Work is continuing on the conversion of the Nord Hotel/Apartments in the heart of Pioneer Square at 312 1st Ave S. When complete, the low-rise vintage brick building will house just seven affordable condominium homes. The studio and two-bedroom units will range from 379 to 792 sq ft.
The Nord is expected to begin pre-sales in April with a Fall completion date.
As of 12/03/07, two 2-bedrooms remain both are listed at $415,000.
Home features include:
- All new stainless steel appliances, including microwave and dishwasher in some units
- Terrazzo countertops in kitchen and bathroom
- Cork floors
- Glass mosaic shower surrounds
- Contemporary porcelain floor tiles
- Custom cabinetry
- New bathroom fixtures
- Pet Friendly
- Homeowner dues include garbage, sewer, water and maintenance
- Storage available
- Washer & Dryers
- New kitchen cabinets
Overall, pretty good for the price-level and location. And, well, it’ll only appeal to owners who don’t mind living in a busy & lively area. There’s no parking, but the developer will provide two-years of free parking for buyers.
On the other hand, step out the front door and you’ll have your choice of numerous cafes, restaurants, bakeries, antique shops and nightclubs.
A Little History (per Seattle’s Historical Sites page)
Originally constructed in 1890 after the Great Fire in the “Queen Anne – Richardsonian Romanesque” style, the building began life as the Thompson Hotel. From 1915-1969 it served as the Nord Hotel and named after Frank Nordquist, a hotel manager.
Recent Articles:
Seattle Times – Vintage Condos article
- First Look – The Nord Condos
- The Pittsburgh Condos – Queen Anne
December 4th, 2007 at 10:40 am
what are the parking options after two years?
December 4th, 2007 at 10:58 am
After the two years, residents can rent spaces from nearby parking garages.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:31 am
Do you know how many have sold?
December 5th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Five have sold. They have two 2-bedroom units available, both are $415,000.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:25 am
I think the two that sold were for investments. I seen them for rent on Craigslist about a month ago. $1100 for a studio. Seems cheap.
Leigh
January 8th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Actually, only one (the studio) was sold as an investment; the other was bought by someone who’s out of town part the year. As for parking: street parking isn’t that bad; there are more offices than residents in Pioneer Square, so there usually spaces open in the evening (late Fri/Sat nights and game days are the only problems). And in two years we’ll have light rail (I generally take the bus myself).
I’ve lived in the building for over 6 years (I was the only renter to buy) and am happy to answer questions.
January 10th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Question for Jack-How well do the units seem to trap sound from eachother? Thank you!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
A belated response to Carla: The two? remaining units share a common wall. From knowing various people in the building in the past, and I believe you can hear some sound between them, at least at the far end where the dividing wall connects to the exterior wall. But none of the bedrooms touch that wall (just living room/hallway) so it’s not a big deal. Those units are on the top floor, so there’s no noise from above, and the cork floors are supposed to absorb sound (they are new, so I can’t comment).
October 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
I used to live in #3, prior to rennovation. The sounds between units was a problem for the alley-side bedrooms. We could hear the neighbors fight constantly. The alley sound in that bedroom was also really bad due to the garbage trucks. The interior bedroom, though it lacks an outside window (there is a light shaft) was much more sheltered from the sound, and I never heard sound from ther other units/hall.
It’s a nice old building and a great location for commuting and eating.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
There was still one unsold unit in the building when developer went bankrupt. The price has dropped quite a bit, and now that the bank has it they may accept less. And one of the studios may be for sale soon. It’s a nice building, and our monthly condo meetings always include food and beer.
Aubrey — I live in #3 now. I seem to remember your name from the chalkboard; were you there right before I move there in 2001? I recently learned about a former tenant (James Preston) of the unit in ’96; do you know about that?
April 11th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hi Jack,
I moved out in early 2001, so it looks like you got the place right after me. I didn’t realize my name was (still) on the chalk board. I don’t know anything about the prior tenants. Have they fixed up the roof area at all? It was nice to have, but a little on the funky side.
April 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Hi Aubrey,
They did fix the roof. It’s smaller (apparently permitting for 117-year-old builds is tricky) but nicer (no more rotting boards or rusting furniture). I have a bunch of plants up there: 3 maples, an avocado, a couple small junipers and a cedar, and a few ferns. I’m thinking (as I do every spring) of getting a projector and showing movies up there against the wall of the Globe Building next door.
There were a couple names for mail forwarding on the chalkboard, along with an admonition about the dishwasher, but they’re gone now. Feel free to email me if you (or anyone else) have questions or want to visit; my address is (my name) at bennetto dot com.