SEATTLE | Downtown Projects: Completed, U/C, Proposed/Approved - Page 76

Complex01 · #**1501** Posted **Feb 26, 2008, 4:35 PM**

Nice pics. Looking very good...

Black Box · #**1502** Posted **Feb 27, 2008, 12:25 AM**

Thanks again for the photo updates. I love the glass on O8!

Hoodrat · #**1503** Posted **Feb 29, 2008, 8:09 PM**

Anyone know the status on fifth & yesler? Is it the same rendering as appears on the first page? I swear there was a different rendering that I saw years ago that was far more attractive than the vaguely po-mo looking one thats on the first page

WESTSEATTLEGUY · #**1504** Posted **Mar 1, 2008, 12:56 AM**

It's the same rendering and currently under construction. They had to cut it down because it was in the Harboview Medical Center flight path.

Aleks · #**1505** Posted **Mar 1, 2008, 2:05 AM**

Well, today is a sucky day in Seattle. But construction is going well. O8 is pretty tall and it looks bigger than what you'd expect. The Four Seasons is looking o.k, I just wish it has more glass and a green would've looked better than the Brown but it's good. 1521 is also looking nicer than I thought. Although I would've still liked a lighter blue for 1521 and a deeper one for O8.

Escala is in the first? second? floor, something like that and the building is pretty wide so the blue cranes might stay.

The Harborview expansion is also going up nicely and the gray bridge that crosses 9th Ave. looks way better than in the small wooden models and renders.

Vashon118 · #**1506** Posted **Mar 2, 2008, 6:55 AM**

Some updates...

4 Seasons (02/21):

5th and Yesler (02/23):

7th and Madison (02/23):

818 Stewart (02/23):

1521 2nd (02/21):

1918 8th (02/23):

Aspira (02/23):

Enso (02/20):

Gallery Belltown (1'st one from 02/20, others are from 02/21):

Rollin Street (02/20):

Skyline (02/23):

West 8th (02/20):

seaskyfan · #**1507** Posted **Mar 2, 2008, 8:05 PM**

^ Thanks for the photos Vashon!

Man the Four Seasons is fugly.

I was going by the Olivian yesterday and it looks like they're starting to put up the exterior cladding on the north facade.

Aleks · #**1508** Posted **Mar 2, 2008, 9:09 PM**

The Four Seasons looks nice on the side facing Elliot Bay but I don't like the side facing first Ave. A green or blue might have worked better. I still wouldn't say it's ugly, just not what you'd expect from a Four Seasons.

The curves on 1521 don't look as smooth as I thought they would and they would look nicer if they were a little smoother.

Aspiras crane looks really tall. Why?

Gallery Belltown is gonna look nice and so is Rollin Street.

mhays · #**1509** Posted **Mar 2, 2008, 9:26 PM**

Great pics. Makes me reflect on the sheer volume of construction going on Downtown. In about 1,700 acres, there are at least 31 additional buildings going up, not including the ones pictured in Vashon's last post, and not including renovations. The 31 top out at 14 stories and probably average 7, but it's a pretty remarkable volume.

Hans Gruber · #**1510** Posted **Mar 2, 2008, 10:23 PM**

The planning commission should be disbanded. The Seattle community group that gave the tumbs up for the 4 Seasons should be jailed. The Four Seasons looks like an updated abandoned New York city wharehouse with 21st century trimmings. The Olympic hotel (Fairmont) is a crown jewel in comparison. The Fours Seasons in San Francisco is less than 10 years old and it's absolutely wonderful.

Let's be honest, the Four Seasons is a blight to the Seattle skyline.

WESTSEATTLEGUY · #**1511** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 12:21 AM**

Thanks Vashon!

West 8th looks like to be moving at pretty fast clip which is great!. I also liek the outer cladding on 818 stewart.
Also the exterior cladding on the Olivian is going up and it looks really nice!!!

Hoodrat · #**1512** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 8:54 PM**

Absolutely love your updates, Vashon.

Really amazing how much construction activity there is.

Hans Gruber · #**1513** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 11:52 PM**

Vashon, very good pics. Somebody needs to comment on my Four Seasons assessment. I want to hear feedback. Does anybody see things differently?

genghis · #**1514** Posted **Mar 4, 2008, 10:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoodrat

Anyone know the status on fifth & yesler? Is it the same rendering as appears on the first page? I swear there was a different rendering that I saw years ago that was far more attractive than the vaguely po-mo looking one thats on the first page

Hoodrat,

You're thinking of the Sclater version of 5th & Yesler, and yes, it was a lot different...also taller. As Westseattleguy mentioned, it had to be shortened due to the Harborview helicopter path. For reasons I can't go into here, the project was turned over to Curtis Beattie & Associates where it underwent a complete redesign. A few months ago I posted a fairly detailed explanation and defense of the current design in this forum, but I don't recall what page it's on. The rendering on the first page doesn't really tell you a lot about the whole building...it's just one view. I have photos of the latest model, which I'd like to post, but can't at this time.

A lot of the nice curtainwall detailing had to be sacrificed due to the budget, but I'm still hoping it'll turn out ok.

That's about all I can say at the moment. Hope it helps.

destroybananas · #**1515** Posted **Mar 4, 2008, 8:36 PM**

wow thanks for all the pics. Staying busy over there.

Hoodrat · #**1516** Posted **Mar 4, 2008, 8:40 PM**

Thanks for the info, Genghis.

To be honest, whats going up isn't bad at all. I just remember being really wowed by the other proposal.

hi123 · #**1517** Posted **Mar 5, 2008, 12:19 AM**

Website for aspira:

www.aspiraseattle.com

I think it will look great!

Seasun · #**1518** Posted **Mar 5, 2008, 4:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hans Gruber

The planning commission should be disbanded. The Seattle community group that gave the tumbs up for the 4 Seasons should be jailed. The Four Seasons looks like an updated abandoned New York city wharehouse with 21st century trimmings. The Olympic hotel (Fairmont) is a crown jewel in comparison. The Fours Seasons in San Francisco is less than 10 years old and it's absolutely wonderful.

Let's be honest, the Four Seasons is a blight to the Seattle skyline.

I'll offer a different perspective and say that the Four Seasons is an understated, classy, modern building crammed onto a site constrained in all directions. The cast-in-place concrete is looking good as it gets "sacked and patched" (hand applying a layer of cement and sand to the surface of the concrete) I'm glad they don't appear to be painting the concrete and I'm glad they didn't attempt to make the building look more traditional with cornices, fake stone, arched window openings, etc. As a neighbor of the project I'll withhold my final blessing until the Union Street paving is done and the stair to Post Alley is completed. This is a big question mark that will make or break the project for me. I can't wait for Post Alley to reopen!

destroybananas · #**1519** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 2:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hi123

Website for aspira:

www.aspiraseattle.com

I think it will look great!

No offense but I think it looks incongruous...

photoLith · #**1520** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 2:52 AM**

Wow this is my first time looking at this Seattle stuff, I had no idea there was so much going in down there. Good to see so many cities getting so many new towers.