(Image: PUBLIC47 Architects)
Changes to the design under the review process include an effort to make the Boylston Ave E facing lobby more “pedestrian friendly” (Image: PUBLIC47 Architects)
In July, CHS reported on a rarity across the city’s core neighborhoods including areas stretching across Capitol Hill, First Hill — the only meeting of the year so far for the East Design Review Board as it convened over approval of plans for an eight-story project above Eastlake.
Now in the final days of 2025 and with the housing affordability crisis in the city as sharp as ever, this 2727 Boylston Ave E project appears to have hung on to its dubious distinction.
Wednesday, the review board is set to convene to sign off on what CHS has found is the only project to come in front of the volunteer group this year.
“The reality is that very few ground-up projects currently pencil,” Mike Yukevich of developer Eastlake Real Estate Partners says.
TODAY’S TOP STORIES
The developer says the same mix remains in place that CHS reported on this spring as we documented the disappearance of construction cranes — and design review — from Capitol Hill.
- Construction Costs — too high
- Interest Rates — too high
- Rental Rates — too low
“Until these variables change, we will not see many new market rate apartments being built within Seattle,” Yukevich said. “We continue to push our project through so that we will be ready when the time comes.”
As for CHS’s claim that 2727 Boylston Ave E is the only East Review Board project of the year, the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections took a few days but says, yup, “The only East Board meeting this year was the Project 3039625 @ 2727 Boylston Ave E.”
In the meantime, the board is set to convene Wednesday for a virtual session focused on the final recommendation phase for the eight-story, 83-unit apartment project with parking for 16 vehicles designed by PUBLIC47 Architects. A 1909-era duplex will be demolished to make way for the project.
It will be the second attempt at this final level of the review process that has been criticized for slowing projects and adding unnecessary costs over relatively minor and sometimes unpredictable issues.
The early design guidance for this project was wrapped up in the summer of 2022 after the Eastlake firm acquired the property for $1.6 million.
Issues raised by the board over the months and years since include a requirement for the project’s massing to be “more reflective of the East Lake neighborhood and the angle points focused more on views to the lake” including reorienting the building’s Boylston-side lobby to create a more “pedestrian friendly” environment along the busy street.
The board also “encourages the use of evergreen green trees where appropriate along with a more expansive landscape plantings” and veered into quality of life aspects of the design, citing concerns about noise from nearby I-5. The developers have promised “triple glazed with laminated glass to minimize sound transmission” in return.
2727 Boylston Ave E
Land Use Application to allow an 8-story, 83-unit apartment building. Parking for 16 vehicles proposed. Existing building to be demolished. Early Design Guidance conducted under 3039736-EG.View Design Proposal (26 MB)
Review Meeting
December 17, 2025 5:00 PMMeeting: https://bit.ly/Mtg3039625
This one and only East review comes as the city will grapple with the final phases of completing its Comprehensive Plan update as leaders, groups, and neighbors grapple over compromises to the vision of spreading more housing development to more parts of the city.
Good density for that area, build it yesterday
Chyaaa IKR?
I honestly believe we are in the age of reform. From top to bottom, side to side. FDR and the New Deal was the last time sans LBJ in some respects vs. civil rights. The second coming of Lincoln.
But LBJ but tons of restrictions and regs on banks and millionaires, robber barons and so forth. The Great Depression was acknowledged, fixed, and we moved on. Until Ronny came into office. Union busting was the order of the day and so many laws were broken to achieve it that America would burn 5 times over scorched Earth. 50 years of regressive wages. 50 years banks and corporate deregulation. Now too big to fail. We can’t allow them to file bankruptcy w/o collapsing the world economy. Moody’s downgraded our credit from AAA to AA. First time in history. Why? These assholes held the budget hostage and refused to pay the bills when they came due. The REPUBLICA assholes to be exact.
Grover Norquist shrink govt. and drown it like a baby in a bathtub. And they did. And here we are. People like nimonomnomnom down there crying about how horrible it is and nobody will live there! RAWR!
The REAL issue is this. More housing drives down prices on rent AND home buying. It also allows crime to keep on the high end. They need that for the cops to be increased to 30,000. Like one cope to 5 people. 5-1 ratio WITH mass surveillances. That’s right in the pocket for their pea brains who are so out of touch. Ruthless in their beliefs. And clearly only think about them and only them. AKA their assets. Profit over everything.
They obviously don’t care about looking like a douche. Just say stuff like it’s some closely held sacred cow. “I am looking out for the people who will live there!” NIMBY by proxy…lmao! That’s desperation in my book. They will NEVER live there either. That’s why the “Oh those poor people having to live next to the freeway.” As if they need a warning and rescuing and pity and whatever else condescending is said.
All in a desperate attempt to raise the rent and home prices. Like China. The dorms have nets so they can’t commit suicide. It’s bad for business.
Eight stories along the freeway is a horrible idea. It will loom above the lake, block calming views, and emphasize the divisive blight that is 1-5. Did we learn nothing from the hideous and visually jarring Alexandria Center, easily the worst piece of construction to rise this entire century? I can’t imagine anyone would actually choose to live there or would welcome the view.
Ummmm…Your “Horrible idea” has been repeated countless times since 1900. Take the duplex they are tearing down to build 83 apartments! Both are in the same spot. For over 100 years it’s worked fine. They ripped the city in half to make I-5. Should they have doubled that gash? Maybe greenbelts all the way down the freeway?
Would that have been better execution?