Ballard Developments

[mhays]

Ballard needs more condos to become a more vibrant urban center.

Are you saying "we've slowed sprawl enough, let's let 'er rip for a while"?

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by mhays

Ballard needs more condos to become a more vibrant urban center.

Are you saying "we've slowed sprawl enough, let's let 'er rip for a while"?

I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "lets let 'er rip for a while."

In my opinion, Ballard is fine. I think a condo on that corner would make the neighborhood worse. They're already building one directly across from it and right next to it. What's wrong with keeping that giving that corner personality?

[mhays]

Since the population is growing, we need constant infill to reduce the pressure that results in the sprawl we're constantly getting. We can't afford to "museum" one-story buildings with parking lots very often.

To me, an area dense with midrise condos can have way more personality than the same intersection with a Denny's on the corner. Look at the denser parts of Capitol Hill to see what central Ballard might become as it ages.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by mhays

Since the population is growing, we need constant infill to reduce the pressure that results in the sprawl we're constantly getting. We can't afford to "museum" one-story buildings with parking lots very often.

To me, an area dense with midrise condos can have way more personality than the same intersection with a Denny's on the corner. Look at the denser parts of Capitol Hill to see what central Ballard might become as it ages.

We disagree. My thing with condos is that they lack any personality. They look sterile and bring rental costs up. At this point, I'd say Ballard has plenty of Condos.

[mhays]

New supply ought to help keep rental costs down. Anyone who moves there is moving out of somewhere else. They key to affordability in a growing, prosperous city is a good supply of those "somewhere elses", plus some housing at the bottom end from sources like Seattle's great array of non-profits.

New supply only hurts affordability if it eliminates old supply. On a very localized basis, sometimes a new building "ritzes" up an existing neighborhood, but when ritziness is caused by real estate it's usually a zero-sum effect -- when one area goes up, other areas go down.

New construction almost always looks sterile. That includes the construction of the 1910s, etc., when it was built. Though we might agree if you're saying new buildings were more attractive in certain eras. Personally I like the majority of the new midrises getting built.

[sequoias]

Too bad Ballard is losing character of the city with booming of plain looking condo/apt buildings. I'm afraid it will happen to Fremont also. I would like Fremont to keep it that way it is.

[SteveM]

Originally Posted by sequoias

Too bad Ballard is losing character of the city with booming of plain looking condo/apt buildings. I'm afraid it will happen to Fremont also. I would like Fremont to keep it that way it is.

Out of curiosity, which unique features of Ballard are you sad about losing? The old car dealership that Canal Station replaced? The "Googie" Denny's and its huge parking lot? The gigantic parking lot and relatively small QFC that is fenced off now? The drive-through Key Bank that Hjarta replaced?

Personally, I'm pissed about losing Sunset Bowl (because I believe it was/is a strong community meeting place/anchor), and feel that most of Ballard Avenue ought to stay as it is, but I don't see much of the other development hurting Ballard much, and I believe the new residents will bring uniqueness of their own as they create and support local businesses...

[citruspastels]

seconded. ballard is one of my favorite neighborhoods in seattle and it gets better every time i go back.

[mhays]

Absolutely, better every year. The recent architecture ranges from ok to pretty good, such as the south end of Canal Station.

I'm also confused about what people are lamenting. Unless it's surface parking and the occasional building of questionable merit. Ballard's growth hasn't taken away much that I like. I like Ballard Avenue like it is (though the senior housing project tore something down) and Market is a great "core" for a couple long blocks, but otherwise there are scattered buildings of real merit. The Bay Theater, the old firehouse, the Carnegie Library, etc., actually mostly within the retail core.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by SteveM

Out of curiosity, which unique features of Ballard are you sad about losing? The old car dealership that Canal Station replaced? The "Googie" Denny's and its huge parking lot? The gigantic parking lot and relatively small QFC that is fenced off now? The drive-through Key Bank that Hjarta replaced?

Personally, I'm pissed about losing Sunset Bowl (because I believe it was/is a strong community meeting place/anchor), and feel that most of Ballard Avenue ought to stay as it is, but I don't see much of the other development hurting Ballard much, and I believe the new residents will bring uniqueness of their own as they create and support local businesses...

I didn't know Sunset Bowl is on its way out. That's awful. Also, in my opinion, it's not about the things we're losing, although I would like the Denny's to stay a diner, it's the fact that all the condos are ugly and look bad. They aren't adding anything positive.

[CityView Jim]

Just curious. Is there any neighborhood in the area with new development that you find more pleasing, not ugly, and good?

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

Just curious. Is there any neighborhood in the area with new development that you find more pleasing, not ugly, and good?

Belltown isn't bad. The condos fit the neighborhood, something I don't think they do in Ballard. I feel they look out of place. Really, I'm fine with development in downtown as well.

[CityView Jim]

I've just always thought that Upper Queen Anne and Ballard have done fine jobs producing condo projects of scale and design for their current neighborhoods. I know The Ballard is big, but has such a charming street scape it makes me wish more of Ballard was like that. I think Canal Station, too, blends well with the surrounds which quite frankly sucked (car dealership and light industrial).

I guess I'm just trying to nail down the ugly projects that have come in. Haven't been up there in a while.

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

I've just always thought that Upper Queen Anne and Ballard have done fine jobs producing condo projects of scale and design for their current neighborhoods. I know The Ballard is big, but has such a charming street scape it makes me wish more of Ballard was like that. I think Canal Station, too, blends well with the surrounds which quite frankly sucked (car dealership and light industrial).

I guess I'm just trying to nail down the ugly projects that have come in. Haven't been up there in a while.

Of course some will disagree with me, but I don't like Canal Station. I would definitely rather have that than car dealership, but I still don't care for it. It's just so damn big.

I don't mind Noma.

Hjarta is the biggest offender. It's absolutely hideous. The color scheme resembles vomit.

[citruspastels]

trust me, the colors on the helix and the ellipse in the u-district are 10X worse than ANYTHING in ballard.

[CityView Jim]

The choices some builders/remodelers make. I used to live in a condo on Lower Queen Anne (corner of 5th and Aloha) that had to go through a siding retrofit. When they did so, the new color scheme was unique to say the least. I now call it the hot dog building as the colors are ketchup red, mustard yellow, and relish green.

I have since moved!

[taiwanesedrummer36]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

I now call it the hot dog building as the colors are ketchup red, mustard yellow, and relish green.

I have since moved!

Or you could call it a traffic light!

Ballard isn't that bad, but I do wonder why Fred Meyer built their store at such a lonely place. Was it because of land availability or what? And will there be any chance of a big waterfront development in Ballard (possibly displacing some industrial units)?

[seapug]

I use to work atthat fred meyer it might be in a lonely place but it does business like you wouldn't believe. Busiest in the chain actually. It sales have been up atleast 10% every year since it opened I like most of the Ballard developments they fit in fine in my opinion

[silence.kit]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

Or you could call it a traffic light!

Ballard isn't that bad, but I do wonder why Fred Meyer built their store at such a lonely place. Was it because of land availability or what? And will there be any chance of a big waterfront development in Ballard (possibly displacing some industrial units)?

I love the location. It's only a ten minute walk from my apartment.

[Ginkgo]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

but I do wonder why Fred Meyer built their store at such a lonely place. Was it because of land availability or what?

There's a history behind that. You may or [probably] may not know that there used to be a steel mill at that location. Like most of the heavy industry in the city, it closed down and for years the site was nothing but a brownfield. A group called SOIL (Save Our Industrial Land) formed to try to get some other company to move in (versus commercial or residential). Alas, there were no takers, possible because the site was heavily polluted. But Fred Meyer saw opportunity where others dared not tread and in the end, they were the only viable alternative.