Seattle Development News 8 - Page 7

BoulderGrad · August 11th, 2010, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyAboutCities

I like the concept of this development. Only one thing I don't like... It looks like cookie cutter development. I hope it won't look bad when it get built.

Auto-response from Bouldergrad:

What else can you do with a 6 story box?

CrazyAboutCities · August 11th, 2010, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

Auto-response from Bouldergrad:

What else can you do with a 6 story box?

These buildings don't have to look exact same. Different colors, shapes, height or materials could make it look less cookie cutter. Think outside of the box.

InlandEmpire · August 11th, 2010, 05:10 AM

I'm actually pleasantly surprised....its a better plan than I would have envisioned for that area; very encouraging. It's tough to judge a project too much based on preliminary sketches and renderings. There's always that beautiful thing called 'value engineering' that will rear its ugly head at some point later on in the design development. Hopefully things won't get too butchered though.

Seasun · August 11th, 2010, 07:24 AM

I noticed today that some work is going on in the street-level space in the garage at 2nd and Union. The last tenant of this space AFAIK was McKinstry when they worked on WaMu Center construction. Anyone know what's going on in here? Any possibility it's a construction office for the new Target across the street? (seems doubtful since it's so early and they might be able to find space elsewhere in the building (I know there's a basement level in the Newmark with office type space)) In case you're interested: here's the streetview and here's the only active permit I can find for this property. Something about installing circuits in a server room...

CityView Jim · August 11th, 2010, 04:52 PM

Is Newmark already vacant?

Seasun · August 11th, 2010, 05:10 PM

The Newmark office/retail space is all empty and has been for a long time except along Pike Street where there are a few small shops.

I was noticing recently that the Pike Street Smoke shop which was just south of the Newmark residential entry on 2nd Ave has moved a block or two away. Maybe I've asked this before but do people think Target might make a north entry to their space through this old shop (it's almost level with one of the large floor plates). They could also use the south entry with the existing escalators. Seems like the escalators must cut down on a lot of shop lifting - harder to make a quick qetaway via escalator without landing on one's face!

mhays · August 11th, 2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyAboutCities

I noticed the design of McGraw/Westlake Plaza has dead end of SLUT. I thought they are planning to extend it all way to connect future streetcar line (Central Line)?

I don't understand this question. What does the park design have to do with a future trolley extension?

Seasun · August 11th, 2010, 06:10 PM

There's some relationship if there were a pair of tracks going through the park instead of the single dead end there is now. I don't know a great way to get a pair of tracks down 5th avenue without totally screwing up 5th Ave. I also don't like more turns in the SLUT to get to another street but SLUT would be way more useful if it did go down to King Street Station.

meku · August 11th, 2010, 06:48 PM

5Th Ave has one of the best streetscapes Downtown. It's such a joy to walk down that street - a streetcar rolling along would enhance that feeling. Personally I wouldn't mind if we had two N-S routes in DT - one on First Ave going from Pioneer Square to Seattle Center and the second route on Fifth Ave going from Westlake (connecting to SLUT) to ID Link Station.

jessejb · August 11th, 2010, 08:10 PM

Not sure it would be a good idea. 5th gets very congested during rush hours.

CityView Jim · August 11th, 2010, 11:39 PM

At a time, the park design includes a streetcar stop for the SLUT at its present location. It also included for - at a later date - another streetcar stop on Stewart between 5th and 6th just across the street from the plaza. This would be for a link up to the 1st St. streetcar, when and if.

Can't find those plans at this time. Either way, I don't think the streetcar network was supposed to be contiguous. Lines would end where others lines began or crossed.

CityView Jim · August 12th, 2010, 12:07 AM

Not quite a pocket park, but more downtown greenery is always welcome. Sheraton will be improving its backside (7th St.) starting next week finishing in the Spring. There will be a notable feature at 7th and Union - a 27-foot tall water feature!! Nice for cars coming off the freeway there as their first impression of downtown!!

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/s...9/daily25.html

jessejb · August 12th, 2010, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

Not quite a pocket park, but more downtown greenery is always welcome. Sheraton will be improving its backside (7th St.) starting next week finishing in the Spring. There will be a notable feature at 7th and Union - a 27-foot tall water feature!! Nice for cars coming off the freeway there as their first impression of downtown!!

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/s...9/daily25.html

YES! That is freaking awesome. That stretch is desolate right now.

Edit: Oh wait "kinetic water feature". Probably some ugly hippie drippy metal thing. I read it as "27 foot waterfall" haha

meku · August 12th, 2010, 01:33 AM

Right next to the recently finished 200 West Highland, work has started (probably a while ago) on the 2 or 3 story Kerry Park Court. From the drawings on their website, apparently made by a 5 year old, it looks like something you'd expect people to pay top dough for - decent architecture, bricks and a total of 3 "residences".

I'll post photos tomorrow.

Capitol Hill · August 12th, 2010, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meku

Right next to the recently finished 200 West Highland, work has started (probably a while ago) on the 2 or 3 story Kerry Park Court. From the drawings on their website, apparently made by a 5 year old, it looks like something you'd expect people to pay top dough for - decent architecture, bricks and a total of 3 "residences".

I'll post photos tomorrow.

I don't know. Starting at $3.2 million. Is that 'high end?'

meku · August 12th, 2010, 02:29 AM

Definitely not high end in 2007 $$$

CrazyAboutCities · August 12th, 2010, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

I don't understand this question. What does the park design have to do with a future trolley extension?

This park design shows dead end for SLUT and didn't give some room for future streetcar extension that goes on Stewart to connect Central Line. http://www.seattlestreetcar.com/future.asp

mhays · August 12th, 2010, 03:06 AM

Nothing in the park design would make a trolley extension difficult. The hardscape design is pretty much irrelevant given that they'd rebuild much of it for the rail extension anyway. Also, there's also no rule that says the line has to go forward from the current ending...it can split off anywhere they want. Further, since they haven't designed anything at all for the trolley extension, and it's years away from construction, any accommodations made by the park designers would be based on pure guesswork about where the trolley would go.

lesterZ · August 12th, 2010, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seasun

Check out the location if you're thinking Colman Tower is in Sodo. Maybe you're saying it would be nice if it were in Sodo.

Yes, I know it's not sodo, I just put that in the post and that's about it, the map is there, the location is good, and the project has the potential to be good.

lesterZ · August 12th, 2010, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kejeros

Okay, First Post, long time reader. This is extremely off topic, but what the hell kind of cell phone do you have that takes pictures like that grayproduct? .. Just curious.

I'd recommend the nexus one for a good photo phone, it's great for walking around and urban exploring. I don't even carry my point n shoot camera anymore with that phone.

August 11th, 2010, 08:10 PM	#130
jessejb Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,692 Likes (Received): 102	Not sure it would be a good idea. 5th gets very congested during rush hours. __________________ Le Tumblr: http://inanevergreenstate.tumblr.com/

August 11th, 2010, 11:39 PM	#131
CityView Jim Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,941 Likes (Received): 61	At a time, the park design includes a streetcar stop for the SLUT at its present location. It also included for - at a later date - another streetcar stop on Stewart between 5th and 6th just across the street from the plaza. This would be for a link up to the 1st St. streetcar, when and if. Can't find those plans at this time. Either way, I don't think the streetcar network was supposed to be contiguous. Lines would end where others lines began or crossed. Last edited by CityView Jim; August 11th, 2010 at 11:45 PM.

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August 11th, 2010, 05:10 AM	#123
InlandEmpire Mixologist Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 197 Likes (Received): 0	I'm actually pleasantly surprised....its a better plan than I would have envisioned for that area; very encouraging. It's tough to judge a project too much based on preliminary sketches and renderings. There's always that beautiful thing called 'value engineering' that will rear its ugly head at some point later on in the design development. Hopefully things won't get too butchered though.

August 11th, 2010, 07:24 AM	#124
Seasun Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,549 Likes (Received): 41	I noticed today that some work is going on in the street-level space in the garage at 2nd and Union. The last tenant of this space AFAIK was McKinstry when they worked on WaMu Center construction. Anyone know what's going on in here? Any possibility it's a construction office for the new Target across the street? (seems doubtful since it's so early and they might be able to find space elsewhere in the building (I know there's a basement level in the Newmark with office type space)) In case you're interested: here's the streetview and here's the only active permit I can find for this property. Something about installing circuits in a server room...

August 11th, 2010, 04:52 PM	#125
CityView Jim Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,941 Likes (Received): 61	Is Newmark already vacant?

August 11th, 2010, 05:10 PM	#126
Seasun Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,549 Likes (Received): 41	The Newmark office/retail space is all empty and has been for a long time except along Pike Street where there are a few small shops. I was noticing recently that the Pike Street Smoke shop which was just south of the Newmark residential entry on 2nd Ave has moved a block or two away. Maybe I've asked this before but do people think Target might make a north entry to their space through this old shop (it's almost level with one of the large floor plates). They could also use the south entry with the existing escalators. Seems like the escalators must cut down on a lot of shop lifting - harder to make a quick qetaway via escalator without landing on one's face!

August 11th, 2010, 06:10 PM	#128
Seasun Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,549 Likes (Received): 41	There's some relationship if there were a pair of tracks going through the park instead of the single dead end there is now. I don't know a great way to get a pair of tracks down 5th avenue without totally screwing up 5th Ave. I also don't like more turns in the SLUT to get to another street but SLUT would be way more useful if it did go down to King Street Station.

August 11th, 2010, 06:48 PM	#129
meku Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 979 Likes (Received): 15	5Th Ave has one of the best streetscapes Downtown. It's such a joy to walk down that street - a streetcar rolling along would enhance that feeling. Personally I wouldn't mind if we had two N-S routes in DT - one on First Ave going from Pioneer Square to Seattle Center and the second route on Fifth Ave going from Westlake (connecting to SLUT) to ID Link Station.

August 12th, 2010, 12:07 AM	#132
CityView Jim Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,941 Likes (Received): 61	Not quite a pocket park, but more downtown greenery is always welcome. Sheraton will be improving its backside (7th St.) starting next week finishing in the Spring. There will be a notable feature at 7th and Union - a 27-foot tall water feature!! Nice for cars coming off the freeway there as their first impression of downtown!! http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/s...9/daily25.html

August 12th, 2010, 01:33 AM	#134
meku Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 979 Likes (Received): 15	Right next to the recently finished 200 West Highland, work has started (probably a while ago) on the 2 or 3 story Kerry Park Court. From the drawings on their website, apparently made by a 5 year old, it looks like something you'd expect people to pay top dough for - decent architecture, bricks and a total of 3 "residences". I'll post photos tomorrow.

August 12th, 2010, 02:29 AM	#136
meku Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 979 Likes (Received): 15	Definitely not high end in 2007 $$$

August 12th, 2010, 03:06 AM	#138
mhays Journeyman Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 8,339 Likes (Received): 115	Nothing in the park design would make a trolley extension difficult. The hardscape design is pretty much irrelevant given that they'd rebuild much of it for the rail extension anyway. Also, there's also no rule that says the line has to go forward from the current ending...it can split off anywhere they want. Further, since they haven't designed anything at all for the trolley extension, and it's years away from construction, any accommodations made by the park designers would be based on pure guesswork about where the trolley would go.