This could be the view on the west side of 19th and Mercer. Note: no (probably) exceptional tree

The “preferred” design scheme for a new five-story building proposed at 19th and Mercer

This week’s Capitol Hill design reviews are getting upstaged. Firstly, the meetings are happening the same time this is going down at City Hall. Secondly, a new Capitol Hill project slated for review next week is way more interesting.

A proposal for a new five-story apartment building on the northwest corner of 19th and Mercer is slated to come before the design review board for the first time next week. It’s a corner where plans for development were in motion before. This time, the plan includes neighborhood restaurant Monsoon and the cluster of businesses in the offices behind the restaurant and its new rooftop deck.

UPDATE: Property owner Glenn MacDonald and Amanda Twiss just sent over more information and this image (“looking up  Mercer towards 18th”) of the proposed design:

In 2008, a four-story, 52-unit building was lined up for the northwest corner of 19th and Mercer. This is what the Weber Thompson project would have looked like:

This 2008 project was planned for Monsoon’s corner

The global economic slowdown derailed the development and allowed Monsoon owner Eric Banh to end his five-block search for a new home. In the years since, the economy heated back up and the area’s development kicked back into gear. Across the street, the 19th and Mercer building rose and brought new neighbors to the street. Monsoon expanded and added its rooftop deck. And, now, the corner’s redevelopment is back in motion again.

The preferred design requires the (probably) exceptional tree’s removal

But, just in case, the developers are coming to the table with a plan to preserve the tree… if they have to

Still in the hands of the real estate investors who have owned the property since 2003, the corner is now being planned as a five-story apartment building with around 30 market-rate units and somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 square feet of street-level retail space — all of which will snuggle up next to Monsoon and the existing office building behind it.

Here are the “development objectives” for the project:

• Preserve the existing offices and commercial spaces that occupy the Mercer Professional Building
• Add 30 to 32 apartment units
• Add approximately 2,500-sf of street-front commercial space along 19th Avenue East
• Provide parking for 10 to12 vehicles
• Configure the proposed building to function with existing office building, but also fit with development of the northern portions of the site should that occur in the future

There’s one catch, however. The “preferred” design from Public47 Architects being put forward by the developers will bump up against a big, old cedar:

A cluster of locust trees occupies the southwest corner of the site and a large cedar rises above the property at the eastern edge. A full arborist report is forthcoming and it is anticipated that the cedar will meet the criteria for exceptional status.

Next Wednesday night, the project backers will be arguing for support in removing the tree. “Extending the east facade of the building along 19th Ave E. further north, thereby removing the exceptional tree, allows for a larger, more continuous commercial facade at street level, and additional units above,” the proposal reads.

In the big picture, the board will be considering the trade of a (probably) exceptional cedar for development that lets Monsoon keep its longtime home. If any board members have tried Monsoon’s dim sum brunch, the decision will be easy.

1830 E Mercer St

Design review Early Design Guidance application proposing a 5-story apartment building containing 30 units above retail. Parking for 12 vehicles to be provided. Existing structure to remain. Project may include the removal of an Exceptional Tree. 

Design Proposal Not Yet Available (CHS got its grubby hands on a preview)

One letter on the project has already been placed in the file at DPD:

The current plan is to leave the current retail/restaurant and build a 5 story, 30 unit, 12 parking space structure. It would be hard to develop that and still honor the Single Family Dwelling zoning immediately adjacent to the property on 18th East (address 602 and continuing north). We respectfully request that the 40 foot height limit required be taken from street level on 19th Ave e (parcel includes 607 19th ave e) rather than alley level (at 2nd to 3rd story due to slope of parcel). Thank you for considering the neighborhood opinion in the early stages of this development. Please let me know what questions you have or what further actions we can take to preserve the dignity of the 19th Ave East corridor.

Neighbors are also meeting this week to discuss the project:

We’re going to have an Open House for the proposed development on Thursday, Sept 10, from5:00-6:30 in the back room at Victrola Coffee (411 15th Ave E).  Pretty informal and chance to talk and ask questions. We’ll have the architect, Public47, provide a little presentation starting about 5:30-ish just to help.

This week’s reviews
In the meantime, you can weigh in on two new Capitol Hill apartment projects slated for their final rounds of design review this week.

The Boylston Flats project from microhousing developers Tyler Carr and Kelten Johnson and architect S+H Works survived two rounds of early design guidance and is now ready for its final “recommendation” round. Powered by green and affordability incentives, the project is planned as a seven-story building between Pike and Union creating 106 units of housing averaging around 440 square feet each. Two older apartment buildings including the 1905-built Emerald City Manor will be demolished to make way.

1404 Boylston Ave

Land Use Application to allow a 7-story structure containing 105 residential units. Existing structures to be removed. View Design Proposal  (62 MB)    

This week’s other “recommendation” round project is also planned to use affordability incentives to rise to seven stories. Stream Harrison is planned for the corner of Belmont and Harrison and will require the demolition of two single-family style houses. The project is part of the Stream family of developments across the city — and nearby at Stream Belmont, for example.

The building designed by Nicholson Kovalchick Architects will include 47 apartment units averaging around 674 square feet each.

And, just to add to your understanding of your ‘hood, here is how the project describes the area — welcome to West Slope:

The site is located in the west Slope district midrise Zone, one of two primary residential areas in Capitol Hill. The dense residential development of the west Slope district provides for well-established neighborhood character with many multi-family brick structures. Neighborhood development goals include ensur- ing that new infill development enhances this existing character. Other existing buildings represent a variety of styles and scales including monolith high-rise con- dominiums, low-rise apartments with exterior walkways, and single-family homes.

 

403 Belmont Ave E

Land Use Application to allow a 7-story structure containing 47 residential units. Parking for 16 vehicles to be provided below grade. Existing residential structures to be demolished. View Design Proposal