[Seasun]

King Street Station work is coming right along. SDOT has posted some interior shots and I just took this exterior view. Removing the microwave dish a year or two ago was great but removing this tumor of a 1950's escalator addition is just about as great!!

 

[CrazyAboutCities]

^^ Wow! I was there last two weekends to catch a train to Portland, Oregon. It was dark while I was waiting for my train. I hope when whole renovation completes and will provide better lighting for wait area.

Anyone have rendering for exterior for that part of King Street Station what it will looks like after renovation completes?

 

[alexjonlin]

Here's kind of a rendering of what it will look like: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/KSS_Displayboard_final_9_28.pdf. That board is currently on display in the waiting room. It'll be pretty great. I didn't know they were already doing the work on the stairway to the Jackson St. plaza either, but that's exciting. I was thinking, wouldn't it be possible to make the entire King St streetend there become a big, wide stairway?

 

[CrazyAboutCities]

It looks great! Looking forward to see how it will turns out. Thanks for the rendering!

 

[Seasun]

Closing off much of the King streetend would be really hard for at least a couple of reasons: there are a lot of taxis, buses and other vehicles (loading dock for King Street Center) that use that turn around. Some of that could be pushed over to the north lot of the stadium but next time your down there (or maybe on google maps/similar) see that businesses and residents have access through that area under Jackson Street to get to their homes/businesses. They drive almost a couple of blocks north of the station at the lower elevation - kinda weird. It's a longstanding easement AFAIK.

 

[alexjonlin]

Huh yeah. I guess they could have the stairway continue down all the way in the middle with driveways on either side for local access? I don't know.
Have there ever been any real proposals to cap over the train tracks along Fourth? It seems like those parcels are probably very valuable, but I've never seen a proposal for a cap except for in this cool collection of proposals for South Downtown by UW urban planning students. I'd love to see a mix of small plazas and mid-rises on those blocks someday.

 

[InlandEmpire]

2030 8th

Here's a new rendering of the proposed residential tower at 2030 8th...

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3010926AgendaID2992.pdf

Pretty decent design IMO!

 

[CrazyAboutCities]

Great project! There are two things I think they should make little changes: Make it little taller to make it stand out and make some impact on Seattle skyline (this link shows very little impact on skyline and I know it is impossible to raise more than 400' unless this developer is willing to pay more for it). Second thing, east part of this tower is very DECENT looking and I think it should rotate to front toward Westlake to make it stand it out. I don't want people to miss how decent looking that building is, ya know?

 

[InlandEmpire]

I agree totally- and I wish the city would afford developers a bit more latitude in design (increased heights especially) to help vary the appearance of the skyline; that part of downtown is becoming a bit plateau-esque like Bellevue. Too many 400' buildings in one area; varied heights would definitely increase visual interest there.

 

[meku]

Very tight and elegant tower. Not too much retail (not a con by any means), interesting shape, hopefully quality materials - all in all, great for Downtown.

 

[alexjonlin]

I hate the bulky base, with those three floors of blank facade above the first floor rising up straight from street level then the tower set back behind it. It reminds me in some ways of the Olivian, which I just can't stand. A large part of the Olive facade is windowless and even if there are little architectural features on it it just looks awful in my opinion. I hope we don't get another tower that's like that.

 

[alexjonlin]

Although actually with the little work studios included in those levels it may end up a little better. The early street-level renderings still make it look bad, but it looks like the later, more detailed renderings are quite a bit better.
Also, what's the proposed park across the street that they mention? That'd be a great location for a little park, as long as they make it a destination with stuff like a food court or a fountain and tables with chairs instead of a windswept plaza.

 

[jessejb]

http://www.djc.com/news/re/12019236.html

Woo-hoooo!

 

[CrazyAboutCities]

Developers say apartment market here is rebounding
# 'Demand has exploded, and vacancies are crashing'

Cascadia Holdings LLC wants to start construction of the 348-unit apartment building at 2030 Eighth Ave. within a year.

A 348-unit high-rise apartment building planned for the Denny Triangle area of downtown Seattle this week received design review approval from the city — a major step toward entitlement of the project.

Video: http://vimeo.com/12827775
http://www.djc.com/news/re/12019236.html

 

[CrazyAboutCities]

I have been told by one of Insigna Living salespeople that Insigna Living is slated to start construction sometime in fall 2011.

 

[meku]

Nice animation - there's also a couple for AVA and Colman Center.

Good news about Insigna and speaking of news.

Address: 901 DEXTER AVE N
"Land Use Application to allow a 7-story structure containing 290 apartment units above 13,758 sq. ft. of retail in an environmentally critical area. Underground parking for 231 vehicles proposed. Existing structure to be demolished."

 

[alexjonlin]

Sounds like good news, although man I wish I had a subscription to the online DJC. But yeah that's always awesome to hear of a project actually going through in this economy.

 

[sequoias]

Developers say apartment market here is rebounding
# 'Demand has exploded, and vacancies are crashing'

Cascadia Holdings LLC wants to start construction of the 348-unit apartment building at 2030 Eighth Ave. within a year.

A 348-unit high-rise apartment building planned for the Denny Triangle area of downtown Seattle this week received design review approval from the city — a major step toward entitlement of the project.

Video: http://vimeo.com/12827775
http://www.djc.com/news/re/12019236.html

Yeah that's why Seattle added 15,000 people in a year...so that makes sense. I guess there will be lot of new apartment highrises... sometime.

 

[mhays]

We added 13,000 people because the economy was poor (which meant people doubling up), while a lot of units opened.

 

[Seasun]

The stairs and new elevator at the Market opened sometime in the past week or so.