This upcoming Wednesday there will be an Early Design Guidance Meeting for the mixed-use apartment complex proposed for Thomas and Broadway (details below). The site includes the properties that house Cafe Septieme, Noah's Bagels, Pho 900, Bank of America, the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, and the Broadway Farmer's Market, among others and will have approximately 24,000 sqft of commercial space, 235 residential units, and about 250-275 parking spaces. The project is being developed by SRM Development and the Merrill Gardens Company, a family-owned, Seattle-based company behind the Merrill Gardens Retirement Communities throughout the United States (and most recently at U-Village).

The project is pretty standard in terms of new Capitol Hill development. Ground floor retail will front Broadway and wrap around Thomas St with upper floors consisting of mainly studios and one bedrooms, with a few 2 bedrooms interspersed. The building will drop from 65ft along Broadway to 40ft along 10th Ave and 7 Live/Work units will front the ground floor of 10th. Since it is early in the design process there are no official designs for the facade but the proposal does include a few sketches of possibilities. In talks, SRM Representative Andy Loos has repeatedly mentioned Brix as something similar in scope and design.

First Floor Plan

While all the existing buildings will be demolished, Loos said that current commercial tenants have been contacted and offered space when construction was complete. Bank of America has already agreed to return to the new building and are currently looking for a temporary location in the vicinity. No others have confirmed. Loos also said that the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce would "certainly be welcome" when construction was completed but the Chamber's Jack Hilovsky said that they are looking for a new location for when their lease is up next Fall and don't have plans to return at this time.

The most intriguing part of the proposal is a community space that would be available to tenants as well as community groups and organizations. While nothing has been confirmed (entrance location, square footage, included equipment, etc.) I am told that Merrill Gardens incorporated a similar space in their U-Village development.

Idea for 10th Ave Entrance

The least intriguing part is the parking. Even though the site will be less than one block from the new light rail station, the First Hill Streetcar, and bus routes 8,9,43,49, and 60 and is zoned with no parking requirements, the developers are still proposing more than 250 parking spots. I asked Loos if there was any chance that the parking could be reduced. His reply:

We have discussed the parking spaces and will do further review to determine how many we will provide.  We certainly don’t want to be under-parked since finding spaces on the street in Capitol Hill is virtually impossible today and if our residents were to have to find street parking in order to park their cars we’d be adding to an already significant parking problem.  There could be a segment of the residents that have cars but choose to use public transportation anyway.  They will still need a parking space even though they don’t use their car every day…we want to be able to accommodate them.  We certainly don’t want to build parking spaces that

I guess you can't win them all.

Project: 230 Broadway E  map

Review Meeting:	November 18, 6:30 pm
	SU Alumni Relations & Admissions Building
	824 12th Ave  map
	Meeting Room
Review Phase:	EDG--Early Design Guidance past reviews
Project Number:	3009249 permit status | notice
Planner: Lisa Rutzik

The new face of the poster-covered Sunset Electric building is slowly coming to light. Wednesday night's Early Design Guidance meeting at the new Seattle U AA building was the second in a long process to develop the property where the brick building has stood since 1916. As the first development project to go through the city's design review process under Pike/Pine's new conservation overlay district, the Sunset represents a test for the city and the Capitol Hill community of how to best redevelop the area without losing the historical character of the neighborhood.

If you haven't been following the process, here's a quick run-down of developer Pryde + Johnson's stated plans for the historic building:

• Retain and restore the existing two-story facade and use as retail space.
• Create a 7 story structure, building on top of the historic area, and filling 5 floors with 92 units.
• LEED Silver certified
• 20% Workforce Housing
• 36 Stalls of underground parking.

Wednesday night's meeting unveiled a revamped design for the project as Pryde + Johnson has brought in a new architecture firm on the project.

"The new concept will save the existing character, but not imitate it," said Dwayne Kohler, of Kohler Architects, Wednesday night. 

A detailed description of the project can be found here,  with a link to the full design proposal here.

(Photo: Lucas Anderson/Neighborlogs.com)

Community members responding to the proposal at the meeting had both praise and criticism for the designers. Capitol Hill resident Dennis Saxman was concerned with the height of the building, describing a towering 7-story building amongst its currently smaller neighbors. Saxman, like many others, was concerned about the use of the garage as a parking space instead of an art or community space. However, Saxman, a well known neighborhood watch dog, said the proposal was "One of the most responsive designs I've ever seen...and I don't say that easily." 

Others agreed on the need to reconsider the parking situation, looking ahead to long term uses of the building. "I hope that the space would be able to be adapted in the future for a better use," one attendee said. The Review Board agreed with this sentiment, but Rutzick noted that the parking issues (which Kohler stated was a "marketing, leasing, and financing" issue) were to be discussed during Environmental Review sessions.

The design board's final recommendations included a closer look at both the parking situation and the relationship between the old and new parts of the new development, as well as further investigation into the center courtyard that divides the residential portion of the building: Will it be just a rain catcher, a dark tunnel, a compromise of privacy, or just benefit those on the first floor?

According to City of Seattle project planner Lisa Rutzick, the next steps for the project are for the architect and the developer to continue to evolve the design in response to the Capitol Hill Design Board’s guidance and develop the plans for the Master Use Permit application. The next official step is to submit the Master Use Permit application to the city's Department of Planning and Development, which will initiate DPD’s formal review of the zoning, environmental and design issues. Once all of these reviews have occurred and requirements from DPD are responded to by the developer, the Design Review Recommendation meeting will occur. And that's how a development project is born in Seattle.

As the first project to be considered under the new Pike/Pine conservation overlay district ordinance, the project is setting a precedence for future, similar buildings, Rutzick said at the meeting. 

In exchange for preserving and enhancing the historic building, the developers are allowed to build the structure higher, while still complimenting the original design. Yet debate arose over whether the new design is too similar to the nearly century old look of the first two stories. The board did not want a cheap look-alike stacked atop the old building, and had support from some audience members. "Build something that is of its time, that is not imitating some other era," one citizen said.

Parking. Tuesday night's discussion topic for the third in a series of Sound Transit-led forums on 'transit oriented development' of the land surrounding the future Capitol Hill light rail station isn't exactly sexy. In fact, Sound Transit seems to be hoping to sex the night up by also including a discussion about the Nagle Place, um, extension. Super sexy.

But don't let that fool you. The Nagle Place discussion will be a happy thing, to be sure -- as we reported, Sound Transit is working on an agreement that will turn the extended street into a home for the weekend farmers market once the station is complete in 2016. That's hot. But the real conversation needs to be about a key element in determining the transportation future of the development that eventually graces the real estate around the station.

Here is our coverage of the first two TOD sessions:

• Community uses
• Housing and retail

The forum format thus far has been Sound Transit and assembled experts providing information followed by Sound Transit officials taking questions from the audience -- though, to their credit, ST mixed it up in the Housing and retail session by facilitating smaller group break-out discussions. All of this ostensibly goes toward Sound Transit gathering community feedback to inform their future decisions, etc.

But the real workstream we need to pay attention to is ST's RFQ/RFP process. The requirements and the framework surrounding the agency's 'request for proposals' on the development work can -- and need to be -- shaped. It's a community/political process. These forums are part of the community/politics. Stakeholders are listening. We'll need people and organizations with political clout to champion our 'community' requirements (BTW, "Why haven't you attended a Capitol Hill TOD forum?" might be a good question to ask your favorite city councilmember or candidate). The RFQ/RFP process won't get hot and heavy until around 2011, reportedly, so we're slowly building toward the process.

Tonight we'll discuss parking. In a document presented to the stakeholder group working with Sound Transit to shape the community (political?) process around TOD, Sound Transit officials outlined the following focus areas for the discussion about parking-related planning for the possible retail, housing and community development around the Hill's light rail station. From the ST document (attached to this post):

•    Incorporate parking for the business district in redevelopment plan

−    Access from Broadway should not be permitted

−    Provide permanent, predictable, affordable parking supply for customers (not commuters)

−    Use the less desirable areas of the site (especially below grade) for parking

•    Consider creative ways to construct parking as part of site development

−    Sound Transit could concurrently build the station and underground parking, saving significant construction costs for an incoming developer

−    Sound Transit could also construct and lease back the garage

More notes from the ST outline of parking issues and opportunities in the light rail TOD:

• Business district lacks parking:
  
  

  According to the Capitol Hill Chamber, the business district lacks sufficient business and retail parking.  In addition, Sound Transit has removed several public pay parking lots (approximately 113 stalls) to construct the Capitol Hill station.  The Capitol Hill Chamber has expressed concerns that light rail riders may utilize remaining public parking for commuter parking; thereby further decreasing retail parking supply.

• City code restraints:



Code and policy requirements and constraints are a consideration to including business district parking at the TOD sites.  The City’s code eliminated minimum parking requirements for development within the Station Area Overlay (SAO).  Due to the area pedestrian designation and SAO, access to parking would not be allowed from Broadway.

 

The SAO prohibits single-purpose parking structures however it would allow community-serving short-term parking.  There are no parking maximums in the code.

Sound Transit policy is to not provide new commuter parking at Link stations in urban areas.  The Station Area Plans specifically proposed actions that created station areas predicated on transit oriented development and urban design that was supportive of non-auto access to Link.  Although short-term parking could be operated so that it is not used by commuters, attracting large numbers of cars to garages at station entries would compromise the desired pedestrian orientation of the sites and station areas. 

• Sound Transit's mission
  
  

  Sound Transit has maintained its position that as a regional transit agency, increasing community parking supply is inconsistent with its mission of providing transit service. Construction of a light rail station in this area will in fact mitigate loss of parking. Sound Transit will also not provide commuter parking at the Capitol Hill station.
  
  Sound Transit’s business and policy positions to date have been:
  • TOD site developers will likely provide some level of parking for tenants and retail customers (short-term) of TOD businesses.
  • Developers will not provide commuter parking or additional parking to serve business district (contrary to mission and not financially feasible).
  • ST will not build parking concurrent with station construction, construct parking and lease back garage, or subsidize parking for developers.

• Market forces
  
  

  To be competitive in the market each of these elements will need to be supported by some amount of parking. The number of parking spaces needed to compete with other space in the market in 2015 is unknown at this time; however, today the ratios in the table below provide some indication of market demand.
  Residential = .75 to 1.0 spaces per unit
  Office = 1 to 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet
  Retail = None necessary – more is better
  

The document also has a list of alternatives to parking that the station development requirements could be shaped to include:

Reducing total parking provided to meet minimum development needs:  In the station area overlay zone, there is no minimum requirement for parking.  However, developers generally need to provide some parking for tenant use which is often a requirement for construction loans.  Sound Transit will encourage the developer to keep parking at a minimum amount that makes sense for the development.  As fewer parking spaces are provided for personal car parking, users will look to other access options.  

Shared parking: Depending on the uses in the developments, parking can be shared between uses at different times of the day.  For example, a parking space could be utilized by an office employee during the daytime and a restaurant or other customer in the evening.

Commuter Financial Incentives:  Residential parking spaces could be offered to tenants only at an extra fee, and not bundled in overall rent costs.  Residents could be provided an opportunity to forgo a parking space for transit pass discounts and lower rental rates.  This would encourage use of transit, while lessening the need for parking within the development and/or in the neighboring community.  

Encourage retail use of transit:  Future retailers could promote use of transit instead of driving cars by offering small discounts to shoppers using transit when shopping.  Developing such incentives would be at the discretion of retailers to determine, but in a situation where limited parking is available directly at the site, more shoppers could be encouraged to use transit to get there.

Provide transit information: Property managers could provide up to date transit information, ride-sharing opportunities, bicycle services and facilities and other non-car information.

Reserved parking spaces for one or more car- sharing vehicles (Zip Car):  Developers could incorporate parking spaces for a flex car that can be utilized by the tenants of the developments.  This arrangement would offer use of cars for specific occasions but would not require the consistent need for parking for individual car ownership.  Tenants would have the option of a car when they need it, but would rely on transit, biking or walking at other times.

Electric Car Charging Stations:  Providing facilities and parking for electric car charging stations provides an alternative to typical car parking, while also working to achieve sustainability goals.  

Bicycle Parking:  The Capitol Hill Station west entrance plaza will provide bike racks for light rail patron bike parking.  In addition to this bike parking space, there will likely be a need for additional bike parking for transit users as well as tenants of the TOD sites.  Bike parking facilities will continue to be a need in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, so Sound Transit may pursue some additional bike parking arrangement with the TOD developers.  This could entail below grade bike parking for tenants (customers) of the TOD sites, and/or could also consist of some street level or below grade public (customer) bike parking.  Sound Transit may encourage or require the developers of one or more of the TOD sites to consider creating more bike space as a public amenity.

Sound Transit or the developer may also seek grant opportunities or partnerships to explore how bike parking can be further incorporated at the TOD sites.

There you go. A crash course in TOD parking concerns, issues and opportunities. Like we said, not sexy.

Capitol Hill Station: Transit Oriented Development Community Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 27

Ever wonder what it might look like around the Capitol Hill Link light rail station once construction is completed?

Join us for a discussion about transit oriented development issues at the station. This is the third in a series of quarterly community forums exploring future transit oriented development concepts at the station site.

This forum will focus on the Nagle Place extension and parking associated with the development sites.  Sound Transit will also present some promising news about plans involving the Broadway Sunday Farmers Market.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 
6– 8 p.m. (presentation begins at 6:15 p.m.) 
Century Ballroom 
915 E. Pine St. 
Seattle, WA 98122

For more information: 
Contact Michelle Ginder at 206-398-5328 or michelle.ginder@soundtransit.org. You can also visit www.soundtransit.org/CapitolHillTOD

Ladies and gentleman, please warm up your development feedback engines. Two significant land-use projects are rumbling their way through the city's design review planning process in November -- one will breath life back into a wonderful old Pike/Pine building, the other will redesign nearly an entire block of Broadway and push out at least seven businesses and organizations.

• Sun Electric buildingThe plan for redevelopment of the at 11th and Pine comes back for a review in front of the Capitol Hill Design Board next week after the initial designs were sent back to the drawing board in August. The building in the heart of Pike/Pine was once a part of Capitol Hill's auto industry, according to neighborhood activist and historian Dennis Saxman. We'll have a deeper write-up on the second review once we get our grubby little hands on the updated design plan. In the meantime, here's our writeup on the project from August. The review board's big questions from the August session:
  o How to allow the developer to build high enough to preserve two floors of commercial space and leave more of the current character of the building intact?
  o What are the developer's strategies to achieve better integration of the preserved building and the new structure
  
  

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposal is to retain the existing two-story building facade and construct a new six-story building with ground level retail and artist lofts with 84 residential units above. Four parking spaces to be provided.

PROCESS

The applicant has applied for Design Review related to development of this site. At the Design Review Board meeting the applicant will present information about the proposed design and how it responds to the Design Guideline priorities established at the Early Design Guidance Board meeting on August 5, 2009, regarding this site; the public may offer comments regarding the proposed design; and, the Design Review Board members will offer additional guidance to the applicant regarding the design concepts.

MEETING

Date:                     Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Time:                     06:30 p.m.

Location:               Seattle University

                              Alumni Relations and Admissions Building

                              Meeting Room

                              824 12th Avenue

• Reshaping another key area of the Hill, the 224 Broadway projectSRM Development is finally starting to share its plans for -- the nearly complete block of Broadway it will demolish and redevelop as a mixed-use retail and housing development at Broadway and E. Thomas. Displaced by the project once demolition begins: Bank of America, the parking lot where the Broadway farmers market takes place, Noah's Bagels, Pho 900, Cafe Septieme and some residential structures including the old home that serves as offices for the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. It's a massive project. More from CHS once we review any documentation from the project. This meeting will be a 'revised early design guidance' session so we might expect fewer details on the project from the developers and architects than we'll see in the Sun Electric project. The SRM development has been playing out for months. We first heard word that they were moving forward with public process on a smaller plan back in January but those meetings were scuttled. Three months later, rumors emerged about the expansion of the project to include the buildings where Noah's Bagels and Cafe Septieme now live.

View Larger Map

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposal is for a six-story (six stories facing Broadway, four stories facing 10th Ave E) 235 unit residential, retail and office building.  Parking for 250 vehicles will be located below grade. Six existing structures to be demolished. This project has been expanded and revised since original EDG meeting.

PROCESS  

The applicants have applied for Design Review related to development of this site.  At the early design guidance meeting, the applicants will present information about the site and vicinity.  The public may offer comments regarding the design and siting of  the subject site; and, the Design Review Board members will also offer comments and identify those Citywide Design Guidelines of highest priority in developing the site.  

MEETING   ***REVISED EDG***

Date:            Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Time:           6:30 p.m.

Location:     Seattle University

                    Alumni Relations and Admissions Bldg

                    824 12th Ave

                    Meeting Room

shopper Originally
uploaded by zenobia_joy

When the Capitol Hill light rail station opens for business in 2016, there's a good chance the Hill's weekly farmers market will be right around the corner.

Sound Transit officials are moving forward with a recommendation that a planned extension to Nagle Place be made available to the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance to host their Capitol Hill market. Ron Endlich, deputy project manager for the Capitol Hill station, said that talks are ongoing but that Sound Transit believes it can make the extension of Nagle between Denny and John available to the farmers market group at an affordable rate. With coordination with the city's department of transportation, it's possible the market would also utilize Denny Way, Endlich said.

The Broadway Farmers Market is on the hunt for a new home as SRM Development prepares plans to construct a mixed-use project at the market's current Sunday location in the parking lot at 10th Ave E and E Thomas. SRM's effort has been on again, off again but CHS has been told that the project is in motion once more and the public process of design review will begin soon.

What happens to the market in the meantime while the light rail station is constructed isn't yet clear. Here's what NFMA's Chris Curtis told CHS recently:

The Broadway Market will certainly need to move before the ST station is complete, so we are looking at Seattle Central as a possible interim location for the market.  Nothing is set or certain at this point.

(There are also certain requirements that the Fire Dept must meet as far as right of way for their trucks, so some streets are too narrow to stage a market AND provide space for a fire truck.)

2016 is going to be a big year for Capitol Hill. Let's hope we can keep it together in the meantime.

Sound Transit talks about the Nagle extension and, equally important, parking plans for the light rail station at the next Transit Oriented Development forum on October 27 at Century Ballroom.

500 E. Pine is ugly. It's empty. It's useless. For some, it represents the development powers that be, and their plot to destroy any ounce of historical culture that flows through Capitol Hill streets. These feelings have been shared by many that walk by the mound of dust and dirt now dubbed the People's Parking Lot. But for structural engineer and urban planning enthusiast Keith Harris, the frustration became innovation. This April, he made this video, this site, and a baby, all while losing his job in the midst of the poor economic climate. Bad for Harris, but great for the community as he has had time to explore his passions and make something out of the empty lot that plagues Pine. With his job creating commercial big box buildings behind him, Harris thought this project would be more suited to what he believes in.

But the website had few visitors, and Harris had no idea how, or even what he hoped to do with the empty lot. After failing to attract accidental visitors to his cause by posting random parking-lot related tid-bits, Harris said that help from CHS was what finally got the ball rolling. Putting the normal developer-aimed anger aside, Harris called the owner of the lot and got his blessing to feature it as the main area of the the Capitol Hill Garage sale. With the success and enthusiasm surrounding the sale, Harris worked quickly to start the next project, Park(ing) Day 2009. Three months of research, marketing and planning will culminate this Friday into what Harris hopes will become a very memorable day.

According to the Park(ing) day website, the event originally started in San Francisco in 2005 when an art collective dressed up a public space around a parking meter. For his part of the Park(ing) Day event in Seattle, Harris is coordinating with Feet First, an organization who helped promote and support the event last year, the Capitol Hill Community Council and other community groups. 

With the People's Parking Lot as a "Central Park", Harris created twenty-four 20x10 ft. spots for people, businesses, and organizations to create mini parks. The parks will be judged by our own jseattle along with architecture professionals, and compete for a $200 prize on top of a gift cards and other local business gifts. Despite business support and involvement, Harris said, following Park(ing) day rules, no promotional material or advertisement can be included in parks. According to Harris, the cost of the event, mostly for insurance, was covered by the Seattle Art Commission's Smart Ventures Grant, with the prizes covered by an optional $20 entry fee and donations from local businesses.

As we reported earlier, there is still room for more parks. Harris said that 12 spots are definitely taken, with 5 more hopefully on the way. These parks aren't just thrown down sod, Harris explained, saying one group requested a second space and made a structure of 12 feet was not breaking any height limits. While anyone can participate, landscape architects and urban planners are coming out in full force for what Harris said was "just for fun."

For Harris, who is designing a park himself, this is just a beginning for both his career and the People's Parking Lot. Entering into the Ph.D program at the University of Washington in Built Environments, Harris, his wife and his 5-month old child are chugging along. Harris, wants to continue working with the PPL, but is taking it one step at a time with classes just around the corner. "If it is going to sit empty, why not do something that [people] can come out and use." The future of the PPL, Harris hopes, will be focused around regular use, not just big events. According to Harris, the owner of the land still has no plans for it, but Harris sees it as an "Important space geographically and emotionally," and it needs something to fill the dead zone. Following the model of a parks organization in Burien, one of Harris' ideas is licensing the space from the owner as a temporary space for a garden, art space or an outdoor movie area.

For now, Harris is focusing on this Friday. Although the dozen parks will only be a 12-hour cure for the emptiness at 500 E. Pine, Harris is confident in the event's effect beyond the 18th.

"All you can do is remember it," Harris said. "Make it memorable."

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but we are lucky enough to live in one of the most incredible neighborhoods in Seattle. It is a place where creative new buildings, such as Capitol Hill Housing's award winning Broadway Crossing and 'starchitect' Tom Kundig's 1111 E. Pike intermingle with pieces of history such as the Oddfellows Building, Holy Names Academy, and even Seattle's oldest standing home. It is a place where innovative businesses such as  iLike  and Cafe Vita make waves on the national scene, and where global chains are replaced by local Mexican eateries. Jimi Hendrix is memorialized here, Bruce Lee was buried here, and President Obama even lived up here as a baby. Oh, did I mention we are also the densest part of Seattle, if not the entire Pacific Northwest (Canada excluded)?

Unlike the rather empty tracts of land along MLK, the Sound Transit Link Light Rail Station currently under construction on Capitol Hill will be at the heart of one of the most culturally, artistically, historically, and culinarily rich areas in all of the Puget Sound region. Also unlike ST's past projects, they decided to actually purchase the land above the station and they have asked us, the community for input on what to do with it.

The four hour design charrette this Saturday, paid for and hosted by the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce and the TOD Stakeholders Group, is a chance for everyone in the community to open their minds and envision the most grandiose possibilities for the 3 acres of asphalt along Broadway. Not only is it a chance to share ideas and listen to others but sketch artists will be on hand to help people actually try and conceptualize what some of these possibilities will look like. At the end of the year the results of this design charrette will be presented to Sound Transit, who will presumably use the ideas generated here to decide what to build in the future.

The Capitol Hill light rail station site (Image: Sound Transit)

Want to see an extension of Cal Anderson park that meanders into a public plaza for the Broadway Farmer's Market? Maybe you dream of a wonderful community center with views of downtown and Mt. Rainer? Perhaps you envision a beautiful icon, visible from all over Seattle, with the architectural integrity to be placed next to the Space Needle and the Central Library on Seattle postcards? Well this is your chance to share such ideas and actually have them incorporated into reality.

Earlier this week the Capitol Hill Community Council's Planning and Policy Committee met to discuss the Broadway TOD*. The most common thread among us was the desire to have the development on this site stand for hundreds of years to come, for these buildings to be a timeless example of world class architecture, the likes of the Pompidou or the Louvre in Paris. With Sound Transit owning the property and the city open to land use changes, the community is able to go far beyond the standard mixed-use developments and actually envision something that will fundamentally enhance our already amazing neighborhood. But the key here is the community; we need to show Sound Transit and the City just how important this site is to us. Coming to the Design Charrette this Saturday is a perfect opportunity to show your support and participation.

Inspiration? (Image: Transbay Transit Center)

While it was sad to see some of the old buildings come down, we have been given an unprecedented opportunity. We now have 3 acres of land in one of Seattle's greatest neighborhoods to play with. It is like we have been given an empty canvas and all the tools and paints we could ever dream of and told to do what we want. But again, the only way this will work is if we, as a community, are active and involved. We need to prove to Sound Transit and the City that this isn't your typical development site, but that this project has the potential to tie all of Capitol Hill's greatest pieces together in a once-in-a-lifetime achievement of urban expression. Capitol Hill is one of Seattle's greatest neighborhoods, but it could be one of the world's greatest neighborhoods. Its up to you, so sign up for the Design Charrette now!

Broadway Design Charrette

Saturday, September 12th, 2009, 1-5pm

SU A&A Building, 12th and Marion [map]

* If you too would like to be a part of the Planning and Policy Committee send an email to chcc.planning@gmail.com and we'll put you on the email list and keep you up to date on all things planning on Capitol Hill.

While we're talking design and land use, the Seattle PI's Real Estate News blog somewhat over-dramaticizes the situation -- Big changes planned for lot in Pike/Pine neighborhood -- but does point out that the project in the Precision Auto lot at Madison and 13th has received the Design Review Board's blessing and can now move forward.

We covered a design review meeting back in June when the plan was sent back to the drawing board:

In the end, a divided board did not grant its recommendation despite saying much in praise of the project. But concerns over the 13th/Madison corner compelled the board to request the developers address that aspect of the design and present an update at a future public hearing. Specifically, the board didn’t like the concave entry and asked the developer to look at more asymmetrical and different shapes.

Other issues the developers need to address include the auto entrance on 13th Avenue as well as how that entrance interacts with services such as garbage pick-up. And the board...

The Capitol Hill Design Charrette will be a one-day workshop where community members work in small teams to examine the development possiblities and realities for every block of Broadway. Unlike some community meetings, the charrette should be a creative and collaborative experience -- and, best of all, it's the kind of thing Capitol Hill needs to start working on now to be ready for what comes next with the massive changes happening on Broadway.

When it comes to community involvement with the 'transit oriented development' process, Sound Transit hasn't been exactly clear with how it will use community feedback. When asked what his agency was going to do with survey data collected in this recent community meeting, Ron Endlich, ST's deputy project director for the Capitol Hill station and University Link said, "The survey was an attempt to reach a broader audience. There's some good info in there." Thanks for your input.

What we do know is that Sound Transit owns prime commercial real estate in the heart of Capitol Hill. By 2016, there will be a new burst of retail and housing activity around the station. In between now and then somewhere around 2012 or 2013, an important process will be played out when Sound Transit assembles a framework for taking bids on developing the land that will be part of the Capitol Hill station. The request for proposal (RFP) will ostensibly set the guidelines for what kind of transit oriented development happens at the site. The Capitol Hill 'community' -- you and me, that is -- will need to be ready to shape that RFP process through communication, information, ideas and good old fashioned political pressure. How do we prepare ourselves in the meantime?

September's charrette is an opportunity to begin muscling up on our collective community development strength. It's a chance to work with community members and community experts like architects and developers to create a vision for how Broadway should be on the best of all possible Capitol Hills. It's also an opportunity to set some of the vision for the Capitol Hill light rail station's retail and housing development. And it should also be a creative and fun Saturday afternoon.

Capitol Hill Design Charrette
Saturday, September 12th, 1-5pm
Seattle University community room at Marion and 12th
Please RSVP

The Pike/Pine Conservation District was designed to preserve character. Hopefully the developer and architects behind the first development project to go through the city's Early Design Guidance process with the new zoning in place have preserved enough character to make it through the process.

The result of Wednesday night's EDG meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the old Sun Electric building at 11th and Pine? Another EDG meeting -- date TBD but at least we know the next one will probably be closer to the Hill.

Following a presentation of the project by Clayton Smith of architectural firm GGLO, Wednesday night's discussion of the Capitol Hill Design Board pivoted around these two issues:

• How to allow the developer to build high enough to preserve two floors of commercial space and leave more of the current character of the building intact?
• What are the developer's strategies to achieve better integration of the preserved building and the new structure

The presence of the new conservation zoning in the...

(Photo: Lucas Anderson/Neighborlogs.com)

Wednesday night's early design guidance meeting for the redevelopment of the Sun Electric building at 11th and Pine will be the first public test of the developer's plans and the new environment for development in the area created by the Pike/Pine Conservation District.

If it happens. A rumor making the rounds says Wednesday night's meeting may be postponed. We're digging into it, of course. In the meantime, here is what is at stake.

UPDATE: Rumor dismissed. Lisa Rutzick of the city's Department of Planning and Development says the meeting is on and the rumor is false.

Project: 1530 11th Ave   map

Design Proposal available (6.00 MB)

Review Meeting:	6:30 PM
	Seattle Vocational Institute map
	2120 S Jackson St
	102/103
Review Phase:	EDG--Early Design Guidance past reviews
Project Number:	3010451 permit status | notice
Planner:	Lisa Rutzick

Here is recent CHS coverage of the project:

• Document reveals developer's plans to reshape 11th at Pine
• Driver of new Pike/Pine development zone weighs in on project that will put rules to test
• Zoning changes to preserve Pike/Pine, open up First Hill development move forward
• Liz Dunn commentary on the project's review process:

I think it’s imperative that as  many folks turn up as possible for this.  I have heard that the owner intends to keep the existing structure and build on top, to get the density bonus.   This is great only IF this is done in an architecturally appropriate way.   I think we need to be very careful and very vocal about this, based on other examples we have seen.

Finally, here's the part of the municipal code that defines the early design guidance process and purpose. We'll see what concerns get 'identified' tonight.

A. A preapplication conference is required for all projects subject to design review, unless waived by the Director, as described at Section 23.76.008.

B. Early Design Guidance Public Meeting.

1. Following a preapplication conference, and site visits by Design Review Board members assigned to review a proposed project, an early design guidance public meeting with the Design Review Board shall be held.

2. The purpose of the early design guidance public meeting shall be to identify concerns about the site and the proposed project, review the design guidelines applicable to the site, determine neighborhood priorities among the design guidelines, and explore design concepts and/or options.

3. At the early design guidance public meeting, the project proponents shall present the following information:

a. An initial site analysis addressing site opportunities and constraints, the use of all adjacent buildings, and the zoning of the site and adjacent properties; and

b. A drawing of existing site conditions, indicating topography of the site and the location of structures and prominent landscape elements on or abutting the site (including but not limited to all trees six (6) inches or greater in diameter measured four and one half (4 1/2) feet above the ground, with species indicated); and

c. Photos showing the facades of adjacent development, trees on the site, general streetscape character and territorial or other views from the site, if any; and

d. A zoning envelope study which includes a perspective drawing; and

e. A description of the proponent's objectives with regard to site development.

4. The proponent is encouraged, but not required, to bring one (1) or more development concepts or alternatives to indicate possible design options for the site.

C. Guidelines Priorities.

1. Based on the concerns expressed at the early design guidance public meeting or in writing to the Design Review Board, the Board shall identify any guidelines that may not be applicable to the site and identify those guidelines of highest priority to the neighborhood. The Board shall incorporate any community consensus regarding design, expressed at the meeting into its guideline priorities, to the extent the consensus is consistent with the design guidelines and reasonable in light of the facts of the proposed development.

2. The Director shall distribute a copy of the guideline priorities applicable to the development to all those who attended the early design guidance public meeting, to those who sent in comments or otherwise requested notification, and to the project proponent.

3. The project proponent is encouraged to meet with the Board and the public for early resolution of design issues, and may hold additional optional meetings with the public or the Board. The Director may require the proponent to meet with the Board if the Director believes that such a meeting may help to resolve design issues.

There is one important thing we haven't been able to post about in regards to the mixed-use project being planned for the old Sun Electric building at the corner of Pine and 11th Ave.

No, not talking about No Guilt Boy.

Talking about the actual design proposal that will be discussed, debated and dissected at next week's design guidance meeting. Up to now, the PDF of developer Pryde + Johnson early design proposal hasn't been available. But after pestering the Department of Planning and Development for a week, they posted the document this afternoon. Here is a look at the four design proposals on the board.

You can review the entire document attached to this post. Three of the four designs include preserving "the character structure" while only Plan B (on the left) calls for the old brick factory building to be completely torn down. You'll also note that the three preservation plans take advantage of the new zoning rules that will allow for a taller structure.

 Plan A
96 units (+1-) on 6 levels over 1 level of commercial space.
36 (+/-) structured parking spaces on 1 underground level.

• -Preserves character structure.
• -New construction to maximum height of 75 feet allowed by new Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District.
• -Residential entry on 11th Avenue.
• -Parking access from 11th Avenue (not desirable for pedestrian traffic).
• -Private courtyard at Level 2, oriented to South interior lot line.
• -No setbacks, reinforces street edge and corner of 11th & E Pine.
• -Maximizes views to park.

Plan B
75 units (+/-) on 5 levels over 1 level of commercial space
36 (+1-) structured parking spaces on 1 underground level .

• -Character structure to be demolished.
• -New construction to maximum height of 69 feet with Directors approval.
• -Resldential entry on 11th Avenue.
• -Parking access from 11th Avenue (not desirable for pedestrian traffic).
• -Private courtyard at Level 2, oriented to park .
• -One story commercial at corner.
• -Over half of the units face the private alley or interior lot line (resulting in compromised Views).

Plan C (PREFERRED)
96 units (+/-) on 6 levels over 1 level of commercial space
4 structured parking spaces at street level.
1 level of underground workspace in existing basement available for arts / cultural uses.

• -Preferred option.
• -Preserves character structure.
• -New construction to maximum height of 75 feet allowed by new Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District.
• -Residential entry on 11th Avenue.
• -Parking/service access from private alley at rear (optimizes pedestrian environment).
• -Private courtyard at Level 2 adjacent to alley (optimizes residential views and daylight)
• -Massing holds street edge on both frontages (opportunity for comer emphasis)

Plan D
-74 units (+/-) on 6 levels over 1 level of commercial space
-4 structured parking spaces at street level.
-1 level of underground workspace in existing basement available for arts I cultural uses.

• -Preserves character structure.
• - New construction to maximum height of 75 feet allowed by new Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District.
• -Residential entry on 11thAvenue.
• -Parking/service access from private alley at rear (optimizes pedestrian environment).
• -Private courtyard at Level 2 adjacent to alley (diminished in size) .
• -Private terraces on Level 3 along frontages.
• -Massing of new structure separated visually from existing facade

Here's a diagram from the document that will give you some sense of what preservation will entail. In short, the plan is for a façade.

The plan also calls for sustainable development strategies outlined here:

The city's design review process has many weak points. But it adds insult to injury when important reviews like next week's early design guidance meeting for the redevelopment of 11th at Pine are held far from the neighborhood.

With the help of City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, we got the scoop from Department of Planning & Development's director Diane Sugimura on why the DPD always seems to schedule the Hill's most important design sessions so far from the neighborhood. To make a long story short, the 11th at Pine meeting on the 19th will still be held at the Seattle Vocational Institute on S. Jackson. But here is Sugimura's explanation of why we'll be making a field trip to the Central District next Wednesday and some good news from her about future meetings:

This is an issue we have worked hard to deal with.  Some suggest we always have the meeting in the same place for consistency and in order to have the appropriate acoustics, size, accessibility, availability, etc.  On the other hand, people suggest we have the meeting as close to the development site as possible.  This is the situation for this particular meeting.

 

o  The SVI location was the only venue available in District #7 to DPD for that meeting time.

 

o  We have several meeting locations that we have used in the past for DR Board #7, including, Central Seattle CC, Miller Community Center, Montlake Community Center, and SVI.  We still use these when appropriate and when available.

 

o  Each venue has its pluses and minuses ... like CSCC has tight parking, usually the room is upstairs and down long corridors, and in the summer is not always available; the community centers have limited openings and are sometimes too small or noisy.  SVI has ample parking and a good large quiet room on the main floor and the site is easily accessed off 23rd and Jackson.  When we were experiencing high volumes of project reviews, there would be two projects per evening, sometimes at opposite ends of the District, so a central location was desirable.

 

o  The DR Staff like to book a meeting venue for the DR board area for a whole year in advance.  We have had difficulty with securing some Community Centers for a year in advance.

 

o  DPD Design Review staff have recently secured use of the new Seattle University Alumni Center building which is located at street level on the corner of 12th and East Marion, with convenient parking across 12th in SU's surface parking.  This location is very central to the whole Board #7 DR area, and we plan to start booking most of our DR projects to that venue in the near future.  We have booked it for the year, but will still be able to make adjustments during the year.

Sounds like DPD should get behind a push for creation of a community meeting space in Capitol Hill's core.

In other things 11th/Pine, neighborhood activist Dennis Saxman has been active in CHS comments as he prepares for next week's review. We'll dig into his thoughts on the project and do what we can to get the plan posted in another update. But take a look at Saxman's latest note for one view into what developer Pryde + Johnson will present next week.

It is unclear exactly how the project to transform the old Sunset Electric building at 11th and Pine will play out. Will the development be the first inspired toward greater preservation by the newly installed Pike/Pine Conservation District or will it be one of the last in the area to use permits filed long before the new legislation was put into place? Or, worse, will it represent preservation in name only and reveal the conservation district zoning as 'toothless' as its critics contend it is? Here's neighborhood activist Dennis Saxman's thoughts on that from last fall as the new rules were being discussed. (It was Saxman's research, by the way, that provided the explanation for what the letters on the building stand for.)

The Early Design Guidance meeting with the Capitol Hill Design Review Board is slated for August 19th but in the meantime, CHS will bring you more information about the project -- including the proper design proposal document that DPD says they are working to get in place after accidentally posting the wrong one when the meeting announcement first went up -- and more voices from the community. You've already read thoughts from Capitol Hill developer Lizz Dunn.

We asked Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, the driver behind the new conservation district legislation, for his thoughts on the Sunset Electric building project:

I know the building well and I had heard that it was going to be demolished, which I do not want to happen.  Here is what I know:

According to DPD the lot does have an active application since 2005 that includes demolition of the building.  Now, the developer is proposing to gain ten feet in additional height in return for saving the existing character structure on the site. The fact that the owner is now proposing to save the building implies that the new height incentive under the Pike/Pine Conservation District legislation recently passed has made a difference.

Whether the project will just save a small portion of the facade as decoration-only, which some people decry, is difficult to know at this point because the project is in the early stages of design review and plans are not yet available.  However, to qualify for the height incentive, the Code requires that the new structure be set back at least 15 feet from the street-facing facades of the existing building.

The set-back should help address the concerns I read about in some of the comments you received.    A waiver from the 15 foot requirement is possible, though, if the design provides that the existing building still gives the appearance of a free-standing structure, or does a better job of integrating the old and new structures.  These code provisions that address setbacks and design should make it more difficult to just patch on portions of the old building as decoration.

I hope this answers your questions.  I  would love to see as much of the building saved and reused as possible.

It appears that the new Pike/Pine Conservation District regulations are influencing this project and may prevent the demolition of the building.  But, as I said they are at the early stages at this point in designing the project.

EDG--Early Design Guidance--
Project: 1530 11th Ave
Date: August 19th, 2009
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 S. Jackson St. Rm 102/103 [map]

Well that was fast. It was only a little over a week ago when we found out about this project (previous coverage here) and its already up for Design Review on August 19th. Just to recap the new building will be a 6-story residence with 84 apartments and "artist lofts" (What makes them specifically for artists will certainly be a question at the Review) And of course ground floor retail. Two interesting things about the project: the original facade will remain and their will only be 4 parking spaces.

This will be an Early Design Guidance meeting, which means that its your best chance to give your opinion and influence the project. While I'm excited to see what the developers, Pryde + Johnson, will do with it, I also think its important that the community keeps a close eye on the process. The location and history of this project mean it will undoubtedly be one of the most high profile projects on the Hill and will play a big part in defining Pike/Pine's future character. It also comes in the wake of the City Council'...

According to the DJC, the Ballard-based developer Pryde + Johnson has filed plans to redevelop the old Precision Auto Building at the corner of 11th and Pine st. The proposal calls for a 6-story building with 84 apartments, artist lofts, and ground-floor retail. The facade of the original building will remain intact (think Packard Building).

P+J prides itself on thoughtful urban renewal. According to their website their projects implement, "building practices that protect and care for the environment, support a healthy lifestyle, bring out the beauty in nature, strengthen community ties and provide for the needs of generations to come." They recently received media attention for The Ashwood Cottages up in Green Lake, the first LEED platinum project in Washington State. The cottages, finished in 2007, have since gone into foreclosure due to the Great Recession. They also recently finished Hjarta in Ballard, a LEED silver condominium project with resident P-Patches on the roof. P+J will be working with GGLO to design the new building although it is unclear what LEED level, if any, they will be designing towards. Pryde + Johnson declined to comment at this time.

According to King County Records, the original building was constructed in 1926 as an Auto Paint Shop and Garage. The building is a quintessential illustration of Pike/Pine Auto Row history but it is unique in having a very early style of skylights on its roof. Interestingly the building is not included in the city's historical survey.

In the 1990s, the building was home to a second hand sporting goods store which took advantage of its proximity to of the original REI location across the street where Value Village is today. When REI moved off the Hill, so did the sporting good store and the building at 11th and Pine has been empty since.

Keith Harris of the People's Parking Lot group had been looking into the status of the property as a possible location for community use. He pointed out the building's interesting skylights that are visible on online map services.

Aerial view of the property from Bing

Runberg Architects has released images of the design for the new 105-unit apartment complex planned for the triangle at Union and Madison (see my previous post about the project here). The project across the street from the Ferrari dealership and the current home of Buzz Stop Espresso, a paint store and the Undrearm Apartments, among others, is slated to break ground next summer, the Daily Journal of Commerce reports. At this time DPD has not schedule the next Design Review meeting for the project.

View Larger Map

Perhaps a logical response to the Reddit photo we shared last night:

k_hack: http://twitpic.com/9p190 - Only on Capitol Hill... I love this neighborhood! Anti-gentrification graffiti with a twist

Graffiti only makes people want to kick your juvenile, gay asses out of the neighborhood more.

The project slated for 1222 E. Madison -- the current home of Precision Tune -- is up for its second design review tonight after the board rejected initial plans for the mixed-used development last month:

In the end, a divided board did not grant its recommendation despite saying much in praise of the project. But concerns over the 13th/Madison corner compelled the board to request the developers address that aspect of the design and present an update at a future public hearing. Specifically, the board didn’t like the concave entry and asked the developer to look at more asymmetrical and different shapes.

CHS contributor Josh Mahar had this to say about the project's initial design:

The architects are Bellevue-based Baylis Architects. I can't say it's a standout project but it seems nice. Earlier I was worried that keeping the parking within the structure would inevitably make it ugly, but they massed the garage in the back of the building so it's hidden from the street. Also, the limited parking will hopefully keep these units affordable (they claim in the proposal that this will be workforce housing). Due to earlier feedback they also shrunk the retail spaces, allowing for between four and six different spots. Check out the full proposal here [3.45mb].

The board will decide if the new design passes muster tonight at 6:30 PM at the Montlake Library.

The Seattle City Council approved legislation this afternoon creating a Pike/Pine Conservation District designed to preserve the neighborhood's historical character. CHS detailed the latest discussions surrounding the legislation when it was approved by the Council's land use committee last week.

In comments before the vote, councilmember Sally Clark said of the Pike/Pine 'character:' "We like it because it makes us feel a little bit warm and fuzzy but there's something about the buildings that lend themselves to the types of businesses [we] want to see in the area."

Meanwhile, a related bill that will enable the Polyclinic to develop a parcel of land it owns on First Hill into a new facility also passed the Council today. The legislation allows medicual uses of large developments within the city's 'highrise' zones. The Polyclinic is now able to build a new facility on First Hill to replace their aging structure on Broadway near Union. The Polyclinic had been considering building the facility on a lot they...

The empty lot that made a temporary home for the 2009 Capitol Hill Garage Sale hosted another event last night but this one was more secret and featured a lot more boogeying. People's Parking Lot reports a 'guerrilla dance party' broke out in the lot on Pine at Belmont last night around midnight. The Stranger's Christopher Frizzelle was there:

The kicked up dust: New Depression-era fog machine. The cops standing outside of their vehicles, their blues and reds flashing: government-provided scenery. The music: Rhianna's "Please Don't Stop the Music," Destiny's Child's "No, No, No," Dolly Parton's "9 to 5"... Which begged the question: where the fuck was the Michael Jackson? Made my way to the DJ—hats off to the DJ for sticking his neck out like that and for getting all his gear set up out there—to request some Michael Jackson, and the DJ replied, "No, sorry, this is the last song." And then the cops were upon us.

The PPL post also gathers some choice Tweets about the event by a none-too-happy...

When I hustled down to the South Lake Union Armory Monday evening, I wasn't expecting much from the Neighborhood Plan Status Update Open House. After ten years of the City largely ignoring the neighborhood plans and with a mayor that sides with developers over residents ten times out of ten, it's hard to have high hopes about the Neighborhood Plan Update process.

See 9 strategies to drive what comes next on Capitol Hill for details on the status reports and to download PDFs

Things didn't start out terribly well. The PowerPoint presentation the DPD put together as an introduction felt condescending ("...so we're asking you, the experts") in its tone and content. I suppose the City couldn't get out of doing an extensive re-introduction of the history and process of the Neighborhood Plans. But they could have done it in such a manner that acknowledged that all the people in the room that night had the experience of savvy neighborhood activists. If someone knew enough about the plans to show up to that meeting, they really are experts.

Once we split up into neighborhood groups (Cap Hill, Pike/Pine - why separate?, First Hill, Eastlake - why are they grouped with us? where's the Central District?, and Queen Anne), the tone and the content of the meeting improved significantly. At the Cap Hill table there was representation from the Capitol Hill Community Council, Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan Stewardship Council, and the Polish Home Association, along with a few residents who were just interested in the process. The Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) members assigned to our table did a fine job of guiding discussing and eliciting opinions, and I think they got a pretty good picture of what has changed in the neighborhood since the plans were made and what needs to be accomplished in the Status Report Updates. Topics of discussion:  

+ Key Strategies of the old Neighborhood Plan 
   - Completed:
      ~ lidding of Lincoln Reservoir (aka the creation of Cal Anderson Park)
      ~ creation of a light rail station on Broadway (in process) 
      ~ creation of a cultural/business hub at North Broadway (sort of happened by itself)
   - Not Completed:
      ~ efforts to further define Cap Hill's 3 commercial corridors (Olive Way, 15th, Broadway, hey what about 12th?)
      ~ put something in place that would help preserve neighborhood character (PPUNC is trying at Pike/Pine)
      ~ increase neighborhood housing diversity and affordability (CHHIP is doing what it can, it needs more help) 
      ~ leverage investments in Seattle Central Community College (???)
      ~ assure adequate parking for visitors on Broadway

+ The City is too focused on automobiles - the Neighborhood Plan should pay more attention to pedestrian and bike traffic as well as public transit. Parking can't be ignored, but the fact that you can only fit so many cars on the Hill has to be acknowledged.  

+ The best thing the City can do is ensure that the goals of the present Neighborhood Plan are actualized. Very few of the concerns and hopes of the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Plan were ever addressed by the city.  

+ East Capitol Hill (Broadway to 23rd) has very different needs than West Capitol Hill (Broadway to I5), and strategies that work well for one side of the Hill may be useless to the other.  

+ Capitol Hill residents love their green space, and according to the City's own documents, they need more of it.

So what happens next? There are more meetings to come (time and place TBA) and a lot of organizing to do if our neighborhood voice is to be heard. The Chamber of Commerce and the Capitol Hill Stewardship Council are committed to being involved in the Update process. From what I hear of the Cap Hill Community Council candidates, CHCC will be on that bandwagon as well once their elections are over. Stay tuned to CHS for more updates on the Updates.

A tandem of legislation approved this morning by the Seattle City Council's planning, land use and neighborhoods committee will pave the way for progress in establishing an effective preservation zone for Capitol Hill's Pike/Pine neighborhood and defuse a development situation that had been threatening to disrupt the new zoning. It could also open up opportunities to put an empty lot at south end of Broadway to use as a public space connecting Capitol and First Hills. The bills now go to the full council for a vote on Monday, June 29.

The committee is chaired by Sally Clark and includes Councilmembers Tom Rasmussen and Tim Burgess.

The first piece of legislation is the Pike/Pine overlay zoning rules (council bill info) designed to preserve and encourage Pike/Pine's historical character by creating both restrictions and incentives for developers to incorporate some of the neighborhood's unique old buildings into their redevelopment plans. Its ammendments continue to refine the new zoning rules but its main thrusts remain intact:

• Promoting mixed-use development
• Keeping new development compatible and in the scale of the neighborhood
• Encouraging small, diverse local businesses 
• Saving older buildings of character 
• Retaining and attracting arts and cultural uses.

First Hill's First Baptist Church

The second piece of legislation approved by the committee this morning will likely have the most immediate impact by breaking a logjam that pitted the needs of a major area employer against the desires to extend the preservation overlay to buildings on the south edge of Pike/Pine.

Last year, in desperate need of space to build a new clinic in the area, The Polyclinic purchased land and an old building at the corner of Broadway and Union. That lot is currently home to the Complete Automotive Building. "We purchased that spot to preserve our options," Polyclinic spokesperson Tracy Corgiat told CHS in May. "We need to grow. We've outgrown our current building."

But the Polyclinic's plans to tear down the building and build a new facility on the lot would be foiled if the new Pike/Pine overlay rules aren't amended to allow larger commercial developments in the area where the lot is located.

Lloyd David, the Polyclinic’s executive director, had asked that the Council exclude the Complete Automotive parcel at 1158 Broadway from any zoning changes because the clinic’s plans were based on previous – rather current – zoning.

But the Polyclinic has another option for expansion. In May, Corgiat said the Polyclinic's first choice for a relocated facility is at property the clinic owns adjacent to the Seattle First Baptist Church at Seneca and Boylston (labeled "" in the map on this post).

The First Hill Highrise Zones legislation (council bill info) would permit construction of large medical services developments in zones like the First Hill area the Polyclinic owns. With the new First Hill legislation, Corgiat says the Polyclinic is hopeful it will be able to put plans it has been working on for years to use developing a new facility on First Hill. "We're really pleased because it impacts our ability to potentially develop that site," Corgiat told CHS on Tuesday. "It's been a nice change of pace."

The odd-shaped lot is home to strange weeds, broken bottles

One additional byproduct of the new zoning rules is the potential reclaiming of the sad, long-empty lot near Broadway and Madison and the potential development of a new pedestrian and retail area near Seattle University.

Betsy Hunter of Capitol Hill Housing is hopeful that the empty lot near Broadway and Madison will now be put to use.

"That strange shaped lot could be landscaped with a staircase to bring pedestrians up to First Hill," Hunter said. "A plaza could be created across from Seattle University with a pedestrian area to walk though a landscaped courtyard before entering the new building with parking for the church and the Polyclinic, retail, offices and housing. All of it could happen with partnerships and the rezone," Hunter said.

The 1111 E. Pike mixed-use project, we're told, is on track for its planned late July opening. With the economy continuing to sputter along, it and the two big housing developments being built on Broadway might be the last projects we see completed on Capitol Hill for a long time. Many projects simply won't be started. But others will remain stuck -- empty lots, holes in the ground. Earlier this month, Puget Sound Business Journal documented a city list of development projects around Seattle that were stalled by the harsh economic environment. Here are the Capitol Hill area projects in economic limbo:

2311 E JOHN ST
Permit issued: 28-Apr-08
Permit expires: 10-Nov-10
Estimated value: $4,187,000
Description: Establish use and construct a triplex townhouse with attached garages and occupy per plans
Owner/Contractor: ROBERT AND PAM BOUSTEAD/TIGERCAT CONSTRUCTION

2617 BOYLSTON AVE E
Permit issued: 11-Jul-07
Permit expires: 11-Jul-10
Estimated value: $333,607
Description: Establish use for townhouses and construct new 2-unit townhouse structure (west building) with attached garages per plan
2615 BOYLSTON AVE E
Permit issued: 11-Jul-07
Permit expires: 11-Jul-10
Estimated value: $448,708
Description: Establish use for townhouses and construct new 2-unit townhouse structure (east building) per plan.
Owner/Contractor: Mark Gordon/Metrocorp LLC

510 FEDERAL AVE E
Permit issued: 17-Dec-08
Permit expires: 17-June-09
Estimated value: $326,792
Description: Establish use as (2) 3-unit townhouses, construct (2) 3-unit towhhouse buildings w/common underground shared parking garage per plans. NW triplex
Owner/Contractor: ED GALLAUDET, GREAT NORTHERN LAND CO LLC

515 HARVARD AVE E
Permit issued: N/A
Permit expires: N/A
Estimated value: $712,000
Description: N/A
521 HARVARD AVE E
Permit issued: Oct-99
Permit expires: Canceled
Estimated value: $712,000
Description: Construct apartment building with underground parking
Owner: Boyd Pickrell

A construction overhaul stuck in limbo

These are only the largest projects. Elsewhere on the Hill, there are homes and rehabs also stuck in mid construction and renovation like this cool old house on Aloha. We'd like to compile a list of limbo projects here on CHS. Leave a comment or send in a note about other construction efforts in your neighborhood that are stuck and we'll see what we can find out.

Download PDF

The advisory committee and the Seattle Planning Commission (those evil plan hatchers) are holding a 'workshop' Monday night to start a process of outreach and feedback to help shape updates of Capitol Hill's neighborhood plans around nine strategies:

1. Create a culture and business 'hub' on the north end of Broadway
2. Leverage student housing to create a more vibrant environment on Broadway near Seattle Central
3. Establish three main business corridors: Broadway, Olive Way and 15th Ave
4. Increase housing options while maintaining affordability and character
5. Assure affordable parking on Broadway
6. Preserve affordable and market-rate housing in Pike/Pine
7. Create Pike/Pine design guidelines to preserve character
8. Develop west area of Pike/Pine to strengthen connection to downtown
9. Encourage development of mixed-used buildings and pedestrian friendly environments in Pike/Pine east of Broadway

More details on these strategies below.

Capitol Hill's neighborhood friends in Monday's status check meeting are Queen Anne, Belltown, Eastlake, and First Hill. Pike/Pine also gets its own plan, by the way.

Neighborhood Status Report Updates, Monday June 22nd
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Neighborhood_Planning/StatusReports/
For Queen Anne, Belltown, Eastlake, Capitol Hill, First Hill, Pike/Pine
6-8 p.m.
South Lake Union Armory 860 Terry Ave N.

Please join members of the Seattle Planning Commission and the Neighborhood Planning Advisory Committee in the first of a series of two important community meetings.

These two citizen groups want to hear your thoughts. Come and tell us how your neighborhood has changed since your neighborhood plan was adopted. Your comments and input at this meeting will help the City of Seattle complete a status report that will look at how well your neighborhood plan is achieving its goals and strategies.

This first series of meetings will provide an opportunity to learn about your neighborhood plan, the projects that have been implemented, and growth and changes that have occurred since the plan was written in the late 90's. We will explore issues such as growth, transportation, housing, economic development, basic utilities, neighborhood character, open space and parks, public services, public safety, and other issues.

The second meeting series, tentatively scheduled for October, will be an opportunity to review the status report.

You can review Capitol Hill's existing neighborhood plan -- a decade old now -- to see what these efforts are all about. The old plan's key elements:

• Fund & Construct Cal Anderson Park
• Complete a Broadway Economic Redevelopment & Rezone Analysis
• Upgrade Streetscapes to Create Safe, Attractive Pedestrian Connections
• Pedestrian Lighting and 15th Ave Improvements
• Improve & Manage Parking
• Provide Support & Options for Homeless and Street Youth

Many of the things you experience on today's Capitol Hill developed within this framework. And, of course, a lot was developed outside of the framework, also.

For a look at what comes next, here are the draft status reports for Capitol Hill and Pike/Pine:

• Capitol Hill neighborhood plan status report
• Pike/Pine neighborhood plan status report

From the Capitol Hill report, here is what are currently considered the draft 'Vision' and 'Key Strategies' for the neighborhood's future development:

Capitol Hill Key Strategies

A. North Anchor District Plan – builds on the historic context and cultural assets of the north end of Broadway to create a culturalbusiness hub.

B. South Anchor District Plan – leverages the investments in Seattle Central Community College, the lidding of Lincoln Reservoir, and the Link station to create more vibrant commercial and residential development in the Broadway area from E John St. to Pine Street.

C. Commercial Corridor Plans – defines actions to support each of Capitol Hill’s three Commercial Corridors —Broadway, 15th Avenue E and E Olive Way.

D. Residential District Plans – works to increase housing diversity and affordability, and maintain the neighborhood’s character.

E. Parking Management Plan – seeks to assure adequate, competitively priced parking for shoppers and visitors in order to keep the special small businesses that make the Broadway and the North Anchor District unique.

If you are wondering what kinds of input a citizen might provide at Monday night's meeting, voicing your opinion on the need -- or lack of need -- for an emphasis on parking is the kind of stuff it's time to start talking about.

Here are Pike/Pine's Key Strategies:

Pike/Pine Key Strategies

A. Preserve and Encourage Affordable and Market-Rate Housing–in order to strengthen the neighborhood’s existing mixed-use character and identity.

B. Sustain the Character of the Pike/Pine Neighborhood–by development of Design Guidelines to preserve ‘character’ buildings and implementation of urban design improvements that enhance the pedestrian environment.

C. Strengthen the West End Entry–as entry points into a diverse neighborhood with unique opportunities for shopping, recreation and entertainment by enhancing connections between Pike/Pine and Downtown.

D. Strengthen the Neighborhood Core East of Broadway–by consolidating the area bounded by Broadway, 12th Avenue East, East Pine Street and Madison as a cohesive core of mixed-use buildings and pedestrian friendly streets.

D. sounds good to CHS. Las Ramblas of Capitol Hill, anyone?

Both status reports also have some nice graphic presentations of 2000 census data and more current estimates for demographics, housing and economic trends on the Hill and maps to outline the exact geographic reaches for each plan.

Capitol Hill stats. Example of some of the datasets available in the reports.

Meanwhile, the planners are also making available rosters of work items that have been implemented -- or need to be implemented -- in each plan area. We've reposted them as Google Spreadsheets to make them easier for everybody to examine.

• Capitol Hill implementation matrix
• Pike/Pine implementation matrix

Our favorite item in the matrices is this, the highest priority in the Capitol Hill list:

People Center:  Develop a permanent facility to serve as a community gathering place for residents and human development organizations to meet, connect, and support the neighborliness of the community. Secure convenient, transit-accessible physical space (5,000-20,000 sq. ft) in the North Anchor and/or South Anchor Districts. Locate meeting space and offices for the Human Development Council and its staff at the People Center. Serve diverse needs and interest groups including gays, lesbians, handicapped people, seniors, widows, and widowers. Include:

-Referral Center:  Work with the Neighborhood Service Center, the existing neighborhood referral agencies and the Crisis Line to improve information and referral services in the neighborhood. Create and maintain an inventory of human development services and activities. Provide information about transportation, health and social services, entertainment and community and interest group activities. Maintain a listing of local meeting rooms available for no or low cost for use by groups providing community services and activities.

-Volunteer Coordination:  Develop and coordinate a network of volunteers to serve as street ambassadors, listening posts, or referral resources to facilitate outreach and engagement for those in need.

-Facilities:  Provide support for community connectedness activities with facilities for meetings, informal socializing, programmed activities, support groups, drop-in assistance and Internet access.

-Location:  Consider locating the People Center at such locations as the Pilgrim Church or at the Oddfellows Hall. Consider developing the People Center as part of a broader community center or co-locating with the Neighborhood Service Center.

Awesome! Somebody heard the CHS call and responded to our well-reasoned argument for the development of a community space in the heart of Capitol Hill! The process really works! Oops. One problem. That priority item was written in 1999. Oh well. Something else to talk about Monday night.