Ballard Developments

[Ginkgo]

As many of you know, Ballard is experiencing accelerated development--commercial as well as residential. On a fine winter's day last weekend, I walked the streets taking random photos of which I submit a few herein. (I know it is not officially winter, but last Saturday felt like a winter's day). Enjoy!


The extension of the Burke Gilman Trail to Golden Gardens Park, which will be its final destination ever, is under construction north of NW 60 Street. Seen here, it parallels the tracks of the Ballard Terminal Railroad (ex BNSF). Just before the spur joins the mail line of the BNSF, the trail crosses the tracks and descends to Seaview Avenue on its way north to the park





Right where the Ballard Terminal track crosses Seaview Avenue NW at NW 60th Street lies this small condo project, the Maris, whose units are now being offered for sale. Sunlight, anyone?:


On Leary Avenue, on opposite sides of the street, are two different projects. Canal Street Phase I is now being occupied, with Phase II still under construction. Across the street the Ballard Landmark, a senior citizens' residence, is rising. Of interest is that the latter will also front on Ballard Avenue NW. The facade on Ballard Avenue will have to conform to the Ballard Avenue Historical District rules, while that on Leary Avenue, outside the district, need not. It will be interesting to see if the two facades will be different or if the Leary Way exterior will mock the Ballard Avenue one, which, I assume will be clad in brick.

Canal Street Phase One--I especially like the roof treatment and the curved facade at the odd-angled junction of Leary and 20th Avenues. As in many projects, the ground floor retail openings lag the upstairs residential occupation.


Canal Street Phase Two:


Ballard Landmark, Leary Avenue side:


And, partly in the shadows, the Ballard Avenue side:


Farther east along NW Market Street, the Hjarta, going for, I believe, LEED silver certification. For months it has been wrapped in plastic. The front side, along Market Street has just recently been unwrapped:


Right across the street from the Hjarta, where the China Star Buffet once stood (and before that the Royal Fork) a new building is rising--I think another condo, but I don't know the details. Then across from that on the south side (NW 54th Street) is the Gallagher project. It specializes in "affordable rental housing":


Looking back north from the Gallagher site, across the China Star site looking at the Hjarta:


In the grittier industrial section of town, closer to the canal, big doings. One large commercial developent is under way with two others, across the street (NW 46th) have sign posted. This large project is bounded by the Ballard Bridge and 14th Avenue NW and by NW Ballard Way and NW 46 Street. As seen from the bridge:


From south side of NW 46 Street. This corner at 14th and 46th is being built in a different manner from the western section:


The elderly lady who owns this house was offered serious cabbage--a million leaves, I understand, to vacate. She wouldn't budge, which is too bad, because she could have lived out her life in luxury and still donated big bucks to charity. Too bad also because she has had to endure--and continues to do so--years of construction activity, noise, grit, dust and grime. If you drive by you will see how the house is truly hemmed in on all sides but NW 46th Street, and that streetscape is nothing to write home about. To each his or her own, I suppose....:


And if that's not enough here are two posted project signs, right across NW 46th Street:




Back toward Market Street here is a project that opened a couple of years ago, but still looks brand new, very handsome and clean. For years, in Ballard's fifties and sixties, that is the stretch from Market up to NW 65th Street, and mainly east of 24th Avenue NW, some very ugly, IMHO, mostly stucco two, three or four-storey apartments were constructed. Many were built on stilts to allow for partially covered front side sunken parking lots and in all too many cases, the green parking strips were pulled out and paved over in concrete. It's a wasteland and I'm so pleased that these new projects are going in with pleasant and thoughtful landscaping. The Ballard Plaza, across the street from the post office and north of the former Denny's restaurant, now shuttered and awaiting a condo development:




The still-new Ballard branch of the Seattle Public Library, with its distinctive green roof:




And a new project announced next to the library:


After several delays, the NOMA on NW 24th Street and NW 56th Street, is now being occupied:


The Metropole, across the street from the NOMA, in the late afternoon shadows:


And finally, after many false starts, the QFC, across NW 57th Street from the NOMA, will be closing in December, to be replaced by a six-storey residential project, the supermarket occupying the street level and doubling in size:


Just a sampling of the goings on in Ballard!

[Bond James Bond]

Great pics!

The title threw me off a bit so I renamed it.

[taiwanesedrummer36]

I say: the old lady ROCKS!

Never really knew Ballard had that much development going on. Will the city consider streetscape improvements? From the pictures the old, ugly power line streets look out of place from Ballard's new urban look.

[citruspastels]

ballard is beautiful! love it there. it's really going to need better mass transit soon though with all those 6 stories.

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

I say: the old lady ROCKS!

Never really knew Ballard had that much development going on. Will the city consider streetscape improvements? From the pictures the old, ugly power line streets look out of place from Ballard's new urban look.

Maybe she'll start doing shows in the evening for her new residents (ala The Lusty Lady for 4 Seasons guests!).

[silence.kit]

That's my neighborhood and I must say, all the condos popping up all over the place is getting a little annoying. Once something closes, and if there's enough land, a condo will be in its place.

Denny's closed: Condo
QFC closed: Condo

It's taking away what initially drew me to the neighborhood. Don't get me wrong. I have no intentions of leaving, but it's taking a toll. Also, some of the condos are just plain ol' ugly.

And I commend the old woman for not leaving her home.

[flotown]

Yeah, but these will be seattle's affordable units 20 years from now. That seems to be a priority of many on this board

[bgwah]

Thanks for the pictures. It is nice to see so much infill.

Although I'm not crazy about the old lady keeping her house, it will certainly be an interesting feature of the neighborhood...The house completely surrounded by a big condo project. It is unique and interesting.

[mhays]

I'm thrilled about all this stuff, as a former Ballard resident but mostly as a fan of urbanizing centers in Seattle.

The QFC replacement would be the embodiment of a dream... Going by on the 18 and wondering why in the HELL something didn't happen there, then spending the past few years hoping the project would actually start... Silence, fyi, I believe it will include a new QFC if that helps.

Look at the cover of today's DJC. Swedish/Ballard plans a new building.

Any news about the Silver Cloud hotel site just south of the 24th & Market intersection, in the parking lot near the water?

[Ginkgo]

Originally Posted by mhays

Any news about the Silver Cloud hotel site just south of the 24th & Market intersection, in the parking lot near the water?

I want to know also. It would be a great asset, but I think the usual industial naysayers and nimby types are against it. I have an e-mail into Silver Cloud. And yes, the QFC is closing for demo. When the new complex is built the QFC will be back--only double the size of the current one.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by mhays

Silence, fyi, I believe it will include a new QFC if that helps.

I don't even shop at that QFC. I just don't like all the condos taking away from the charm of the neighborhood. I don't mind the expansion of downtown, though. As long as they leave some of the old buildings alone.

Another thing, as a renter, it is getting harder and harder to find decent apartments within my price range in Seattle. I have no desire to purchase a condo and couldn't afford to even if I did.

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by silence.kit

I don't even shop at that QFC. I just don't like all the condos taking away from the charm of the neighborhood. I don't mind the expansion of downtown, though. As long as they leave some of the old buildings alone.

Another thing, as a renter, it is getting harder and harder to find decent apartments within my price range in Seattle. I have no desire to purchase a condo and couldn't afford to even if I did.

I really like Canal Station. I think they did a nice period-style building that brings foot traffic to what was a car dealership if memory serves. I think the charm is there and well maintained if not improved.

[BoulderGrad]

So what happens when the old lady croaks/movies? Will they fill in the area where her house once was, or will the building always have a little notch in it?

[captredbeard]

"I just don't like all the condos taking away from the charm of the neighborhood"

I hear you but the vast majority of sites they tear down and rebuild are eyesores, like an ugly QFC with a large front parking lot. Density needs to happen asap, I just hope they make the buildings attractive. I would also like to see many more 3 bedroom units, right now it seems like 99% of the new condos are 2 bdrm or smaller. Some of us want to live close to our jobs and have a kid or two.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

I really like Canal Station. I think they did a nice period-style building that brings foot traffic to what was a car dealership if memory serves. I think the charm is there and well maintained if not improved.

I don't mind Noma. I'm not sure what was there before. I just don't like the design of Canal Station and I especially can't stand the design of Hjarta. Also, canal station is huge and looks so sterile. It doesn't have any personality.

I didn't know there was a car dealership in that lot before. I suppose I'd prefer the condo, but I would like is to have some more retail, restaurants, bars, etc. These things add character to Ballard, while these mammoth condos take it away, in my opinion. I just don't want the streets to resemble Dexter in Queen Anne, which is the most lifeless street that I know of in Seattle.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by captredbeard

"I just don't like all the condos taking away from the charm of the neighborhood"

I hear you but the vast majority of sites they tear down and rebuild are eyesores, like an ugly QFC with a large front parking lot. Density needs to happen asap, I just hope they make the buildings attractive. I would also like to see many more 3 bedroom units, right now it seems like 99% of the new condos are 2 bdrm or smaller. Some of us want to live close to our jobs and have a kid or two.

That's the thing, I don't think they are.

[citruspastels]

Originally Posted by captredbeard

"I just don't like all the condos taking away from the charm of the neighborhood"

I hear you but the vast majority of sites they tear down and rebuild are eyesores, like an ugly QFC with a large front parking lot. Density needs to happen asap, I just hope they make the buildings attractive. I would also like to see many more 3 bedroom units, right now it seems like 99% of the new condos are 2 bdrm or smaller. Some of us want to live close to our jobs and have a kid or two.

Agreed! The lack of 3 bedrooms is kind of alarming...

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by silence.kit

I don't mind Noma. I'm not sure what was there before. I just don't like the design of Canal Station and I especially can't stand the design of Hjarta. Also, canal station is huge and looks so sterile. It doesn't have any personality.

I didn't know there was a car dealership in that lot before. I suppose I'd prefer the condo, but I would like is to have some more retail, restaurants, bars, etc. These things add character to Ballard, while these mammoth condos take it away, in my opinion. I just don't want the streets to resemble Dexter in Queen Anne, which is the most lifeless street that I know of in Seattle.

HEY! I live on Dexter!

Point well taken. Little by little, we are getting some life. Four years ago a Starbucks. Last year, finally a bank. Dexter will indeed take some time, though. Too many office buildings without enough residential, but it's coming.

[taiwanesedrummer36]

Developers need to think more "Vancouver" with a "Seattle-touch". Maris and Canal Station are byfar the best looking condos in Ballard; all the other ones have the same basic feature: one rectangular building with windows and walls. So '50s suburban...

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

HEY! I live on Dexter!