For years I have waited and watched the old Broadway QFC as it transitioned from grocery store, to abandoned building, to graffiti practice area. Over the past few months I have heard many exciting rumors about the beginning of demolition, and cheered in the hope that from the rubble of this once mediocre building something useful might be born. Each time I watched, but nothing every happened. I had nearly given up when I finally spied some signs of action. First the area was fenced in, and now a number of massive steam shovels have been parked outside the building. It would appear that the work is soon to begin.
The demolition will extend beyond the QFC building and include the old Taco Bell, an old apartment building (where my friend used to live when it was still kind of nice), and a lone house that was nestled away amidst the buildings. In their place, a large mixed-used apartment building will be erected.
With the Brix building nearing completion, this apartment on its way, and the coming addition of a couple of high-end restaurants, the north end of Broadway may finally achieve a long overdue renaissance.
anyone know when the brix will actually be finished? seems like it’s been under construction for a loooooong time.
I saw a large collection of fire trucks out there last weekend. I was hoping they were going to do some sort of a training burn on one of the buildings on that block that I could watch from my balcony, but no such luck.
I actually had a chance to chat with a couple of the firefighters outside the old QFC. It turns out they were there to practice cutting holes in the building’s roof. I didn’t get a chance to see it in action, but they use chainsaws to cut holes in the roof, which during a real fire lets smoke, steam, and heat escape, and increases visibility in the building.
I’m glad that the building’s owner let the firefighters used the doomed building. The firefighter said that they don’t often get a chance to practice on that sort of structure.
Dilettante and Vivace move are opening there in in the middle of July, so they’ve got to be done before then. It will be nice to see that crane go away. You just can’t seem to trust cranes these days.
I bought at Brix. The 10th Avenue side (the brownstone buildings) will be ready to move in toward the end of July/early August. The Broadway building is expected to be completed by September. They’re running about 2 months behind from original projections, but that’s pretty normal for new construction. Does anyone have a link to the new apartments going in at the old QFC site? That’s what I want to see. I’ve heard they’re going to be very selective with who will rent their retail spaces which is a great sign.
Here is the link to the new apartments going in across from Brix on Broadway…
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3