Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA SeattleComment

Never, Never, Never, Give Up!…when you know your cause is right.

Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA SeattleComment
Never, Never, Never, Give Up!…when you know your cause is right.

The first Design Review EDG meeting for the McKenzie was held on November 4, 2014. A month later, the first EDG for Altitude was held on December 14, 2014. The McKenzie Apartments at 2208 8th Ave. were completed and opened for tenants this month, while the Altitude project proposed at 5th & Stewart St. is still a parking lot.

McKenzie.jpg

Why the disparity? First, the McKenzie developer, Seattle’s Clise Properties, heeded the call by Enso Residents right across the alley for reasonable tower spacing and an angled facade. This cooled opposition to the project and allowed them to proceed.

parkinglot.jpg

On the other hand, the Altitude 5th & Stewart developer, Stanford, is from the Bay area and thought they could cram an ill-conceived project on a postage stamp lot without serious opposition. Four years later, they realize otherwise, but have yet to propose a reasonable solution. The neighbors across the alley from the Altitude project are committed to continue their fight as long as it takes to get a proposal that is truly functional.

Design Review, fairness and justice, LivabilityDRA SeattleComment

Why Is An Absolute Fabrication Allowed To Stand At Design Review?

When the Douglaston 5th & Virginia developer says "low angle sunlight is blocked by existing downtown context, no impact from proposed development", and the photo clearly shows bright morning sun shining through to east facade of Escala that will be totally blocked by the proposed development, where is the accountability for their misrepresentation?

Design Review, fairness and justice, LivabilityDRA SeattleComment
Why Is An Absolute Fabrication Allowed To Stand At Design Review?
Congestion, Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA SeattleTower spacing, seattle, traffic, seattletraffic, toobigtofailComment

Too Big to Fail: Part 2 of 4 [Project #3028017, Griffin Building & Sheridan Apartments]

While the basic building design is more aesthetically attractive from the street than many of the “big box” designs we’ve seen, this design is not functional, and thus is nowhere close to meeting the standards for approval today. Further, they are not “preserving” the two historic buildings, only using the preservation of the façade to avoid necessary alley setbacks.You will be doing the Applicant a favor by requiring them to come back for a 2nd EDG with a functional ground-floor alley-side design. As is, you have a recipe for loading, servicing, and resident parking disaster.

Congestion, Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA SeattleTower spacing, seattle, traffic, seattletraffic, toobigtofailComment
Too Big to Fail: Part 2 of 4 [Project #3028017, Griffin Building & Sheridan Apartments]
Congestion, Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA Seattletraffic, seattletraffic, seattle, construction, toobigtofailComment

Too Big To Fail: Part 1 of 4; First Light at 2000 - 3rd Avenue


First Light Condominium at 2000-3rd Ave. boasts a rooftop pool and some of the best sunset views in the Pacific Northwest. Its problems come on the ground, where it is not a functional design.  As home to an anticipated 1,600 condo dwellers and office workers, this small village is requesting fewer and smaller loading berths than required by code. Most trucks won't be able to access the berths because the project's narrow alley is lined with dumpsters from neighboring older buildings, home to some of Seattle's most popular restaurants. And ingress and egress from its parking garage will be challenging, if not impossible.

Congestion, Design Review, fairness and justiceDRA Seattletraffic, seattletraffic, seattle, construction, toobigtofailComment
Too Big To Fail: Part 1 of 4; First Light at 2000 - 3rd Avenue