[seaskyfan]

From today's P-I:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/317231_development25.html

Deal to build homes near Qwest Field moves ahead
County likely to OK plan for 'brand-new neighborhood'

By GREGORY ROBERTS
P-I REPORTER

With some potential snags apparently cleared away, an ambitious plan to build hundreds of new homes as well as shops and stores on a county-owned parking lot north of Qwest Field looks as if it's headed for government approval.

"We're building a brand-new neighborhood," King County Executive Ron Sims said Thursday. Sims' proposal to sell the so-called North Half Lot to a partnership of developers Nitze-Stagen, Opus Northwest and the Seattle Housing Authority for $10.1 million was approved last week by a County Council committee and likely will come before the full council early next month.

County and city officials hope the $270 million-plus project will help transform the Pioneer Square neighborhood by providing upscale, market-rate row houses, condos and apartments, as well as retail shops and possibly a full-service grocery store.

But the project also must include at least 100 affordable housing units. The housing authority is planning to develop and price those units for occupants earning no more than 60 percent of the area's median income, a formula that equates to $42,060 a year for a couple with one child, an agency spokeswoman said.

Many details of the development will be determined as the project is designed, Nitze-Stagen President Kevin Daniels said. The property isn't expected to actually change hands until 2008.

When first announced last summer, the project was described as including 950 homes on the 3.5- acre site. Although Daniels said that scope is still "feasible," county officials said the number is an estimate. The sales agreement sets a 400-unit minimum.

Preliminary plans also sketched out a pair of 150-foot-tall buildings as part of the project, while current zoning sets a 120-foot limit. The city is conducting a review of zoning in the neighborhood that could raise the limit. But Daniels said the development does not depend on a zoning change.

"It's a very challenging and difficult project, but it's an opportunity to take advantage of something the neighborhood has been interested in for almost 20 years," Daniels said. Several neighborhood business and community organizations wrote to the council in support of the project.

The initial announcement generated concern among promoters of automobile, boat and other large-scale trade shows that have used the North Half Lot for staging events at the Qwest Field Event Center. But those groups are negotiating alternatives with the city, which would allow staging and truck queuing on Occidental Avenue South and possibly other nearby streets, Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said.

"It will be a great shot in the arm for Pioneer Square to have those residences there," Ceis said. "It ultimately helps to reknit the whole neighborhood back together."

The south half of the lot, which is owned by Qwest Field's Public Stadium Authority, would remain undeveloped.

Nitze-Stagen of Seattle is known for the development of historic properties in its hometown, including the Starbucks Center, Union Station and the planned project for First United Methodist Church. Opus Northwest is a national developer with recent condo projects in downtown Seattle, Bremerton and Bainbridge Island; the company also built three buildings at Union Station.

[moosanova]

Interesting to see how this turns out and what type of impact it will have on that area in the future, especially during game days......

Can you imagine 2 150 foot towers in the north lot????

Not me..... but change is good i guess

[mhays]

I'm sooooo excited about this one. This has more potential to do good for Downtown than any other project. South Downtown with some middle-income housing tossed in...look out.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Maybe they'll call in Seahawkville.

[seaskyfan]

^ Well a lot of the new subdivisions out in the hinterlands seem to be named for what was there before - so maybe Asphalt Acres or New Parkington?

[Capitol Hill]

Maybe they'll call in Seahawkville.


Nah, they'll have to have something like "The residences at Qwest (tm) Field, Jones Soda(tm) plaza.

Gotta make the corporates happy.

Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line.

[seaskyfan]

^ I thought Jones Soda beating Coke and Pepsi at Qwest Field was pretty cool. At least they use sugar instead of that HFCS crap.

[Black Box]

How about Hooverville? Cheers to this new development! Cheers to Jones Soda!

[mhays]

This isn't related to the stadiums at all. It's the county getting rid of excess property in a way that helps the neigborhood.

[destroybananas]

Good news! I've been waiting for this one to take shape. Glad to hear it's finally happening.

[Symi81]

If done the right way, this could be a fantastic project. I love the name Seahawkville!

[ruffhauser]

From today's Seattle Times...........

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003734695_northlot05m.html

A plan to transform Pioneer Square with hundreds of new residents and a grocery store moved closer to reality Monday, when the King County Council approved selling four acres of asphalt next to Qwest Field for $10 million.

The council voted unanimously to sell half of the parking lot north of Qwest Field to a team of Seattle- and Minneapolis-based developers, although the project may result in far fewer condos and apartments than announced last year.

The deal approved by the council calls for at least 400 new residences, including 100 affordable apartments or condos. In naming Nitze-Stagen and Opus as the winning bidders for the property last year, King County Executive Ron Sims touted their proposal to build 956 condos and apartments.

Still, neighborhood, county and city officials said the deal could tame Pioneer Square's rowdiness, help its merchants, and add middle-income residents to an area that now tilts toward bars and subsidized housing.

"Our neighborhood has been waiting for this development for almost 20 years," said Craig Montgomery, executive director of the Pioneer Square Community Association. At a minimum, Montgomery said, the proposal would more than double the amount of nonsubsidized housing.

Pioneer Square has just under 1,000 condos and apartments, and almost 70 percent of them are dedicated to low-income housing.

"Pioneer Square is a neighborhood out of balance, and it needs market and work-force housing," said city planner Gary Johnson.

Kevin Daniels, president of Nitze-Stagen, said his team would "easily" build more than 400 apartments and condos.

How many more depends on factors such as building design, traffic concerns and market forces, including construction costs and housing demands. The plan also relies, in part, on the city allowing buildings to go about 30 feet taller than current limits.

"I think we'll eventually get to 500" new apartments and condos, Sims said.

The sale is expected to close next year, after developers go through environmental reviews and obtain a permit from the city. The purchase agreement requires Daniels' team to break ground within two years after that.

The county's appraisal put the value of the four acres at $24 million. County officials cut the price because of requirements put on the developers.

Nitze-Stagen and Opus must replace the 500 parking spots it will displace and turn over parking revenue to the Public Stadium Authority. Early plans called for parking to occupy floors at the base of residential buildings. The other half of the North Lot is owned by the authority, and will still be used for parking.

The developers must build affordable housing and limit development potential by creating a road through the middle of the property and preserving downtown views from the stadium.

Under the agreement, affordable housing is defined as apartments that rent to households earning 60 percent of the county median income, roughly $30,000 a year. Or, it could be condos for households earning median income, just over $58,000 a year.

A coalition representing auto, home, boat and RV shows at the Qwest Field Event Center was opposed to developing the North Lot, saying it would take away staging areas for shows. But that coalition is working out a deal with Mayor Greg Nickels that would allow parts of Occidental Avenue South and South Royal Brougham Way to be used.

Daniels said a local grocer, whom he declined to name, has approached him about locating in the development — something neighborhood residents have long wanted.

Metropolitan King County Council member Larry Phillips, D-Seattle, said the project might transform more than Pioneer Square.

Noting it would bring housing close to downtown jobs as well as nearby trains, buses and a future light-rail line, Phillips said it would be "transformative in another way, in who can live downtown and not have to own a car."

[destroybananas]

oh good, another grocery store in the downtown area! That'll be three total so far? One on First Hill and the Whole Foods in SLU.

[mhays]

We have dozens of grocery stores. Maybe you mean supermarkets.

What about Uwajimaya? Also, the three on LQA are sort of Downtown.

[blackc5]

Hey - but according to Vulcan marketing materials, Whole Foods is the first 'urban grocery store' in Seattle! LOL.

In any regards, really looking forward to seeing this go forward. Sounds like 2008 is the earliest this could start.

[destroybananas]

We have dozens of grocery stores. Maybe you mean supermarkets.

What about Uwajimaya? Also, the three on LQA are sort of Downtown.


You're right. I forgot about Uwajimaya. And yes I meant Supermarkets. :)

[uwhuskies]

Sims approves sale of Qwest Field lot to developers:tup:
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) - 2:39 PM PDT Thursday, June 21, 2007
Print this Article Email this Article Reprints RSS Feeds Most Viewed Most Emailed
King County Executive Ron Sims on Thursday signed a $10.1 million agreement selling a portion of Qwest Field's north parking lot to developers Nitze-Stagen & Co. Inc. of Seattle and Minneapolis-based Opus Corp., in association with the Seattle Housing Authority.

Opus operates in the Northwest through its regional office in Bellevue, Opus Northwest LLC.


Under the agreement, the development of the 3.85-acre site in Seattle will include at least 400 residential condominiums and apartments, of which at least 100 units are to be affordable housing.

As part of the deal, the developers will replace the public parking now offered on the property and provide additional parking for King Street Station as well as for the new project itself. :banana:

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^^^^
How tall are the residential condominiums going to be?

[seaskyfan]

^ I think that's an 85' - 120' zone - where you can go up to 120' if the structure is mostly (75%+) residential. Here's a link to the zoning map.

http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/public/zoningmaps/zmap116.htm

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

^^ Thanks much!!

[destroybananas]

I think this is going to transform Pioneer Square for the better. I can't wait.

[bgwah]

^^ Thanks much!!

I think the article said they would probably allow the buildings to be 150 feet.

[seaskyfan]

^ It says the drawings show 150' but the current zoning is 120' and that the City is reviewing the zoning but that they don't need a change to go forward with the project.

[destroybananas]

Oh good. That would probably just delay the project even more.

[seaskyfan]

^ Agreed. I hope they just go forward with the 120'. The City "reviewing" something could take forever.

[destroybananas]

it seems to me that they'd do that all at once.

[seaskyfan]

^ They can if they apply for the rezone as part of the application.

[mhays]

It'll still require City Council action, and that takes time. Luckily the neighborhood seems to be pulling for this project. In fact the Pioneer Square community seems to be really boosterish about getting some market-rate housing. And for good reason.

[destroybananas]

Question...what is it that makes it take time on something that is obviously a benefit to the neighborhood? Time for what?

[seaskyfan]

Different types of land use actions require different types of approval. Most land use actions are approved by the Department of Planning and Development under the authority of the DPD Director. Some actions need to be approved by the City Council. Those actions include things like rezones and some conditional uses.

The process takes so long because a decision that the Council needs to make still needs to go through DPD for environmental review and a recommendation to the Council. Then it needs to go through the Council review and approval process. The speed at which things go through DPD varies based on development activity - over the past few years things have moved pretty slowly through DPD.

[mhays]

It's like molasses. Just as bad are the six-month building permit process durations these days. Or that was the last estimate I heard for our average.

You can apply for a building permit before MUP is awarded, but you're making a big bet that the MUP process doesn't cause a redesign, which would put you almost at square one with your BP.

The permitting process is one reason why "approved" means nothing in this city. Since you don't know what market conditions will be one year from now, you get your permits and then do your most rigorous thinking about whether to go forward.

By "market conditions" I'm referring to both the leasing/buying market, construction costs, and the financing market.

[destroybananas]

sounds like a scam.

[destroybananas]

ok this is weird. on my computer it says that the last persont hat posted a reply to this thread was mhays but when I click on it the last person is me...wtf?

[mhays]

sounds like a scam.

How? And by who?

[WESTSEATTLEGUY]

destroybananas: ok this is weird. on my computer it says that the last persont hat posted a reply to this thread was mhays but when I click on it the last person is me...wtf?

-Don't worry it happens to me all the time. Sometimes you have to click the refresh button.