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Hill biz notes | Nuun leaving Odd Fellows, ‘unique’ opportunity in old BMW garage

Work inside the Odd Fellows? (Image: Cannon)

  • Odd Fellows building tenant Nuun is looking for more storage for its “electrolyte enhanced drink tabs” business so it is on the hunt for a new office space with a warehouse component — and for somebody to replace it inside the building at 10th and Pine. Matt Herron of Cannon Commercial says Nuun has a lease though July 2012 but that they’re hoping to find “a great company that would be an asset to the community in the building” to take over the space. There’s 4,119 square feet to be played with but Heron said it could be divided into two. He was squirrelly about the rates — “dependent on what sort of improvements a new tenant would want done to the space” — but you can give him a call if your company is ready to come to the Hill.
  • We’ve also learned of an interesting opportunity that will be relatively short-lived but could be a cool space to play in. The BMW garage business on E Pine has left the building

    the rest of the old showroom space has already been reactivated by Golazo for its HQ/indoor sports arena — and its landlord is looking for a business to take over the space for what will likely be a temporary but unique opportunity. We say temporary because the BMW properties stretching between Pike and Pine are owned by developer Pryde Johnson and Peter Argeres of Yates, Wood & MacDonald tells CHS the newly opened E Pine space will likely only be available for about 18 months until an as of yet unannounced construction project gets under way. Argeres says he thinks the giant 12,000 square-foot space could be used for an indoors sports or workout business, art studios or some kind of crazy activities we haven’t even thought of yet. Those crazy activities just need to make $10k/month rent pencil out.
  • Finally, Capitol Hill’s Hunters Capital recently announced news on the tenants that have taken roost in its overhauled 12th Ave Ballou Wright project: Creature, Goose Networks, and Uncle Bob.

    (Image: Hunters Capital)

Seattle-based development and restoration firm, Hunters Capital, announced four more companies that have taken up residence in its most recent Capitol Hill restoration located at 1517 Twelfth Avenue. Creature, LLC; Goose Networks; Johan Liedgren and Branson Veal’s “Uncle Bob” occupy 18,527 square feet of the Ballou Wright Building’s 28,000 rentable square feet, bringing the historic property to 93 percent leased with one vacancy remaining and establishing the landmark as the community’s first all-media-exclusive office building.

“We are pleased to provide cost-effective office solutions for the community’s creative agencies and tech start-ups, while preserving the character of Seattle’s historic commercial and residential neighborhoods,” says Michael Malone, founder and principal of Hunters Capital LLC. “It’s the emotion and romance of the old buildings that is catching on with younger 30- and 40-somethings.”

Hunters’ leasing success in a challenging commercial real estate market is attributed in large to the company’s deep commitment to the communities it serves and is confirmed by its tenants and their employees, most who live, work and socialize in these same neighborhoods and appreciate the eclectic collision of creativity and commerce.

“We like the mix of old and modern in these buildings,” says Matt Peterson, founder and principal of Creature, LLC, a small advertising firm founded by former Wieden + Kennedy employees whose clients include HBO, Jansport, Kraft, and Sierra Mist. “We modernized it with light, color, and palette. Since these spaces are so raw, we can put our own touch to it and get a richer feel from the environment.”

To date, Hunters Capital has restored four Capitol Hill and Pike/Pine buildings as part of its commitment to preserve Seattle’s historic neighborhoods and has repurposed them to meet the growing needs of today’s technology-driven startups and creatives. Built in 1917, the Ballou Wright Auto Parts Distribution Company building is Hunters’ latest effort to preserve what was once Seattle’s “auto row” and to build a broader base of commercial business for a neighborhood known more for its nightlife.

We recently wrote about design firm Urban Influence replacing Creature in their former space in yet another Hunters Capital building at 10th and E Pike.

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