 14-story, 236,000-square-foot 818-Stewart at Ninth Avenue and Stewart Street is slated for completion in July 2008.

The company plans to start construction on the 36-story, 660,000-square-foot 1918 Eighth Avenue Tower at Eighth Avenue and Virginia Street in September and have it finished in 2009. And it intends to start building in June 2008 a 40-story, 750,000-square-foot office building at 505 Madison Street. Completion is slated for August 2010"

Did you read the article?

"Schnitzer Northwest has under construction in Seattle one office building and plans two others.

The 14-story, 236,000-square-foot 818-Stewart at Ninth Avenue and Stewart Street is slated for completion in July 2008.

The company plans to start construction on the 36-story, 660,000-square-foot 1918 Eighth Avenue Tower at Eighth Avenue and Virginia Street in September and have it finished in 2009. And it intends to start building in June 2008 a 40-story, 750,000-square-foot office building at 505 Madison Street. Completion is slated for August 2010"

If you add in the Bravern in Bellevue, that's over 2M sq feet that they might build on spec. I can't wait to see the renderings for the 40 story tower.

505 Madison. I think that's a new one! That would be kitty korner from the library and directly across 5th from the 5th/Madison condos.

Can't picture what's there right now.

Its a 3 story building call the College Club or something like that.

Its the brown building on the north side of the block.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/PICT0299-1.jpg

Man! I'll really miss that!

hahahahahaaa. It rivals many Frank lloyd wrights.

Cosmopolitan can be moved to the "complete" section.

^
Agreed, it looks pretty completed to me. I moved it.

skyline tower is now u/c as well.....they broke ground earlier this week....

818 and rollin are u/c as well....

I saw new tower crane went up near SAM Sculpture Park... Ummm I forgot the street name... The street that goes to Denny from Ballard. It is in office complex area. I am curious what this new building will look like... Anyone has the details for it yet?

skyline tower is now u/c as well.....they broke ground earlier this week....

818 and rollin are u/c as well....

Got 'em.

^
Agreed. It is good to see this area developing...Has anybody seen the renderings for Counter Balance Park (intersection of roy and queen ave n)? This park is going to look outstanding when it is completed next year.....

the Olympic Sculpture Park opens on Jan. 20, if you get a chance, check this out. The park looks very nice so far and is a huge addition for the city...

I have not kept up with the new park for Lower Queen Anne. It looks great! I hope that interesting open space is developed in the Denny Triangle. I did get some information about the open space intiative being shelved (for now), but I hope that they revisit it as the article I read mentioned. I HEART OSP.

I have not kept up with the new park for Lower Queen Anne. It looks great! I hope that interesting open space is developed in the Denny Triangle. I did get some information about the open space intiative being shelved (for now), but I hope that they revisit it as the article I read mentioned. I HEART OSP.

It is in Belltown not Lower Queen Anne. :)

Well, yes, OSP is in Belltown, but the new Counter Balance Park is located in Lower Queen Anne. My parting sentence was just my way of giving a shout out to the OSP. This new park is right across the street from Cafe Ladro on Roy Street.

Oh okay. :)

Awwww! Sadness. :ohno:

Cruise-ship terminal to be delayed a year
By Kirsten Orsini-Meinhard
Seattle Times business reporter

The Port of Seattle has pushed back the construction timeline on its new cruise-ship terminal by one year, citing the "aggressiveness" of its earlier schedule and concern about getting sufficient bids.

That means cruise ships won't move until spring 2009 from south of downtown to the planned new facility at Terminal 91 between Magnolia and Queen Anne Hill.

It also means the $118 million price tag on the project could increase, said spokesman David Schaefer.

The project had been slated for completion before the cruise season begins in April 2008. Work on the site will begin as planned in mid-August, with bidding starting in June.

Port of Seattle commissioners will hear an update on the project at their meeting today.

Port officials were concerned about the "aggressiveness" of the original timetable and weren't sure necessary city construction permits could be obtained in time, said Schaefer.

I read that. I am so not sure about Magualia location because it will take it away from downtown area. I think new cruise terminal should be built in downtown area and have the tourists to access downtown Seattle just to shop and explore around. My major concern that tourists who land Seattle might get wrong impression of new cruise terminal at Magualia about Seattle because it is far away from downtown area and make it difficult to visit downtown Seattle. Plus there is not many thing to do in Magualia too. :(

Pier 91 is a lot more scenic than Terminal 25.

There's no room Downtown anyway -- no pier anywhere near the right length, and no chance of building one.

Is there any chance that the port will ever give up Pier 46 for redevelopment? That proposal that nitze stagen envisioned a few years ago would have been absolutely amazing.

yeah, I figure if I follow it for 20 years I can be involved in the development - I'm only half kidding. Hanjin has a lease w/option through 2015 or 2020 I think and the $300m SR519 interchange is being built specifically for T-46 access.

I'll add to that the need is not there for t-46 yet. sure development could occur there now, but it would only take away from other areas of central city that have not be been out

Is there any chance that the port will ever give up Pier 46 for redevelopment? That proposal that nitze stagen envisioned a few years ago would have been absolutely amazing.

Now I'm curious about it. Do you have any rendering of this vision?

Now I'm curious about it. Do you have any rendering of this vision?

Ask, and you shall receive.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20030207/pioneersquare.pdf

Now I'm curious about it. Do you have any rendering of this vision?

http://www.vision-46.com

WOW! That is really impressive vision. I'm shocked that I never heard about this vision like that before! I wonder what happened to this project? I didn't know that Seattle was going to get another sport arena if this development gets built. Seriously, I really like this vision. I hope it will get built.

We should also mention that at a time there were major plans for Interbay (between Magnolia and W Queen Anne). High rise commercial and residential on the area formerly used to store new Nissans from Japan.

This dream may become more realistic with 1000s of tourists floating by.

BellevueBoy, I know there was a conceptual drawing of this at a time. You seem good at accessing stuff like that. Can you find?

WOW! Sounds like Seattle is trying to be next Dubai with awesome megaprojects or something like that... I hope it will get built!

Check this thread out. I took hundreds of pictures of Seattle and plan to do more soon. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=460894 :)

Dude, you crack me up. Haven't read up on seattle's history with grandiose projects, eh? We've killed a fair share of mega projects..starting with Bogue plan and civic center plans, the rejection of transit in Forward Thrust, rejection of Seattle Commons, Monorail.....about the only thing that was completed was Century 21 over forty years ago. And the NIMBY activists were asleep at the wheel in the 1980's when tax law made construction of wacky, 70 story office towers feasible in places like Seatle...but they soon implemented CAP to put a stop to that a couple years late after the 1986 tax act

Terminal 46 isn't going anywhere as long as it's a critical part of our container port, and as long as our container business keeps growing. But I still hold out hope. A major redevelopment of that site, with substantial housing, would give South Downtown a substantial middle-class (and upper class) presence, and certainly invigorate the major pedestrian routes through Pioneer Square.

I expect South Downtown to keep revitalizing year by year anyway. Maybe if Terminal 46 comes available in 2025, or whenever, the site will be considered prime spillover property for an already-vibrant area.

Dude, you crack me up. Haven't read up on seattle's history with grandiose projects, eh? We've killed a fair share of mega projects..starting with Bogue plan and civic center plans, the rejection of transit in Forward Thrust, rejection of Seattle Commons, Monorail.....about the only thing that was completed was Century 21 over forty years ago. And the NIMBY activists were asleep at the wheel in the 1980's when tax law made construction of wacky, 70 story office towers feasible in places like Seatle...but they soon implemented CAP to put a stop to that a couple years late after the 1986 tax act

I only read some of it not everything yet. Honestly, I think some of megaprojects would do good for City of Seattle and people depending what kind of project is it... If it will create thousands of jobs and affordable housing/more housing for newcomers, public transportation, parks, improve quality of life, and education... I'd support it for sure.

Dude, you crack me up. Haven't read up on seattle's history with grandiose projects, eh? We've killed a fair share of mega projects..starting with Bogue plan and civic center plans, the rejection of transit in Forward Thrust, rejection of Seattle Commons, Monorail.....about the only thing that was completed was Century 21 over forty years ago. And the NIMBY activists were asleep at the wheel in the 1980's when tax law made construction of wacky, 70 story office towers feasible in places like Seatle...but they soon implemented CAP to put a stop to that a couple years late after the 1986 tax act

CAP is dead. There are areas of downtown again with no height limits.

And check out the "Booming Seattle of the past" thread...Crazy has a very good understanding of the past, and I find his optimism refreshing. Yes, a lot of plans fell by the wayside, but somehow, someway, Seattle is today one of the most vibrant city-centric areas in the U.S. Something must be going right.

What ever happened to the Northwest Economy Thread? Oh well I thought this is interesting news.

Boeing submits KC-767 tanker proposal

The Boeing Co. officially entered the competition to build a new aerial refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force one day after its chief rival submitted its bid.

Chicago-based Boeing (NYSE: BA) is basing its proposal on a modified version of its 767-200 jetliner. The company indicates that the tankers will be produced on its Everett production lines.

Tuesday, a team of Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC) and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. submitted a bid for the tanker competition based on the Airbus A330. That proposal promises to modify A330s into tankers in a manufacturing plant that Airbus is building in Mobile, Ala.

The U.S. Air Force is taking bids to replace aging KC-135 Stratotankers that are currently used for aerial refueling.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/04/09/daily21.html?jst=b_ln_hl

Terminal 46 isn't going anywhere as long as it's a critical part of our container port, and as long as our container business keeps growing. But I still hold out hope. A major redevelopment of that site, with substantial housing, would give South Downtown a substantial middle-class (and upper class) presence, and certainly invigorate the major pedestrian routes through Pioneer Square.

I expect South Downtown to keep revitalizing year by year anyway. Maybe if Terminal 46 comes available in 2025, or whenever, the site will be considered prime spillover property for an already-vibrant area.

Don't hold your breath. The port only has plans to expand its container capacity by converting terminals 25 and 30 back to support containers again. I doubt that they will give up terminal 46 anytime soon.

Minor thing but it was nice to see that the tiled water features at Harbor Steps are being re-done. They really needed a renovation. Making a very good space a little better. I hope the work is done before full-blown summer season.

lol
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=12683711#post12683711

^^ LOL! Thank God it will never get built in Seattle! Whew!

I doubt that they will give up terminal 46 anytime soon.

Two wild cards:

1) seattle's port is wildly inefficient on a per acre basis relative to other US ports and expecially relative to Asian ports. We could double or treble the TEU through per acre with new technoloby

2) Tacoma. Has much more land to expand and shock*** turns an operating profit on seaport ops. Seattle uses a much larger tax subsidy and profits from Sea-Tac to cross-subsidizer container ops

Asian ports often do something unthinkable here: share container terminals. Our terminals are single-user aside from private agreements. We can probably fit 10(?) ships, but we typically have between 3 or 4 container ships in town I'd guess.

I'm happy to let Tacoma's port grow at Seattle's expense. Let each city do what it does best, and take advantage of Tacoma's lower land values. However, this only works if the pie doesn't grow, and most projections say it will.

Then you can get into the issue of whether imports will keep growing, how this will be affected by exchange rates, how the gradual evening of global wages will affect the US consumer culture....

^^WOW keep going dude

I was just looking at this building on Emporis and damn is this an underrated building. What a classic :okay:

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=334296

Exchange Building sells for $80.6M

The historic 78-year-old Exchange Building at Second Avenue and Marion Street in downtown Seattle has been bought by The Ashforth Co. for $80.6 million.

Ashforth, of Stamford, Conn., bought the 23-story, 295,000-square-foot building at 821 Second Ave. along with partner GE Asset Management from Crescent Real Estate Equities Co. (NYSE: CEI) of Fort Worth.

Ashforth officials said the building is 100 percent occupied, with King County as the major tenant, along with aQuantive Inc. (NASDAQ: AQNT) and Varolii Corp.

"Our intent is to grow further through acquisition and development in select markets such as Portland, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area," said Scott Langley, president of Ashforth's West Coast affiliate, Portland-based Ashforth Pacific, in a statement.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/04/16/daily16.html?jst=b_ln_hl

It is a beautiful building.

Smith sells site near Qwest Field for $29M

After a nearly decade-long struggle to redevelop an 8-acre parcel west of Qwest Field into a mixed-use project, developer Greg Smith has shelved his plans and sold a portion of the Seattle property to the state Department of Transportation for $29 million.

Faced with the likelihood the property would be seized by the state in the repair or replacement of the decrepit Alaskan Way Viaduct, Smith agreed to sell roughly half of the property along the west side abutting the viaduct to the DOT. Smith also agreed to lease the eastern portion of the site to the state for four or more years, keeping open his option to one day redevelop the property.

Known as the Wosca site, the long, skinny property is wedged between the viaduct and First Avenue South, stretching from just south of South King Street to South Royal Brougham Way.

Just last spring, Smith unwrapped plans for a $750 million mixed-use development that would have included six nine-story office buildings totaling 1 million square feet of office space, four 15-story residential buildings with 600 units of market rate housing, numerous shops and restaurants in up to 200,000 square feet of retail and several public parks.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/04/16/daily32.html?jst=b_ln_hl

....and by bluffing so, set himself up to recieve a higher value from the state.

Another First Hill condo development gets started on Boylston.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle3/emerald1/apr102007061Medium-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle3/emerald1/apr102007062Medium-1.jpg

^^ :banana: :banana: :banana:

thats not.........The Bolyston.............is it?

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/pict71076400wi.jpg

Looks like it is, finally!

Not convinced. They started demo in December and might simply be removing the pile.

It's not the Boylston. Look for Skygarden on one of the compilation threads.

The Skygarden has its own thread

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=453121

I was on Denny earlier today... I saw the process to demolish two buildings between 5th and 6th on Denny. I am not sure what it going to get built on that site... I think it might be new hotel complex... :dunno: Also I saw The Rollin'... It gettting little deeper now... I think the tower crane would go up within a several weeks from now... Also they still digging on The Enso site... Also I forgot the name of this new retirement home building... It is on street level now.

The demo is the site of a 144-unit, six-story residential project at 100 Taylor N. They have a 50-unit site on the NE part of the same block but there's no action. The hotel site is a block east.

This might be something worth checking out.

http://www.seattlecondoexpo.com

Another First Hill condo development gets started on Boylston.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/pwright1/seattle3/emerald1/apr102007061Medium-1.jpg

This site is at Boylston and Seneca. There use to be a little office bldg on this site. I believe a 20 storey condo will be here. Just can't remember the name of it.

See a few posts above. It's not clear that it's a start.

This might be something worth checking out.

http://www.seattlecondoexpo.com

Sounds like another Seattle meet. :)

Thanks for bought it up! I just registered it! :) Hope they will comes up with brand new affordable/nicer condo buildings that we are not aware of at that event. I'm still looking for right condo lately... No luck yet.

Hey, BellevueBoy, that Condo Expo sounds interesting. I'm not in the market for real estate just yet, but I'd like to see all of the models and trend reports.

Speaking of SeattleCondo Expo '07... Does anyone thinks Donald Trump will be attend this meeting to show off his new luxury condo-hotel tower?

i wouldn't hold your breath....

OMG! Anybody want to go to Ohio?

$10 flights from Bellingham to Ohio planned

For those wishing to journey from Bellingham to Columbus, Ohio, Skybus Airlines is planning to offer some cheap fares.

The Columbus-based airline said it plans to offer promotional $10 tickets from Bellingham International Airport to Columbus beginning May 29.

The $20 round-trip fares offered on the Skybus.com Web site aren't a gimmick, Skybus officials said.

"These fares -- starting with at least 10 seats at $10 on every flight -- will always be offered," said Bill Diffenderffer, Skybus CEO, in a statement announcing the service.

Port of Bellingham Director Art Choat said that the addition of Skybus to the airport is "good news for citizens."

"It gives them tons of options," Choat said. He said the port has conducted extensive due diligence about the new Columbus airline.

He doesn't compare Skybus with a previous airport operator, Western Air, which abruptly stopped flying its charter operations earlier this year. Skybus is an official FAA-designated airline that's raised $160 million in startup capital, he said.

Skybus will use Airbus 319 airplanes, and airline officials said they plan to offer additional destinations in late May and early June.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/04/23/daily8.html?jst=b_ln_hl

^^ OMG! NO WAY!!!!!!! Ohio must be that desperate to re-boost it economy!

Damn that's cheap! I should reserve some so we can fly to visit our friend in Columbus! ;)

^^ Yeah I got some friends that live in Cleveland and Columbia too... Maybe I should take advantage of this opportunity... I will think about it.... :)

Well, I wish anybody well who books these flights too far into the future. They have financial backing (to the tune of $160 million) but selling Bellingham as Seattle/Vancouver is a stretch.

I think they'll burn through cash pretty darned quickly, I realize only 10 seats will be sold for $10, but they max out pretty low, their yields will be trash. btw, everything is for sale, and you aren't allowed to bring on your own food/beverages. The flight attendants are paid on commission. Want to sit in a pressurized tube with 156 people (32 more then NW puts on their A319s) and Amway types runnig up and down the aisle?

^^ For $20?.............sha!

Just because they say you cant bring food on the plane doest mean you cant bring food on to a plane.

I'm a flight attendant for the past 18 years. One thing to keep in mind regarding FAR (Federal Air Regulations) a lot of them state that whatever the airlines create as rules, passengers must follow. It is in the rules of carriage. If you get caught with your own food, it can be confiscated. If you refuse, you can be detained.

Fair, or smart? No, but you'll be dealing with minimum wage folks who want to make their commission. Go ahead and try to skirt rules, at these prices, I think you'll be shocked by how strict they will be. Ever flown on RyanAir in Europe? This is the model for skybus.

It isn't pretty.

RyanAir isn't even allowed into some French airports because of that behavior and the type of clientele they bring with them. Additionally, then the taxes and fees you will pay will be over $100.00.

What is going to be built in that huge hole in front of the cosmopolitan?

The hole on the south end of the same block is 818 Stewart. Its a short office building by Schnitzer.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=450804

Oh yeah forgot about that, thanx.

There's a large clickable map of downtown Seattle with *every* possible development going on. It's due for an update (last one was in February); but it's a great map that gives a perspective as to where the downtown developments are happening!!

http://www.downtownseattle.com/content/businesses/DevelopmentMap.cfm

^^ WOW! Thanks! :)

The DSA list is far from complete. I'm not suggesting there's a better list. Also I forget the details. I just remember seeing it a while back and listing projects that weren't included.

Hi everybody, I'm new to the forum. Someday I hope to start a blog to keep track of all this development. Anyway, here are some bite-size photos I took on a walk through Seattle this last weekend:

Moda (I'm pretty sure.)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/193/479276826_4ead35c8e0_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/479276798_bf3452f987_o.jpg

^^ Great pictures! Welcome to SSC! :cheers:

Parc:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/479276824_f91ab12d34_o.jpg

4 Seasons:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/479276812_5c7d7d98d7_o.jpg

Westlake 2201:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/479276800_45db49a641_o.jpg

Westlake 2201 and 2200:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/479276806_3bc0be4fa8_o.jpg