Tag Archives: development

SOLD! 418 NW 65th Street

Posted on by
3

There are more changes coming to NW 65th Street! Back in January, we told you about the pending sale of 418 NW 65th Street, a parcel which includes 412-418 NW 65th Street. This corner, which is currently home to the 418 Public House, had been on the market since Summer 2014.

The property was sold in April 2016 for $1,150,000 to “412 NW 65th L.L.C.”.  A site plan filed with the city shows five live/ work units & five townhomes are in the works. A total of 10 news residences in the neighborhood, five with businesses on the ground floor facing NW 65th Street.

The proposed new storefronts create an exciting opportunity for five small business owners to open up shop in a prime location on NW 65th Street, the West Woodland Neighborhood’s Historic Business District.

Site plan 02

Site Plan – Click to enlarge.

About the Architect:

S+H Works L.L.C., the architectural firm on this project, takes a minimalist modern approach to design.  From the AIA website, “Based in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, a majority of their work is infill within the Seattle metro area, reflecting a commitment to the urban environment as a sustainable place to live and work.”  Check out some of their work here.

S and H

NW 65th Street Pedestrian Zone:

NW 65th Street, west of 4th Ave NW, has been designated a pedestrian retail area (pedestrian zones).  The pedestrian zone (P Zone) designation, is intended to “preserve or encourage intensely retail and pedestrian-oriented shopping districts where non-auto modes of transportation to and within the district are strongly favored.”

Pedestrian zones are typically designated in areas already zoned Neighborhood Commercial (NC). The designation does not impact the development capacity of the area, meaning it does not increase or decrease the permitted height or density for new development.

To learn more about Pedestrian Zones visit the following links:

History of this corner:

Constructed in 1925, this building’s first tenants included the Minni Belle Fountain Lunch restaurant at 418 NW 65th Street and West Woodland Hardware at 416 NW 65th Street. Just east of the building, at 412 NW 65th Street, White Rock Service Station was providing automobile services for vehicles in the neighborhood.

The building has changed hands many times since 1925 and hosted a variety of businesses. There have been few adjustments made to the exterior facade of this building and it looks remarkably like it did when first built.

The full story of this corner, courtesy Vintage West Woodland, is available at: https://goo.gl/6IOhVb

Then & Now - 418 NW 65th St - SW - II
Click to enlarge.

HALA Community Focus Group: Volunteers Wanted!

Posted on by
Reply

hala focus

The City of Seattle is looking for community members to serve on community focus groups that will guide the implementation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA). Learn more about this opportunity and complete the application today!  Applications are due Friday, February 26, 2016, by 8pm.

What is the purpose of the HALA Community Focus Groups?

The Community Focus Groups will guide implementation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) – the bold action plan put forth by Mayor Murray and the City Council to improve housing affordability and availability throughout Seattle. We are asking residents from neighborhoods across the city to participate as volunteers to inform the HALA process. A key focus of the Community Focus Groups will be land use and zoning changes that could affect neighborhoods.

  • Community Focus Groups will meet monthly, March through December in 2016.
  • 4 or 5 groups will be formed, each comprised of 20 to 40 people.
  • Group will include representatives of every urban village and neighborhood vicinity in the city.
  • The meetings are intended to bring about constructive dialogue about housing programs.
  • Meetings will be open for other members of the public to observe and comment during a set time on the agenda.
  • Meetings may also be recorded or filmed so a broader public audience can follow the process using social media or online tools.

How much time will it take for me to participate?

Community representatives will be asked to attend about 8 meetings, read materials, and respond to emails between meetings. The total time commitment will be 10–15 hours per month. Most meetings will occur at City Hall in downtown outside of typical business hours. Understanding that community members may require assistance with parking and transportation in order to participate, the City will offer access to free parking and public transit for Community Focus Group members during meeting times. Downtown was selected as a central meeting location so that representatives from many neighborhoods have access. City meeting rooms also facilitate audio and video recordings that can be shared with other members of the public.

 How will you select participants?

Application forms will be received until the due date. If more applications are received than can be accommodated, a committee of City staff
from the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Neighborhoods, the Office
of Housing, and the Office of Planning & Community Development will convene to select the group of representatives. The main selection criterion is intended to create a balanced set of representatives in each focus group, as noted on the previous page. Consideration will also

be given to applicants who are representative of a larger community organization, council, or cultural community in their local area.

Our Diverse Community

The City values participation by a broad range of community members who reflect our City’s diverse population. We will strive

to ensure there is balanced representation from a range of different demographics and perspectives including:

  • Traditionally under- represented groups, including minorities, immigrants, refugees, and non-native English speakers.
  • Renters 
  • Households with children 
  • Experienced neighborhood advocates

How else can I participate in the HALA process?

Neighbors can also participate in neighborhood and city wide meetings.  For a list of events please visit:  www.Seattle.gov/HALA

What a difference a year makes.

Posted on by
Reply

About one year ago, I saw a yellow notice posted at 802 NW 57th Street, alerting neighbors that change was coming.  Built in 1941, this home was erected during Seattle’s war years; when production line work at employers like Boeing shifted into high gear. Just like the widgets rolling off the factory floor, the home at this address was far from unique. In Ballard there are quite possibly hundreds of these little bricks in the neighborhood, but it looks similar to my home so I took note.

2015-01-12 802 NW 57th St

802 NW 57th Street, January 2015

The 1,320 square foot home, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, sat on a typical single-family lot, and sold to PNW Homes L.L.C. for $580,000 in January 2015 according to King County records.

The developer, Blueprint Capital which is based in West Seattle, provided conceptual drawings online for the public to view.  The old house would come down, and at first it looked like one new home would be built, but after reviewing permits filed with the City of Seattle, I found that two homes were planned.

The new homes would each be 2,941 square feet, and include their own garage.  The available drawings showed a home design that looked very traditional – with an angled roof line and shingle siding.

PicMonkey Collage

802 NW 57th Street, middle photo from May 2015

Fast forward to January 2016, and here’s what the corner looks like today.  Surprising that you can fit that much home onto one lot!  The builder was able to construct two homes with exteriors in visual agreement with the neighborhood.  While there are a whole host of items neighbors might be concerned about, including reduction of sunlight due to the new homes height, I would consider appearance a win for the neighborhood.

508 nw 57th street - 01 21 2016

800 & 802 NW 57th Street, January 2016

SOLD: 907 NW Ballard Way

Posted on by
Reply
selig building

Photo courtesy King County Department of Assessments

On Monday, December 21, the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC) reported the sale of the Selig Building, located at 907 NW Ballard Way, for $17 Million to CenterCal Properties.

Selig Real Estate Holdings purchased the building in 2012 from the City of Seattle Housing Authority for just under $5.8 Million.  The building was constructed in 1979 and has been in use as professional office space since that time. More information on this parcel can be found on the King County Department of Assessments website.

About CenterCal Properties

Based in El Segundo, CA, CenterCal Properties is a retail development company and a joint venture with the California State Teachers Retirement System (CALSTRS).  From their website, “Our company’s mission is to find opportunities that will provide a secure return to its investors by creating solid and sustainable cash flow growth.”

One of their upcoming projects includes the redevelopment of Totem Lake Shopping Center in Kirkland.   The plan consists of creating a shopping center with a village feel, mixed-use, including entertainment, and a grocery store. More information on this redevelopment can be found HERE.

Plans For Ballard

CenterCal Properties is considering replacing the two-story office building with a 75,000-square-foot building. Just like Totem Lake, there are plans for a grocery store, professional office space, and restaurant, medical or entertainment space.  Imagine the West Woodland Neighborhood having a movie theater again!

The grocery store listed in the DJC article is New Seasons Market based out of Portland, OR.  New Seasons Market is an independent, neighborhood grocer and the world’s first certified B Corp grocery store.  B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Current Tenants

The primary tenant at 907 NW Ballard Way is Trupanion, a pet insurance company.  In August 2015, Trupanion announced plans to close their Ballard locations and move to 6100 Fourth Ave South, in the Georgetown Neighborhood. Trupanion also occupies space at 5245 Shilshole Ave NW.

Other recent tenants have included city and state government agencies, such as the Seattle Housing Authority, and Department of Social and Health Services.

SOLD: The Nick Property

Posted on by
2

The Nick Property, consisting of two lots located at 607 & 615 NW 65th Street, has been sold to Western Front Properties L.L.C. for $1,320,000. The deal signed in November 2015, includes a total of 4,250 square feet, most of which borders NW 65th Street.  The real estate transaction was completed with the support of Hawley Real Estate, located at 5600 14th Avenue NW in the West Woodland Neighborhood of Ballard.

Nick Property

The Nick Property has sat vacant for eight years, after Nicks’ Boats and Motors closed in 2007.   For 50 years Nicks’ Boats and Motors sold boats, fuel and provided vessel repair services at this location. The building that once sat on the lot was demolished in 2008 and subsequent environmental testing showed soil contamination which the Nick family has spent years working to address.  MyBallard story about Nicks’ Boats & Motors closing available here.

New Business

The million dollar question… what will be opening here?  For the present time, the owners would like to keep that under wraps.  They anticipate an announcement happening shortly after the beginning of the new year.

The buyer is planning on using the space for their personal business.  No housing would be included in the build out.  The lot is zoned “NC2P-30”, Neighborhood Commercial 2, Pedestrian Designation Zone, 30 feet height limit.  See chart below for additional description.  Full document available here.

Zoning - nick property.jpg

 

Timeline

The new property owner is in the final stages of another major project here in Seattle and build out of the NW 65th Street parcel is anticipated to start in Spring 2017.  For the next year, neighbors will see some activity on the lot, as the owner will be using the location for occasional, temporary storage of commercial equipment.

The Final Nick Lot

The second lot the Nick Family owns, on the SW corner of 7th Ave NW and NW 65th Street, is not for sale and continues to be leased by the Goodwill for parking.