City Council transportation chair Jan Drago

The First Hill-Capitol Hill streetcar is, yes, on track to begin service in late 2013 after the City Council transportation committee today passed a bill approving a memorandum of agreement between Sound Transit and the City of Seattle to pay for, plan and manage the streetcar line. The project is designed to connect Union Station to the Capitol Hill light rail station providing service to First Hill’s health-care workers and neighborhood residents when it is completed in 2016.

The bill approved by the committee today also puts the City Council in the streetcar driver’s seat calling for the government branch to define the line’s route and own the ongoing funding process to manage any costs overruns or renegotiation with Sound Transit. The agreement also calls for the Sound Transit Board to have approval as the design plans take shape.

Sound Transit is funding the city project in lieu of a First Hill-area station that could not be built as part of the light rail line. The bill approving the agreement now moves on to the full council. That vote may take place as soon as this Monday.

The agreement calls for Sound Transit to provide $120 million to fund construction of the line which the city will manage. Any construction overruns will be the responsibility of the city. Sound Transit will also provide $5.2 million annually for the city to operate the line starting in 2016. If the line starts running in 2013 as planned, the agreement calls for ST to annualize the funds it has set aside for operation over the longer period and pay out a smaller amount each year. City transportation planner Ethan Melone said that the city believes it can operate the line on the reduced budget and still meet Sound Transit’s service requirement.

We’ve included screengrabs of two of Melone’s slides from the committee meeting (sorry for the low quality). Melone described a process that begins with the City Council reviewing potential routes for everything from environmental, to community, to budgetary impacts over the next year with construction potentially beginning as early as 2011.

During the public comment period, Jim Erickson of the First Hill Improvement Association voiced his support for the plan. “Payback for this investment will begin on day one of its operation,” Erickson said. Kate Stineback of Capitol Hill Housing also spoke in support of the plan and the community process that will also shape the streetcar’s route. “The communities that I work in are very excited about a fully funded streetcar,” Stineback said, adding that she also wants data to drive analysis of the various possible routes for the line.

Councilmember Nick Licata dared utter the t-word asking if the agreement allowed for Sound Transit’s funding to be redirected to electric trolleys if the streetcar line proved unfeasible before construction. The short answer: no. Sound Transit’s Board has specifically approved funds for a streetcar line. To re-direct the funds would require their approval, per the streetcar agreement. Given that the ST Board has positioned the First Hill streetcar as a voter mandated project, such a change isn’t likely unless environmental or cost factors for the streetcar line are so bad that nothing can be built with the budgeted funds.

One interesting datapoint came up regarding the Boren route that has strong support from some on First Hill. Melone said that, of the potential routes, the steepest grade is on Boren but that the city believes streetcars could handle the slope. “”The steepest part of the alignment would be going up Boren,” Melone said. “We measured the grade and determined it is within the streetcar’s technical capabilities.”

In other words, a steep hill isn’t going to make it easier to arrive at an agreement on the line’s route.

For more on the likely routes for the streetcar, see Streetcar alternative route maps released and Putting more First Hill in the First Hill-Capitol Hill streetcar

Additional notes:

• The determination of the line’s route will include opportunity’s for community review and feedback that the Council will oversee.
• The $120 million for construction is planned to also cover a $10 to $14 million streetcar ‘barn’ facility. Location of the maintenance facility will also be part of alignment discussions.
• If construction bids come in above $120 million, the Council will on the spot to decide on how — and if — the city covers the budget gap.
• Per the agreement, Sound Transit keeps all farebox revenue from the line. They also have the right to sell advertising on the cars.
• When the transportation committee last discussed the streetcar this spring, there was discussion of the possibility of extending the route farther north. Low costs on the main route line could be applied to extending the route past the light rail station at John at Broadway. Sound Transit estimated that an extension from John to Aloha would cost about $26 million. We’ll have to follow up to see if this opportunity is still being considered.
• There was also a provision discussed in spring that construction of the streetcar cannot impede construction of the light rail system. This would likely mean the initial streetcar line would run only from Union Station to the Pike/Pine area until the majority of the light rail construction is completed.
• If the streetcar route from Union Station to Capitol Hill does end up with the accelerated schedule, it will be an island route until it can be connected to the route planned for downtown to connect with the service in South Lake Union.
• Trains will run every 10 minutes at peak, 20 minutes off-peak, 20 hours a day except on Sundays when they’ll run a reduced 12-hour schedule

NWRBC ’09
Originally uploaded by Lay-Luh

And he’s not even from Seattle. Billy Wilson runs his own shop in Portland. Sunday, Wilson became a three-time winner of the Northwest Regional Barista Competition at this weekend’s Coffee Fest tradeshow in Seattle.

Thanks to flickr user Lay-Luh for her picture of the top three finishers:
1st: Billy Wilson, BARISTA (right)
2nd: Andrew Milstead, Urban Coffee Lounge (middle)
3rd: Laila Ghambari, Urban Coffee Lounge (left)

Wilson was also NW champion in 2007 and 2008 and, as you can see in this picture from a big win down in Vegas in 2005, is used to getting large checks for his creations at latte competitions. Way to go, Billy. He’ll now automatically advance to the national semifinals at the 2010 United States Barista Championship held in Anaheim in April.

Meanwhile, the list of finalists included baristi from Portland and Kirkland — but nobody from Cap Hill made this year’s finals.

CDNews reported recently that the funding and plans for a streetcar running between First Hill and Capitol Hill were about to snap into place. Tuesday morning, the City Council’s transportation committee will possibly help get things snapping with bill #116636:

C.B. 116636
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE
Implementation of the First Hill Streetcar Connector Project:  This proposed legislation authorizes an agreement with the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority for implementation of the First Hill Streetcar Connector Project.

In much of our coverage of the streetcar route, CHS has reported on the line as the ‘Capitol Hill streetcar’ or ‘Capitol Hill/First Hill streetcar.’ Nobody can deny that the possible routes for the line will run between First and Capitol hills. But our Capitol Hill focus reduces First Hill’s role in all of this. And, worse, sometimes, we’ve focused only on the Capitol Hill opportunities.’ In reality, the route needs to benefit the people that live and work in both neighborhoods. CHS asked First Hill advocate Michael Gray what he feels First Hill needs from the streetcar route the two neighborhoods will share. Here is his reply:

View Larger Map

I’m a current Board member and past president of the First Hill Improvement Association, and helped spearhead the efforts to get the streetcar once we lost the First Hill Light Rail Station. I needed to vent my frustrations after reading some of the comments dismissing the need for a streetcar for First Hill, and due to the fact there is a very organized effort to pull the streetcar to the east, in order to serve Capitol Hill businesses and residents.

Both the First Hill Community Council and First Hill Improvement Association have always supported an alignment headed up Broadway to Boren, from Boren eastbound to Broadway via Madison or Seneca, and then north on Broadway to John Street. That alignment runs along the geographic center of First Hill, and makes the streetcar line no more than 3 blocks away from all four major institutions on First Hill. The ‘Broadway – only’ alignment was a compromise we were willing to accept, but is not at all convenient for the 20.000 daily visitors and employees at Harborview and Virginia Mason.

Any alignment that includes 12th Avenue, including the “loop” option, renders the streetcar useless for most First Hill residents and workers. The travel times with the streetcar running one direction would mean travel to either Capitol Hill Station (counter-clockwise route) or International District Station (clock-wise route) would require a commuter to travel almost the entire length of the loop to reach their destination. It then would be faster to just walk to/from Downtown, if the person is physically fit and can traverse the hill climb required. But we’ve already got that option. The streetcar was intended to improve our options. As you well may know, most of our major arterials are clogged during peak hours, and bus travel is no better than walking in most cases.

Stay tuned. CHS will have details from Tuesday’s council committee session and what’s next for the, ahem, First Hill-Capitol Hill streetcar.

Tomorrow night the Capitol Hill Community Council’s Planning and Policy Committee will host a discussion with the developer, Point32. Point32 is a real estate company with some prominent projects lined up here on the hill; both the rehabilitation and addition of the historic Belroy Apartments and the Bullitt Foundation’s new headquarters on Madison will shift the urban fabric in their respective micro-hoods.

Bullitt Foundation director Denis Hayes, Miller Hull architect Craig Curtis, and Point32 CEO Chris Rogers will discuss the new Bullitt Foundation headquarters. The Bullitt Foundation, one of the largest enivronmental foundation’s in the country, has plans for a new headquarters at Madison and 15th, currently home to C.C. Attles (CDN coverage here). True to their mission, Bullitt wants a living building that sets a new standard in green architecture. They have also said that they hope to create a building that is “uniquely Northwest” in style. In addition to the Bullitt offices, the building will likely have retail and residential space.

View Bullitt Foundation HQ in a larger map

Chris Rogers and Weinstein A/U architect Lesley Bain will talk about the Belroy project. The 1931 Belroy Apartments (previous post here), at the corner of Bellevue and Roy, is set to be completely renovated, upgrading wiring and plumbing as well as adding thicker windows to mitigate the sounds of I-5. In addition Point32 plans to add two more 3-story buildings just to the North of the Bel Roy, which will house 60 additional units. They plan to respect the historic layout of the Belroy with open courtyards between the buildings. There is also talk of adding P-Patches to the currently overgrown hillside on the West side of the property.

View Bel Roy in a larger map

The Policy and Planning meeting will be at Seattle University’s new A&A Building at 12th and Marion. It is open to the public and is a great opportunity to learn about these ambitious projects that will undoubtedly shape our neighborhood.

CHCC Planning and Policy Point32 Presentation

Date:Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Time: 5:30 – 7:30pm

Place: SU A&A, 12th and Marion

If you would like to stay up-to-date on all planning and policy issues on Capitol Hill, send an email to [email protected].

It was an action packed weekend on Capitol Hill. CHS posted its coverage of the largest event Saturday as it happened — CHS Seattle AIDS Walk 2009 coverage.

For the rest, we’re turning coverage over to you. Here are the pictures, videos and observations from the crowd of this weekend on Capitol Hill.

The Decibel Fest’s annual outdoor appearance in Volunteer Park is always good for amazing images, not to mention the dancing fun in the sunshine.

concert in the park
Originally uploaded by zenobia_joy

Meanwhile, The Sunbreak shares this trippy little video sequence of a hawk soaring on the winds above Volunteer Park as Decibel boom boom booms below. More pictures from the crowd:

And a video that will only make you a little dizzy:

Saturday’s AIDS Walk also filled Volunteer Park with people. Organizers estimate around 2,500 marched this year to raise money in the fight against HIV and AIDS organized by Lifelong AIDS Alliance. Here is a video from the morning and a slideshow of images from the day:

Finally, Sunday’s activities included the Approve 71 Rally on Broadway. Busy weekend! Thanks for the pictures! If you have more to add, let us know in the comments.

Photo: Josh Castle

Pat Grimm is Owner/Broker of Windermere Real Estate/Capitol Hill located on 19th Ave E. His office is not currently representing and does not own property in the Brix building.

Last week, Seattle Real estate pundits were predicting that the Brix and Gallery auctions would yield prices that would be 30% off the original asking prices, but I wouldn’t  have bet on it. Patterns from previous auctions at The Press (-17%), Queen Anne High(-32%) and Lumen (-38%) and the sheer number of units being sold at one time … 80 plus … suggested to me that the discounts would be greater. Interestingly, the pundits were almost dead on.

The numbers are in and it looks like the Brix and Gallery average auction prices came in at 30.37% and 32.47% respectively off original prices. Did the winning bidders get a good deal? Well, I’d have to get out my crystal ball to answer that but that thing broke last year. In all seriousness, time and the marketplace will ultimately define the good deals. My gut is telling me that these buyers did well, but, more importantly, I believe that they got a really fair deal.  Each unit is different, but as an average, the final bid numbers seem to be commensurate with the adjustments we’ve seen in the marketplace and the risk that each buyer is assuming.

Let’s face it, condo ownership requires a certain amount of risk tolerance. Because of the fact that it’s communal living, it’s kind of like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates … you never know what you’re gonna get. This is arguably more true for the new buildings that are lying vacant in a stagnant market. But the risk can vary from unit to unit, from building to building, from micromarket to micromarket and from region to region. 

In my opinion, the single most important factor that is affecting the value of a condominium in our marketplace today is not the desirability of the lifestyle or the livability of the space … it is the stability of the building. (but more on that topic later)

The developer did what they had to do in auctioning off these units. In spite of what anyone may think of the process that is generated thru auctions … and now potentially bulk sales (see The Decatur at www.realogics.com) …it is the right strategy for all the stakeholders. The worst thing that can happen is to have a building with a bunch of vacant units that aren’t selling. Does this all translate into a good deal for the Buyers? Yes. The Buyers may have been able to negotiate hard on their own and gotten similar terms, but the volume of the other transactions all at the same time can’t help but lead to a more stable building and therefore makes it an even better value. Time will tell, but as long as they don’t try to spin these units right away, I think these Buyers will look back favorably on the deal they got.

Here are the results of the Brix Auction that happened earlier today at the Grand Hyatt.  I estimated the crowd size to be between 450 and 500 people.  Urbnlivn estimates that there were about 200 registered bidders, and the rest of the crowd were guests.  According to Zillow, the average sales price per square foot of a condo in the 98102 zipcode (where Brix is located) was $378 in July 09.  I have highlighted (in yellow) the units where the bidders were able to secure the condo for below this market valuation – click to enlarge the table.  Units (or Homes) are listed by the order they were sold at auction.

For an opinion on Sunday’s auction, check out patgrimm’s write-up.

A gunshot rang out on Capitol Hill tonight following an argument involving a man and a parking attendant in a lot at Harvard and E. Thomas. Report is of one shot fired into the air by a man driving a green 1993 Ford Explorer registered to an address in Kirkland. Officers found the unoccupied vehicle parked a short distance away. The suspect is described as a tall, heavyset Hispanic male wearing a baseball cap.

Glitch Mob Originally uploaded by DJ Saigon

Here’s a quick reminder of an opportunity to experience electronic music, dancing and some good times in Volunteer Park on a Sunday afternoon. And, like Jeanine told us about earlier this week, it’s free:

Outdoors dB in the Park
Volunteer Park // Sunday, 12pm – 6pm

No skullduggery required, this event is FREE! It was a real blast last year and great for people watching and daylight, carefree dancing.