Hey, just got back from Northgate and realized there wasn't much reporting at SkyscraperCity on what is going on up there. So I'm gonna start my first thread on it! Sorry if this has already been covered...

507 Northgate-
Anchored by Circuit City, the building will feature 163 apartments above 55,000 SF of retail, with covered parking and easy access from I-5.

http://students.washington.edu/quail64/507northgate.jpg

construction photo-
http://students.washington.edu/quail64/construction507.jpg





Thornton Place at Northgate-
A 6-acre Mixed-use development which will contain approximately 50,000 square feet of retail space, a 14 screen cinema, 109 condominiums and 278 market rate apartments all constructed over an estimated 850 parking spaces.

http://students.washington.edu/quail64/Northgate-Thornton1.gif

Has Thornton Creek running through it!-
http://students.washington.edu/quail64/thornton2.jpg

http://students.washington.edu/quail64/thornton3.jpg

Mayor's plan for Northgate-
http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/issues/northgate/

Building Northgate (DPD)
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Northgate_Revitalization/NorthgateProjects/default.asp

Lorig's Website on Thornton Place-
http://www.lorig.com/d_thornton.htm


I remember coming here 3 years ago and thinking Northgate would be perfect for infill development. SO glad to see it's finally happening. Once they get light rail up there it will surely be an excellent urban center. Kinda wish there was a big park up there though... The small one next to the library is cool but I really like living near something bigger that acts as an oasis from the city life.

Cheers!
:cheers:

We've talked a little about these but it really is time for a thread. Thanks.

I didn't know 507 had started. Quite a few woodframe starts (or apparent starts) we're hearing about this week along with a couple at Green Lake, Bellevue, Aurora & John, two in Renton, et al.

My question on Thorton Place is whether it's started yet. Including the senior housing part across the stream.

I didn't snap a photo, but Thornton Place is definitely under way. It's huge! I was suprised to see how far both of these projects have come along. Last time I was up there I didn't see any digging at all.

Thornton Place is about as far along as 507 at this point... only WAYYY bigger. Not sure about the senior project; didn't know about that one.

Also, improvements to the mall are coming along nicely. I suppose you can call them improvements.... not too hard to do that with Northgate. I wish they would build one or two more parking structures like the cool new one they got and then either develop the rest of the sea of parking or convert it to green space. The new stuff doesn't quite kick the blight completely.

Here are some light rail photos for good measure. Let's hope they can get this segment up in a decent timeline if we vote for ST2. Also, if the Roosevelt station is underground, where is the line going to break through the ground and switch to elevated?-

http://www.soundtransit.org/images/projects/lightrail/north/Northgate%20Station/07032902NGsim.jpg

http://www.soundtransit.org/images/projects/lightrail/north/NorthgateSite.jpg

http://www.soundtransit.org/images/projects/lightrail/north/NorthgateSections.jpg

yeah, the 103rd street project is a HUGE hole in the ground right now. I looked that up on the land use bulletin page, and it just came up as a "regrading" project. Cool to see that will be a big new town center type development.

Great to hear Thorton Place has started! How about the senior housing across the creek? If so, that would be over 650 units just in the projects mentioned here.

Northgate has a very long way to go. The mall itself has grown and slightly densified with some new retail and one or two parking garages to replace a bit of their surface parking. Now I hope they densify further. Some condos over additional garages in their existing lots would be great. Another improvement would be a skybridge from the transit center (already it has decent service) to the community college.

Wow! I heard some of these incoming projects that are happening in Northgate but never seen these renderings before. Thanks for sharing! I'm glad we got a thread that focus on Northgate area. It always helpful for anyone to keep up with projects that are happening in the Puget Sounds. :) I'm happy to hear that Northgate is improving lately.

Thanks, Crazy for bringing this one up. I grew up not too far from Northgate, and that was my family's main shopping outlet. The area around it has been under-utilized for way too long, and it is nice to see the area FINALLY starting to become something. It has such a great location, near I-5, and really the "center" of the the northend. Go Northgate!

I went to the target in the 'northgate north' complex. That parking garage is insane! It's like a 40% grade coming from the street, and no one knows how to park in there either. Damn mini cooper taking up two spots... wtf!

Great to see the woodframes though, all over north Seattle. Another 20 years of this and we'll start to look like a real city:)

Damn mini cooper taking up two spots... wtf!

I'm surprised that nobody vandal that mini cooper for took two spots. I always see some vehicles in Seattle metro area that took two spots got vandalized.

Can see from I-5, there's a construction crane going up at the thorton place site. Moving along nicely

Did anyone see the article in one of the papers today about the Roosevelt area trying to build 10-story buildings? A lot of opposition in this neighborhood to this kind of density.

Point: Seatteites want greater density, understand that it is important, but when it comes to "THEIR" neighborhood, no way! NIMBY at its best! These type of arguments will continue and little progress at greater density in the outer neighborhoods will ever reach any type of concencus.

Did anyone see the article in one of the papers today about the Roosevelt area trying to build 10-story buildings? A lot of opposition in this neighborhood to this kind of density.

Point: Seatteites want greater density, understand that it is important, but when it comes to "THEIR" neighborhood, no way! NIMBY at its best! These type of arguments will continue and little progress at greater density in the outer neighborhoods will ever reach any type of concencus.

Heh, I'm assuming they were referring to the land owned by Sisley? The argument against it is that a 10 story in Roosevelt would look like a 100 story downtown. most of the surrounding buildings are 1-2 stories, and even the biggest buildings (of which, I count 2) are a max of 6. The neighborhood assn is pushing more for 5-6 story buildings instead for a more walkable neighborhood.

I agree, I think if we can keep building these 4-6 story wood frames not just in Seattle but all over the metro area it'll do a lot for density. The townhouses help too.

That being said, 10 stories isn't that tall, and a 10 story among 4-6 stories isn't that tall either.

^^ I agree. It would do good for Seattle metro area just for now and meet the growth needs.

For years the Northgate area kind of fell behind the other suburbs, and finally it appears they are working on improving overall. I'm glad to see this change.

Crane is up at the 507 Northgate site now

I went to the target in the 'northgate north' complex. That parking garage is insane! It's like a 40% grade coming from the street, and no one knows how to park in there either. Damn mini cooper taking up two spots... wtf!

Great to see the woodframes though, all over north Seattle. Another 20 years of this and we'll start to look like a real city:)

The parking problems are probably because it was one of the first mixed-use developments in Seattle, back when we probably didn't know much about mixed-use developments. I don't like the parking garage either. It's too damn crowded. Go park at the mall instead and walk a few feet across the street.

Not to be pedantic, but Northgate is a neighborhood, not a suburb. It includes four smaller hoods called Haller Lake, where Bill Gates and Paul Allen programmed their first tic tac toe game in high school, Licton Springs, where David Denny spent his last years and the springs which dripped down to create Green Lake. I don't know what to say about Pinehurst other than it appreciated the most of any neighborhood according to Seattle mag last year, and Maple Leaf which is more like Ravenna than the shopping mall section people know. It's great to see development going up, but why not build some actual skyscrapers? On the Licton Sprgs side there are already a few 10 or so story buildings, it's not like they would clash, and plenty of existing population density related to NSCC.

Not to be pedantic, but Northgate is a neighborhood, not a suburb. It includes four smaller hoods called Haller Lake, where Bill Gates and Paul Allen programmed their first tic tac toe game in high school, Licton Springs, where David Denny spent his last years and the springs which dripped down to create Green Lake. I don't know what to say about Pinehurst other than it appreciated the most of any neighborhood according to Seattle mag last year, and Maple Leaf which is more like Ravenna than the shopping mall section people know. It's great to see development going up, but why not build some actual skyscrapers? On the Licton Sprgs side there are already a few 10 or so story buildings, it's not like they would clash, and plenty of existing population density related to NSCC.

Exactly the point. 10-story+ buildings already exist in the neighborhood. OK, we want density. How do we get there?

IMHO, Seattle should open up several neighborhoods, perhaps Roosevelt being one of them, to allow for mid-rise development. Tie it in to future light rail if possible. Northgate is another. Lake City, the U-district could use higher limits.

Problem is, you poll Seattleites, and they want higher density. Poll them if they want mid-rises, and they say no. I guess we will become a city of 4-story townhomes. Not sure that will solve the problem.

Good luck getting Seattleites to agree to highrises outside core areas. We don't even allow them anymore in the U District.

But I'd love to see a bunch of them around Northgate Mall. Replace the surface lots with garages and build a dozen towers. I don't know the surrounding area at all, but the NE side seems like a good area for another highrise district.

That said, it's remarkable how much density can be added with lowrises. Often a six-story building that covers the whole site has as many (or more) units as some other cities get with a tower surrounded by landscaping.

Geez, the highrises in university district is so unappealing. They need to make it more dense and attract more younger group of people in that area. It's sad that Safeco built in the wrong area, oh well.

The Safeco Building is being renamed UW Tower now that Safeco has moved Downtown. This is great for the UW as they can consolidate some functions that have been elsewhere around town. I believe it's all offices and support functions.

The U-District is densifying. Lots of six- and seven-story stuff happening there. Unfortunately certain spots in the middle haven't been doing anything. Inexplicably, the worst blocks have been kept as parking on purpose by the business community, and they have a plan to develop these sites with mixed-use and garages only very slowly.

Anyone know if the Safeco name will be removed from the tower? I can never tell when going by if the name is etched into the stone, or letters placed on top...

^^ its to be removed, and they are putting up a light up "UW" on it.

Great, nice to hear that. Not that I have anything against Safeco of course, but will be nice to see UW on it.

Exactly the point. 10-story+ buildings already exist in the neighborhood. OK, we want density. How do we get there?

IMHO, Seattle should open up several neighborhoods, perhaps Roosevelt being one of them, to allow for mid-rise development. Tie it in to future light rail if possible. Northgate is another. Lake City, the U-district could use higher limits.

Problem is, you poll Seattleites, and they want higher density. Poll them if they want mid-rises, and they say no. I guess we will become a city of 4-story townhomes. Not sure that will solve the problem.

When was the last time Seattleites were polled whether or not they're in favor of hirises? Or had a say in the design of the townhomes we're getting? If developers drive everything else in Seattle, why not hirises in Northgate? There have been several "urban centers" defined, Northgate (http://cityofseattle.net/DPD/planning/comprehensive/spidr/pdffiles/urbvillg/nrthgtbd.pdf)is one. But if they're not going to even try to push hi-rises, why bother? I'd take it a step further and create a distinct neighborhood. Nobody in any of the four hoods call their neighborhood Northgate except people in that area. Those barracks looking apartments west of Target are begging, pleading to be scraped off and turned into hi-rises :nuts:

im pretty stoked for the UW sign on top...tho it should say somthing like Husky nation or somthing...haha

I'm stoked that the UW bought the Safeco tower, but a bit mystified as to the signage. It was my impression that city zoning (and I could be very wrong on this) generally didn't allow signs on towers, except for the older established buildings (like Hotel Max). In it's initial renderings 2200 was to have a large Pan Pacific sign on it's tower, but what they allowed instead was a very small medallion that's hard to make out from ground level. Cam someone educate me on this?

Hotels have some type of exemption because so many visitors need to find them. I don't know the details.

I'm pretty ignorant on the laws regarding signage, but here is the FAQ page from UW's website that explains several of the changes they will make. They talk about the change in signage on page 3.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/UW-Tower/FAQ.pdf

Here is the whole page dedicated to the project:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/UW-Tower/

Is this going to be the tallest university related tower in the US once they convert to UW status?

Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh. Taller, and also a stunning classic building.

cool, you sure it's the tallest in the US?

No, but others have suggested it.

(ps, there's a Seattle Condo Review ad right next to this box....why is the photo backwards?!)

No, but others have suggested it.

(ps, there's a Seattle Condo Review ad right next to this box....why is the photo backwards?!)

No problem, no..I don't see any Seattle condo review ad. I think the ads are random everytime you visit webpages. They don't show the same thing.

When was the last time Seattleites were polled whether or not they're in favor of hirises? Or had a say in the design of the townhomes we're getting? If developers drive everything else in Seattle, why not hirises in Northgate? There have been several "urban centers" defined, Northgate (http://cityofseattle.net/DPD/planning/comprehensive/spidr/pdffiles/urbvillg/nrthgtbd.pdf)is one. But if they're not going to even try to push hi-rises, why bother? I'd take it a step further and create a distinct neighborhood. Nobody in any of the four hoods call their neighborhood Northgate except people in that area. Those barracks looking apartments west of Target are begging, pleading to be scraped off and turned into hi-rises :nuts:

I was writing figuritvely, as in IF you polled most residents...

I am curious about the old Safeco Tower in the U-dristrict. Were there no height limits in the U-district back the early 70's when it was built? Was there a plan to make this a high-rise district? I notice another 10-12 story residential building just to the west of Safeco that was built in the same era. Of course, the first high-rise was the old art-deco University Tower Hotel, built in the 1930's...what a fascinating hotel. (Since extensively remodled)

Had a chance to visit the Thornton site over Labor Day weekend. It definitely is coming along nicely. This is a MAJOR development, as proven by the visuals presented on this thread. Also, Northgate Mall is looking very good with their improvements. This area has been so stagnent for so long, it is nice to see the progress in my home neighborhood. Also, the development at NG Way and NE 5th seems well underway. Northgate could indeed be the next hot spot in Seattle. I am proud of my old childhood neighborhood. (BTW, I learned to drive on the old Thornton parking lot on an early Sunday morning with no cars around...I guess I will always remember that as it becomes a new urban villlage!)

Kauri Investments has intitiated design guidance for a five-story 180 unit apartment building with parking for 169 vehicles located in a below grade garage. An addition to existing 130 unit apartment building will include 8 live-work units. This site is just north of the Northgate North (Target) building, and next to the proposed new city park on the old Park and Ride lot.

They are working with Schemata Workshop. The Schemata site ( http://www.schemataworkshop.com/site/mlti_northgate.php) shows a project of about the same size. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they hold off until the Northgate re-zone is approved. It would allow them to go higher.

http://bp2.blogger.com/_xHy6Da8xraw/Rm711Loaz6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/_oeK03vBA_Y/s320/northgate5.jpg

Oh cool, just realized the guys doing the Thornton place project are the same ones managing the Vitamilk re-development (Or the Park 71) in Greenlake:

http://www.lorig.com/d_park71.htm

The Thornton Place develpment (just south of the Northgate mall) is now one level below the street on the northwest corner of the site. It looks like the park and retirement community aren't started yet.

Photo take 9/23/2007 from top of Northgate garage.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_xHy6Da8xraw/Rvgi5ruAXfI/AAAAAAAAACo/7iW41eEKg2A/s400/ThorntonPlace0907.jpg

Larger view of site also available (http://bp1.blogger.com/_xHy6Da8xraw/Rvgex7uAXdI/AAAAAAAAACY/MBpAXHjTQj0/s1600-h/DSCN0963.JPG).

This development is really going to change this part of town.

Looks like all three projects have started. The far part of the excavation is the retirement community. Very cool. (And hopefully a step that's helpful for additional densification of the Northgate area.)

The excavation is done for all three. It was done by one contractor. Only the Thornton Place portion has started constucting any buildings.

I see your point.

Big opening party for all the new stuff at the mall this weekend:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/338721_northgate08.html

Concert and prize give aways etc.

Looking sharp. I wonder if they'll do anything significant to the east side of the mall. Be nice to reach out towards 5th and toward the new library and community center across the street.

looks nice.

I went by on Sunday.... They really tried to grasp what Alderwood has done. Not bad, but Alderwood and University Village take the cake.
Never heard of Stanfords, anyone?

Double post!

I went by on Sunday.... They really tried to grasp what Alderwood has done. Not bad, but Alderwood and University Village take the cake.
Never heard of Stanfords, anyone?

They have a store in Parkway Plaza on Southcenter Blvd. and I remember going to one in Lloyd Center in Portland
http://www.stanfords.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.display&pageID=85
7 in Oregon 2 now in Washington, 1 in California.

Nothing spectacular, nothing to offend, either.

Oh haha every time Ive gone by Stanfords I could never figure out what the hell it is. Nice to finally know!

yeah, it's much nicer now that it faces outward. still wayyy too much parking lot though. they should just build one or two more parking structures and develop the rest of the lot into stores or apartments or parkland or something. Oh well, maybe next facelift. Or when light rail gets.... oh wait.

Or when light rail gets.... oh wait.

HAHAHAHA!

HAHAHAHA!

Haha, even if ST has to pick change off the street, they will get the main line to Northgate.

I'd prefer Alderwood to Northgate.

Even with the expansion, Northgate is still too small. They should have at least replace 1/2 the surface lot with a multi-level urban village-style shops and built another parking garage to compensate.

But still, i'm totally going to Northgate this weekend! :nuts:

If anybody here has seen the plans for Oakridge Mall in Vancouver B.C., you'd understand my disappointment with Northgate.

For what is there, and its in the citylimits location, I feel that this should have been towers for condos (20 stories) 8-10 story offices (at least 3 or 4) and the mall. All underground parking or garages. Rebuild the mall.

Expensive, yes, but it would be true Urban Village. Tie it in with light rail. As it is, we have a different shoppingmall, but still a mall.

Similarly, I'm disappointed with the Southcenter remodel. Again, a missed opportunity. Bellevue Square is a bit better with their plans for a hotel and housing on the western edge of the mall. As well as not having acres of asphalt surrounding the mall.

http://www.walterschultz.blogspot.com/2007/03/oakridge-centre-vancouvers-future.html This shows some of the information, as well as

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/currentplanning/oakridge/

I'd rather live in a condo in an up and coming or trendy neighborhood than inside a shopping mall. I think it is too early for Northgate to rise up with so many great neighborhoods nearby that are a better spot for more residential density.

Don't worry, Northgate will have countless future remodels.

I'd rather live in a condo in an up and coming or trendy neighborhood than inside a shopping mall. I think it is too early for Northgate to rise up with so many great neighborhoods nearby that are a better spot for more residential density.

Don't worry, Northgate will have countless future remodels.

I agree. I think Northgate is taking baby-steps into becoming a sustainable, cool neighborhood. By the time light rail gets there, I think we can probably start to expect closer to 8-10 stories.

Went to Northgate today (to avoid the crowds :lol:), here are some pictures:


http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7828.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-
22-2007/DSCF7829.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7830.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7831.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7832.jpg


http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7833.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7834.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7835.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7836.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7837.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7838.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7839.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7841.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7842.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7843.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7844.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7845.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7846.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7847.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7848.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7849.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7850.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7851.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7852.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7853.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7854.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7855.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7856.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7857.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7858.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7859.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7861.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/taiwanesedrummer36/Regional%2011-22-2007/DSCF7862.jpg

^
Wow I don't think I've ever seen the parking lots around Northgate so empty. ;)

I was there on Tuesday and was pleased to see that big development south of the mall coming along so quickly. To think they only broke ground in the spring!

I can't believe it was that dead. Usually I can't stand driving through Northgate because of the congestion, but that looks rather pleasant. Strange.

Northgate is one of my least-favorite neighborhoods in town. I look forward to some progress.

I can't believe it was that dead. Usually I can't stand driving through Northgate because of the congestion, but that looks rather pleasant. Strange.

FYI: I took the pictures on Thanksgiving Day. :)

Seriously, driving around on a holiday is a great idea, except when you're on the freeways.

FYI: I took the pictures on Thanksgiving Day. :)

Seriously, driving around on a holiday is a great idea, except when you're on the freeways.

It all makes sense now. The date reads November 23, which is why I was so shocked. I can't imagine how it was on black Friday.