SEATTLE | Downtown Projects: Completed, U/C, Proposed/Approved - Page 28

hi123 · #**541** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 3:19 AM**

BTW everyone i saw on SCC that the crane was up for 1521

mSeattle · #**542** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 3:53 AM**

Mhays, that's an interesting article. I do think that downtown is missing certain touches of beauty which would make it more appealing to women in particular. And the developers of towers could find ways to make it more of a community and not just a stack of condos.

mhays · #**543** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 4:01 AM**

I posted it because I assume that's Dancer quoted about Mosler.

It is an interesting article. Definitely it would seem like guys would ignore, or even like, grittiness more than many women.

As for amenities and beauty, both should be coming with the new larger population. And to some extent they already are coming -- new parks, new takeout places, new groceries, etc. Looking at a Vancouver thread just now reminded me how lacking places like Belltown really are, but it's heading in the right direction.

Vashon118 · #**544** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 4:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mSeattle

29th of December? I went by there and took shots in December and the thing was being torn down. Are you talking about the block directly west of First Baptist Church?

Yes.

mSeattle · #**545** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 6:13 AM**

Here are a couple of pictures from the proposed Skygarden site.

Demolition November-December '06

mSeattle · #**546** Posted **Jan 10, 2007, 6:42 AM**

One thing I do wish about the Skygarden is that they make the cylindrical part taller to stand out from that square off-shoot. Maybe even embellishing the crown a little.

James Bond Agent 007 · #**547** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 10:54 AM**

According to today's DJC, the groundbreaking ceremony for this baby will be on Jan 25.

mSeattle · #**548** Posted **Jan 11, 2007, 11:39 AM**

^Finally! They'll build that ugly building.... Pox on them.

NW Mike · #**549** Posted **Jan 12, 2007, 1:04 AM**

Touchstone to start
work on $185M tower

Image courtesy Touchstone Corp.
Seattle-based Touchstone Corp. will hold a ground breaking ceremony Jan. 25 for its $185 million, 28-story West 8th office building at Eighth and Westlake in the Denny Triangle, company President Douglas Howe said.

mhays · #**550** Posted **Jan 12, 2007, 5:28 PM**

I like it. Not only because it's sleek and a sculptural, which we need more of in Seattle, but also because it blocks the ugly north side of the courthouse from some perspectives. Of course I should tell you it's our project by way of disclosure.

In other news, today's DJC lists the Olivian's new shoring/excavation permit. I wonder if that'll be full speed ahead by next week.

Seems like a big winter for starts and partial starts! Apparently Skyline fenced off its site recently, Skygarden(name?) is in demo (not sure what that means), Rollin St. is in demo, 2201 demo'd and said they started but is currently a blank slate waiting for something, Gallery is fully underway, Escala is fully underway, the 14-story 9th & Stewart office project is about to start...not to mention some shorter but also major starts like Swedish Ortho, Veer Lofts...

PS, on Wednesday I signed a purchase agreement at Gallery. Thrilled.

mSeattle · #**551** Posted **Jan 12, 2007, 8:22 PM**

Mhays, you don't think a fully wedge-shaped or oval tower would have fit better on the footprint of that site?

The building looks kind of confusing to me. Looks like a box with a "Gumby" slapped on the side somehow. Are there other renderings they've never shown us beside this one?

SeattleHusky82 · #**552** Posted **Jan 12, 2007, 8:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

I like it. Not only because it's sleek and a sculptural, which we need more of in Seattle, but also because it blocks the ugly north side of the courthouse from some perspectives. Of course I should tell you it's our project by way of disclosure.

In other news, today's DJC lists the Olivian's new shoring/excavation permit. I wonder if that'll be full speed ahead by next week.

Seems like a big winter for starts and partial starts! Apparently Skyline fenced off its site recently, Skygarden(name?) is in demo (not sure what that means), Rollin St. is in demo, 2201 demo'd and said they started but is currently a blank slate waiting for something, Gallery is fully underway, Escala is fully underway, the 14-story 9th & Stewart office project is about to start...not to mention some shorter but also major starts like Swedish Ortho, Veer Lofts...

PS, on Wednesday I signed a purchase agreement at Gallery. Thrilled.

Thanks for the updates, I wasn't aware that the 9th and Stewart tower was close to starting. Schnitzer must be the most prolific developer in the area right now.

In my opinion, I think Vulcan has really slipped up in the past 6-7 months. Early in the summer time, they had developed so much buzz for SLU and their projects. There were people lining up just to sign up for an INFO SESSION for these projects. Somehow, they failed to capitalize on this and now we're in 2007 and they still have not started sales or broken ground for Veer Lofts or Rollin Street. With the condo market quickly cooling off, they're going to have a hard time selling out these projects if the slow sales of Enso are any indication.

mhays · #**553** Posted **Jan 12, 2007, 9:38 PM**

mSeattle, those would probably look good too.

I wouldn't worry about Vulcan.

Also, the condo market isn't all that bad. Developers are simply moderating the pace a bit. I heard that Veer had started (has it?), and Rollin St. seems to be gearing up. Veer is a bit late but Rollin St. would be right on time if it started this winter.

Hoodrat · #**554** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 4:05 AM**

.

Hoodrat · #**555** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 4:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

PS, on Wednesday I signed a purchase agreement at Gallery. Thrilled.

Congrats

mhays · #**556** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 4:35 AM**

Thanks! Now I just wait for 20 months. It'll go by like molasses.

blackc5 · #**557** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 6:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

Thanks! Now I just wait for 20 months. It'll go by like molasses.

Hehe - I know that feeling, waiting on Olive 8. Grats by way! After signing at Olive 8 (still have one more out since we get a new offering statement to review) we looked at Gallery a bit as well. It seems like it will be a really nice building.

Glad to hear Olivian is finally going to get started - looking forward to seeing how that turns out - it looks real promising.

And, have to add that I like the West 8th building as well. I like that rendering since I can see right where O8 will be - should be nice to look down on, assuming the courthouse doesn't block it all

Quick question - has anyone heard anything about the Bank of America lot on Olive, between 5th & 6th? Someone at the O8 sales center had mentioned it likely that lot will be built on soon since the building is pretty poor shape and it is such a prime location.

SeattleHusky82 · #**558** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 6:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackc5

Quick question - has anyone heard anything about the Bank of America lot on Olive, between 5th & 6th? Someone at the O8 sales center had mentioned it likely that lot will be built on soon since the building is pretty poor shape and it is such a prime location.

I believe Vulcan owns this lot along with the block directly to the east which has 3 older mid rise towers on it. They should tear down the BOA and turn that whole block into a park, it'd be a great location since the SLU Streetcar has a stop right along the west side of the block.

mhays · #**559** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 6:19 AM**

In the past there was even talk of closing that block of Westlake and creating a larger block for a new park. Long time ago.

seaskyfan · #**560** Posted **Jan 13, 2007, 10:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleHusky82

I believe Vulcan owns this lot along with the block directly to the east which has 3 older mid rise towers on it. They should tear down the BOA and turn that whole block into a park, it'd be a great location since the SLU Streetcar has a stop right along the west side of the block.

I used to have an office in the Lloyd building on that block to the east and we had to sign an agreement as part of our lease that they could end our lease early (a year notice?) if the building was going to be demolished. The Vance folks sold most of that block to something called Comprise Venture LLC which we heard was a Vulcan/Allen outfit. The rent checks went to Comprise. My sense from talking to the Vance folks was that the whole block would likely be redeveloped with the exception of the Tower Building on the southeast corner (at 7th and Olive). Again, this was a few years ago so their intentions may have changed and my memory might be a bit fuzzy.