The Seattle Condo Blog | Seattle Condos and Lofts

A small apartment building has been proposed for the empty lot next to the Grandview Condominium in Belltown. The 7-story building will contain 49 units with a retail space on the ground level.

The design proposal states the residential levels of the building will use a prefabricated modular construction system with the modules manufactured offsite.

An early design review guidance meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 13th at 5:30 pm at Seattle City Hall.

Unlike other buildings developed adjacent to existing condominiums in the Belltown area, this shouldn’t affect the vast majority of the Grandview owners. The proposed building just tops the garage podium base of of the Grandview. From the renderings, it’ll affect the lower 4-levels or so of the Grandview’s north-facing units.

Rendering courtesy of Bushnaq Studio.

Phase 2 of the Hjarta development by Pryde+Johnson has been conditionally approved by the city’s Department of Planning and Development. Hjarta II is a sister development of the adjacent Hjarta Condominium in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.

According to the land use application Hjarta II will be a 7-story building containing 102-residential and 4-live/work loft units with parking for 86 to 106 vehicles. While Hjarta II was originally conceived as a second phase to Hjarta Condominium, the current application is for apartments. Given the slow sales pace at Pryde+Johnson’s last two condominium projects (Hjarta and the Florera at Green Lake, which is predominately rentals) it’s not surprising the present plan is for apartments.

On the other hand, Ballard, like Capitol Hill and downtown, has several apartment buildings in the pipeline including massive developments at old Sunset Bowl, Denny’s and the old library sites, among others. If Hjarta II is built, by the time it’s completed, Ballard may very well have a glut of rentals and could be primed for additional condo units. Who knows.

Read the DPD conditional approval decision notice
View the Hjarta II proposal (pdf)

Images courtesy of Weber Thompson

Escala Condominium
The Escala Condominium report they’ve just received full Fannie Mae approval. This will facilitate loan approvals with various lenders and will accelerate closings at the luxury condo tower in downtown Seattle.

Marselle Condominium
The Marselle Condominium has surpassed the 100 unit sales mark and is now over 75% sold. The new construction condominium near the Seattle Center still has a number of great single level flats and two-story townhome penthouses available. Prices start from $219,990.

One Main Street Condominium
The One Main Street Condominium near Downtown Bellevue recently reduced prices up to $30,000 on select one-bedroom plus den homes, which now begin at $379,900. Regular one-bedroom homes start from $299,900.

Land Use Action
The Seattle DPD approved a couple of notable proposed apartment developments in Belltown. This morning the DPD approved the 27-story development next to the Seattle Heights Condominium at 225 Cedar Street. The current proposal is for a tower at the NE corner of the block at the site of the American Lung Association building. Eventually, the development will encompass the entire east half of the block. Across the street, the Alto apartment building is currently under construction. View decision (pdf).

A few weeks ago, the Schuster Group’s Joseph Arnold Lofts project received conditional approval. The proposed 13-story apartment building will be adjacent to the Bellora and Klee Condominiums. Virtually all of Bellora’s southern views will be obstructed as well as the west views of the Klee’s south building. View decision (pdf).

Queen Anne High School
The Puget Sound Business Journal reported that developer of the Queen Anne High School Condominium is battling its insurer after loosing a $9.4 million lawsuit brought on the homeowners association.

According to the article, the homeowners association filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract, implied warranty, and violation of the Consumer Protection Act in its marketing of the property, among other issues.

Developer, insurer now at odds over $9.4M ruling on Queen Anne High School via Puget Sound Business Journal

Belltown might finally be rid of the pile of dirt at the corner of Battery and Elliott (2334 Elliott Avenue). The property’s owner, the Pauls Corporation of Colorado, is moving forward with plans to develop the parcel. They’ve filed an application for a design review meeting.

Back in 2007, Pauls had proposed a 9-story glass enclosed townhome-style condominium called Arthouse. But, when the condo market collapsed this project fell by the wayside, but without the dignity of asphalt.

Early Arthouse rendering from 2007:

The new proposal is a 7-story building with approximately 140 residential units and 4-5 live work lofts with 90 underground parking spaces. The current design and housing marketplace suggests this will likely be apartments.

A design review meeting has been scheduled for this project.

Date:     Tuesday, August 23rd
Time:     5:30 PM
Location:     Seattle City Hall, Boards & Commissions Room

A few notable land use bulletins came up recently which may be of interest to folks, including the resurrection of the Cameo project, a 27-story Belltown apartment tower and two new apartment developments in South Lake Union.

1527 15th Avenue (Capitol Hill)

The Cameo development on Capitol Hill is back on the table after a 3-year hiatus. The project was originally proposed as a sister condo development to the Braeburn across the street at 15th & Pine St. The current proposal, similar in design to the original, is a 6-story building with 56 residential units including 2 live/work units and retail space. The project is owned and being developed by HAL Real Estate Investments, whose residential portfolio includes both apartment and condominium buildings.

Design Review Board Meeting for the Cameo
     Date:   Wednesday, April 20, 2011
     Time:   8:00 pm
     Location:   Seattle University, Alumni Relations & Admissions Building, 824 12th Ave
     Design Proposal download (10 mb PDF); view bulletin

Rendering courtesy of Studio Meng Strazzara

2625 3rd Ave (Belltown) Note: Address changed to 225 Cedar Street

An early design guidance review meeting has been scheduled for the proposed 310-unit apartment building at 2625 3rd Ave 225 Cedar St, the adjacent property northeast of the Seattle Heights Condominium building. Interestingly, this project keeps growing from its initial 17-stories on the parcel where the American Lung Association building stood, to 20-stories, then 26-stories and now 27-stories, that when all phases are completed will encompass the whole 3rd Avenue half of the block.

I’ve heard there’s been strong opposition to the size of the project from residents at Seattle Heights. The project is being developed by Paragon Real Estate. Alto, an apartment tower currently under construction, is located across 3rd Avenue from this site.

Design Review Board Meeting for 2625 3rd Ave
     Date:   Tuesday, April 12, 2011
     Time:   5:30 pm
     Location:   Seattle City Hall, Boards and Commission Room L280
     Design Proposal from February download (15 mb PDF); view bulletin

Rendering courtesy of Hewitt Architects

Joseph Arnold Lofts (Belltown)

A design review board meeting as been scheduled for the Joseph Arnold Lofts apartment development in Belltown. To be developed by the Schuster Group who built Mosler Lofts, The Joseph Arnold Lofts is planned for the corner of Elliott Avenue and Cedar Way with the Bellora Condo on the northwest and The Klee Lofts to the northeast. When built, the 13-story 132 unit building will be within 20 feet of the Bellora’s southerly facade (as close as 10 feet in earlier designs) and an alley width from The Klee.

Update: 4/11. Per the DPD the meeting has been cancelled. See notice
Design Review Board Meeting for Joseph Arnold Lofts
     Date:   Tuesday, April 26, 2011
     Time:   5:30 PM
     Location:   Seattle City Hall
     View bulletin

Rendering courtesy of Via Architecture

975 John Street (South Lake Union)

Rollin Street Flats may soon get a new neighbor. A land use application (see bulletin) has been filed for an adjacent parcel located Northeast of Rollin Street, which is owned by Investco Properties. The application is for a 7-story, 145 unit residential building with 72 parking spaces. Investco’s residential arm develops and manages apartment buildings.

Vulcan has left the door open to re-convert Rollin Street Flats back to condominiums when the condo market rebounds.

420 Pontius (South Lake Union / Cascade)

Vulcan Real Estate is proposing a massive residential development that’ll encompass an entire block in the SLU/Cascade neighborhood, bounded by Pontius, Republican, Yale and Harrison. The proposed development will incorporate the historic landmark Supply Laundry Building with 7-story buildings, up to 320 residential units, approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 360 vehicles (per the design proposal document).

The Laundry Block site is part of Vulcan’s vision to redevelop the South Lake Union area into desirable urban village attracting new businesses and residents. The Laundry Block is located 4 blocks east of Amazon’s new campus and 2 blocks north of REI.

Design Review Board Meeting for 420 Pontius / Laundry Block
     Date:   Wednesday, April 20, 2011
     Time:   6:30 PM and 8:00 pm
     Location:   Queen Anne Community Center, 1901 1st Avenue West, Room 3
     Design Proposal from October 2010 download (9 mb PDF)
     Report from the October 2010 meeting; view bulletin

Rendering courtesy of Runberg Architecture Group

The WestWater, a recent condo conversion development in West Seattle is going back to its old roots, sort of. With 45% of the units unsold, the developer took them off the market last week and is now renting them out.

The WestWater hit the condo market nearly a year ago just after the market started to turn downward. And, even with other developers bailing out of conversion projects in West Seattle (the Strata and the Gables), the reduced competition wasn’t enough to boost sales activity at WestWater.

Rental prices at WestWater starts from $950 for a one-bedroom and $1,250 and up for a two-bedroom.

I can certainly see the decision on the developer’s part, to minimize the cost and drain on resources for carrying and marketing unsold products, as well as, trying to generate cash flow. But, the decision may adversely impact those buyers who purchased at WestWater. The rentals will affect potential resales as the property may not qualify for financing due to ownership level requirements. On the other hand, potential resales would have been tough anyway as owners would’ve been competing against the other 45% of the units that were still for sale.

Here’s a quick look at designs of several non-condo housing developments in the Belltown & Denny Triangle area.

2612 3rd Avenue (Corner of 3rd & Cedar)

2612 3rd Avenue has a newer design than the one I posted a few months ago. The 17 story apartment will house approximately 185 units, a commercial space and just 82 parking spaces. Overall, it seems like a nice addition to this rather dead end of Belltown.

View looking SE, corner of 3rd & Cedar.

Looking NW from 3rd Avenue. Mosler Lofts is to the left.

Main entry facing Cedar Street.

6th & Lenora

The 6th & Lenora Apartment is a twin tower development spanning 1/2 block on 6th Avenue between Lenora & Blanchard. The towers will rise 18 stories with a 6 story podium encompassing 654 units, retail space and 419 parking spaces.

Looking West along 6th Avenue.

1900 1st Avenue

Located close to the Pike Place market at 1st and Stewart, the proposal for the 11-story 1900 1st Avenue development includes a 100 room hotel, 75 apartment units and 325 parking stalls. If built, it will replace a surface parking lot and would obscure lower level views from the proposed 1915 2nd Avenue condominium project.

Could the Art House development be the latest condo project to go apartments?

The developer, the Pauls Corporation, has apparently been researching apartment development in the Seattle area. Pauls has a property management division so it might not be out of the question. Whether it’s condos or apartments it’ll appeal to urban dwellers with its modern design and location near the Pike Place Market and the water front.