Downtown building you'd most like to see replaced

[Seasun]

Even a narrow (and extremely expensive per square foot) building would be maybe 30 feet wide to be somewhat useful. I can't see buildings being added west of the current building line. Median, parking, landscaping, some market stalls or food trucks will fill up the ROW. Maybe info kiosks, restrooms and a meeting room (like Cal Anderson park?) could be inserted here and there.

[Ruffhauser]

I was wrong. There aren't as many parcels as I thought.

I know this video has been posted before but this really helped to clarify my thinking on the Viaduct, the existing buildings and how things are going to look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3VmK...ure=plpp_video

[cdan198]

Every parking lot/garage in downtown Seattle. Complete waste of perfectly good land that could be put to use to benefit society!

[Doomgoggles]

Originally Posted by Matt the Engineer

Back in 2008, Dan Bertolet had a great post on how empty the waterfront will feel, and we should push everything westward and add buildings. I still completely agree.

Could fill some of that emptiness with a streetcar. (Note: I still think a First Ave streetcar is more important.)

[Matt the Engineer]

Note those renderings had streetcars. And there was still vast empty space.

Give cars less space (they can take the friggen tunnel), narrow the pedestrian area, and sell narrow plots of land on the eastern strip. Someone will build there - short, medium, or tall. Even single story restaurants and trinket shops would be far more useful than empty pedestrian space.

[Doomgoggles]

Originally Posted by Matt the Engineer

Note those renderings had streetcars. And there was still vast empty space.

Give cars less space (they can take the friggen tunnel), narrow the pedestrian area, and sell narrow plots of land on the eastern strip. Someone will build there - short, medium, or tall. Even single story restaurants and trinket shops would be far more useful than empty pedestrian space.

I did notice...but it was single track like the old one. To be of any practical use, it would have to be double-tracked.

[alexjonlin]

There is practically no room to build buildings where the viaduct is right now. As it is the Waterfront plans do not have excessive parkland along Alaskan Way, but rather everything fits in quite nicely.

[Doomgoggles]

Since we were discussing this in another thread...

[LCIII]

Yep. That's my #1.

[cameronrex]

Agreed. But replace with what? Expanded square or super skinny sliver bldg?

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by cameronrex

Agreed. But replace with what? Expanded square or super skinny sliver bldg?

That, too, discussed. Fountain plaza or skinny residential (probably too small for useful office of any height).

[LCIII]

Pencil tower built out to maximum allowed height of 500' with retail at the base to activate the plaza that already exists and is hardly used. And of course to take advantage of the streetcar that literally stops at what might be the buildings front door. TOD at it's finest.

[Matt the Engineer]

Originally Posted by LCIII

Pencil tower built out to maximum allowed height of 500' with retail at the base to activate the plaza that already exists and is hardly used. And of course to take advantage of the streetcar that literally stops at what might be the buildings front door. TOD at it's finest.

Don't forget the light rail station, the Monorail, and a major bus hub. That's where all of Seattle's transit converges at one point.

[cdan198]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Square_-_A.jpg
We lost the historic Seattle Hotel and replaced it with a wonderful parking lot!

[Doomgoggles]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

That, too, discussed. Fountain plaza or skinny residential (probably too small for useful office of any height).

Honestly, ANYthing that takes advantage of that Streetcar terminal, and the proximity to the retail core would be lovely.

Standalone one-storey banks ALWAYS piss me off, because bank branches are so perfectly suited to being in the lobbies of skyscrapers. No reason for them to have their own suburban structure.

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by Doomgoggles

Since we were discussing this in another thread...

Speaking of this area, anyone know what movie they are filming here today? Film crew blocking a few streets.

[cameronrex]

Don't know movie but the fancy buses for cast and or crew were parked on Seneca by W and Fairmont yesterday

[Ruffhauser]

Originally Posted by Doomgoggles

Arise...arise thread, and go forth...

Alright first up: I've mentioned this before, but now have pictures...
What in the Holy hell is going on with this block? I've never seen any design reviews, planning info, ANYthing... It's just a dead block in the middle of the financial district...with a plastic castle and slide. The low-rises are nothing special either.

I knew someone else did a hatchet job on this block. I'll be brief.

I was walking by on Saturday with my urban development glasses on and was just blown away by how awful this stretch of 1st Avenue is.

This playground on 1st and Seneca just kills me.
This thing would be shitty looking in someones suburban backyard, not to mention in the middle of a downtown area.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr



And then a run of crap-tastic buildings...


image hosted on flickr



..punctuated by Youngs Market, probably one of the scummiest of the already filthy deli/quickie marts in the downtown area.
Nice touch with the busted-up ghetto-looking aluminum siding.


image hosted on flickr



I went in to buy a couple of Powerball tickets and the place was a street-freak scene.
I feel for the poor bastard that actually gets something out of one of the cases and eats it.

[cameronrex]

The block can mostly go. The beautiful old Brock blodg

[cameronrex]

Originally Posted by cameronrex

The block can mostly go. The beautiful old Brock blodg

Lets try that again. The old brick bldg on corner of University and 1st can stay. Rest can go