[Midwest_Product]

This was discussed in the Denny Triangle thread, but now that there is a design review packet out I think it deserves one of its own.

As proposed, this would be a 484' / 44 story mixed use tower, with 45,000 square feet of office space and 400+ rental apartments. The site will cover what is currently three small parking lots at the corner of Boren and Lenora. Here is a sampling of images from the packet (how great is the one that shows all the other projects in the area?):

 

[bgwah]

Am I the only one bothered by all these towers being just under 500 feet?

 

[CityView Jim]

Despite that, I just think all these (along with Onni, Sea Times, and next door) will all loom large from Denny Triangle and SLU as being at the top of the hill.

 

[InlandEmpire]

Am I the only one bothered by all these towers being just under 500 feet?

I'll second this - the height limits in general just seem to arbitrary but what do you do. I've always thought once a building gets over, say 250-300' (speaking of arbitrary lol), what's the difference if it goes higher. The experience at street level will be the same both ways.

 

[CityView Jim]

This is a bump from all the residential 440s we were getting.

 

[LCIII]

Good God it’s boring. I know round 1 is light on details but come on- this is hardly more than massing study. Glad for the development but really disappointed they didn’t go with the trend of striking designs for towers in that immediate area.

 

[CityView Jim]

It's a sonogram. In a few months it will hopefully develop into - a something.

 

[Capitol Hill]

Wouldn’t mind if they sat on knitting needles with this one.

 

[smerfylicious]

EDG: Approved!

https://news.theregistryps.com/holl...ously-approved-early-design-guidance-meeting/

 

[Ruffhauser]

From todays DJC.

http://www.djc.com/news/re/12108723.html

February 26, 2018

Holland buying more of key block from Cornish

By BRIAN MILLER
Journal Staff Reporter

Four months after Cornish College agreed to sell one property in the Denny Triangle to Holland Partner Group, a new deal has been announced for the southwest corner of the same block.

Cornish announced last week that it will sell the 14,400-square-foot property at 1000 Virginia St. to Holland. Weber Thompson submitted an initial plan for the 1000 Virginia site for Holland, and is also designing Holland's 44-story mixed-use tower at 2019 Boren Ave., on the northeast corner of the block.

2019 Boren will be developed on three parking-lot properties owned by Cornish, Bellwether Housing and Recovery Cafe. Those sales are expected to close this year.

The site is zoned for construction to 440 feet. Holland's plan says that 1000 Virginia will also be 44 stories, even though the site is 33 percent smaller than 2019 Boren.





Weber Thompson is designing this 44-story mixed-use tower at 2019 Boren Ave. for Holland, and also submitted an initial plan for another tower at 1000 Virginia.

 

[12th man]

REC Meeting packet is up! Includes another *gasp* outdoor pool, however not as high up.

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3029893AgendaID7058.pdf

 

[geoffloftus]

Includes another *gasp* outdoor pool, however not as high up.

Well of course it'll be warmer at lower altitudes.

 

[zbsfan]

ROTFLMAO
After 50 years of living here and not having one person, ever, ask if I wanted to go for a lovely swim in January, outside, they're DAMNED determined to make it a thing by cut & pasting these LA tower plans in Seattle. Maybe (sniff), maybe we can DREAM, that ONE DAY, our children, or perhaps grandchildren, will evolve to enjoy swimming outside when it's 39 and raining. LOL

HECK, why not save money on this building, just don't put in windows!! SO much savings on the cost of the building. Plus you get to feel that LOVELY brisk "invigorating"(tm) wind and rain on your face while you sit in your living room watching TV which will just encourage your ideas and expand potential!! I can see the glossy brochure now and then the inevitable arguments here on why everyone REALLY wants to live in an apartment with no windows because we WANT to feel "nature" and it's SO much better this way. LOL

 

[mhays]

Juust maybe they know more than a random guy on the internets. For example:
--Maybe they don't expect anyone to use it on those 39 and rainy days.
--Maybe it'll have a temporary enclosure in the winter, so people can use it.
--Some people do swim in warm pools in cold weather. Every person is different, but people do this, in some cities more than others.
--Sometimes the value of an amenity is the fact that it's there, not how much it's used. People will pay more for a building with a pool.

 

[Ruffhauser]

Man, of all the messed-up things in this town to have a hard-on about, I'm not going to choose 'outdoor pools'.

 

[zbsfan]

It's just funny! And it was a ONE OFF joke, until a pile of silly people started the "Seattle effect" (which is arguing why something insanely expensive and pointless was REALLY a good idea). It's not about a pool. Shouldn't have to explain, but ok...it's an analogy for so many of our city problems. People propose things that are "technically" possible, sure, but just RIDICULOUS and insanely ineffective or overpriced, just for the luxury/fun/cool factor of it. I mean if you HAVE the money and WANT to do it, go for it! NEAT! I mean put a ZOO with giraffes and a hippo on the 20th floor if you want. FUN! I might live in that building! But don't pretend it won't cost you a LOT of money. Just be prepared to pay for it. Seattle does this a lot. Not pay attention to the "return" on the cost of its solution.

There, JOKE explained (which is never a good idea).

I will officially stop making fun of THIS silly crazy useless Seattle "thing" and move on to another. Say? Where is our overhead "tram/gondola" that was going to run from the waterfront to the convention center? I thought a private investor was going to build that a few years ago. ;-)

mjays - If you want, I'm not "random internet guy", I'm a computer programmer currently, I have a math degree, and I worked for a pool company during college (crap job). I know the size v cost/energy calculations for trying set ~20,000 gallons of water to +30 degrees over ambient air (re: outdoor radiator). Again, there's a reason there aren't any public outdoor pools in winter. I'm shocked I have to explain not only technical problems to silly ideas, but jokes. Welcome to Seattle.

NOW GIVE ME MY GONDOLA!

 

[nwctybldr]

On one hand, Holland built the brightest and ugliest (in my opinion) new building in the city when they did Chroma. On the other hand, they have this building, Kiara, and the Perry all of which are a total snooze. I don't get it. I'm sure Weber Thomson is capable of more interesting work than this, even under cost constraints.

 

[LCIII]

I really wish WT would shutter or at least stumble upon an imagination. I don't understand why they are so content being the background building designer of choice in this city. And we can't simply blame the building code because there are a handful of very interesting building in the immediate vicinity of this one currently going up.

"The Board was concerned that the staggered “vertical stripes” on the tower will date the design. The shifting of the facades to break up the tower volume is sufficient as a design move, and the vertical stripes are unnecessary."

Oh thank God the Board stepped in and ensured this timeless design...

There's nothing offensive about it but its epically blah. Been there, built that x10.

 

[mSeattle]

Maybe the message is slowly sinking in, but this "Terry Thomas Transcended" concept is for a couple of decades in the future:

http://www.weberthompson.com/projects/1338?tag=Innovation+&+Research

 

[HammerAndNail]

WT definitely has the ability to turn out a good looking building (Uptown Flats, Nexus, 1521 2nd, The Post, Sunset Electric are all attractive buildings, IMO) but do get constrained when developers come in with low budgets for exteriors. Holland is a prime example of this - all of their wood-frame buildings are Hardie parties and their towers have forgettable window wall systems. These are definitely cost motivated decisions that lead to the same uninspired design over and over again. That said, WT does have a tendency to design the same exact building over and over; their high rises have a "swoop" and geometric color blocking while their mid-rises are uber-symmetrical.

I mentioned this a while ago but their primary non-Blaine Weber design principal retired recently so I think (hope) we're going to see a bit of a shift in design in upcoming WT projects.