A Neighbor's Take on the Design Review Last Night

I couldn't make it, but a nearby neighbor named Steve told me I could post his e-mail to me about what happened at the design review meeting for the development of the old Christian Restoration Center site at 15th and Oregon. Thanks also to L.T., who provided me with a similarly thorough account of the proceedings.

From Steve's e-mail:

I think the developer and the architect showed they're taking a relatively responsible approach to the development and trying to be as respectful to the neighbors as possible while still creating a project that'll be profitable and makes sense them (the developer). I mean, they're not proposing a green roof (yet) or anything with low-income housing, but it looks like a pretty good project for what the zoning code allows. The project looks very familiar--much like what you'll see if you drive around Ballard, Wallingford, the U-District, and any other of the higher density neighborhoods in the city that are years ahead of Beacon Hill in terms of densifying and gentrifying old rundown "business centers." In some ways that's a bit disappointing, but I think there's not a whole lot they can do to make it unique--later in the design process we'll have a chance to suggest specific exterior design finishes that might create something that is more of a departure from some of the other recent developments around the city. The area where they're proposing the development is zoned for slightly higher density and higher allowable bldg heights, and I think it's reasonable to expect that both sides of the street in the higher density zone will be redeveloped in the next several years, and this project should help build some much-needed momentum. My experience with progress on Beacon Hill tells me it'll be a long time, but maybe things will take off, who knows.

The members of the design review board asked some good questions, and some that seemed ridiculous, such as asking the architect about other massing configurations. I think it's clear that the configuration they've chosen is the one that's most respectful to the neighbors and shields them as much as possible from the development, while providing nice open space for the new building's residents that will have decent views and won't overlook a busy neighborhood street.

The public included maybe 25-30 residents, many from within a block of the bldg. I live 4 blocks away and I think I was the most distant of anyone there. Some had some good questions about the design, many of which concerned the traffic impacts, which the DRB put off as not relevant for this meeting. It's an SDOT issue that will have to be covered later.

I'm glad I went to the meeting, but you didn't miss much if you looked over the info on that website you forwarded yesterday. Probably the most noteworthy thing design-wise that came up was the fact that there are two separate parking entrances, including one off Oregon that will provide 5(!) parking stalls for the retail space and also parking for residents. The arch justified having separate parking entrances by noting that if a ramp configuration were used it would cut into the retail space quite a bit, leading to most likely less desirable retail. Everyone there was united in saying we want some decent retail and I think if the city pushes too hard on things that are going to affect the quality of the retail space, the residents will push back.

Stranger Post on Christian Restoration Center Development

The Stranger folks are way savvier than I am and contacted the architects about this project instead of the developers/owners.

From the Stranger blog:

15th Avenue South and South Oregon Street

This exquisite parking lot is located next to the former Christian Restoration Center, which is now vacant. In its place, a four-story mixed-use building with up to three retail units at the ground level and 30 residential units above has been proposed by Rudeen Development. No decision yet on condos or apartments, according to Carlos De La Torre of architecture firm H+DLT Collaborative.

The location is a crossroads between Beacon Hill and Columbia City, so like an evangelical density zealot, I’m pro-life—for this intersection. However, this design is stillborn. “It is purposefully boring,” explains De La Torre. “This is the early design, and there are very specific rules to early design guidance. [The design-review board members] don’t want to see a lot of design,” he says. “As architects, we have something in our heads and we’re very excited, and we’d like to get people geared toward that goal.” Attend the meeting and goad them on.

Please do attend (leave now) and let me know what happens. I'm too sick to go.

Fairy Ring at Comet Lodge Cemetery

Yes, I know that real fairy rings are made of mushrooms, but I like to think of this circle of daffodils as a fairy ring.

Sorry about the faraway photo. I didn't feel like stumbling down into the cemetery because I'm sick and headachy and disoriented (not used to wearing glasses after both my eyes got infected, and not used to only hearing out of one ear because of this horrible sinus congestion) and big and pregnant and clumsy.



I wish I could believe that elves or fairies or spirits created this ring, but I have a limited imagination. I mean, I could see them floating around, sprinkling wildflower seeds in a circle in middle of the night, but I just can't see them digging the holes to plant all those bulbs.

Christian Restoration Center: City Meeting TONIGHT

Wow. I guess tonight there really is an official meeting about the Christian Restoration Center development. I honestly thought that the property manager and the property ownership group would warn me about public meetings, as I've asked them to do this about a dozen times. I've been giving them the benefit of the doubt, but obviously this doesn't speak very well to their interest in community engagement.

The meeting is at 8:00 p.m. at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (at the corner of Alaska and Rainier) at 3515 S. Alaska St. Here's the PDF of the Design Review application, which I just found on the City of Seattle website. I encourage you to take a look -- it has some drawings of what the building might look like.

I'm home sick today with a hateful, endless cold and might not be able to make it. Is anyone else going to go?

Here's the e-mail I got from the developer today. Apparently everyone involved has been out of town without e-mail access for a week. Hmm.

Jon and I have been out of town for the last week. Jon doesn't return until today and I returned yesterday, so we are sorry for our delay in our response to you.

Jon did want me to let you know that he tried to reply to your response last
night but was having connection problems so he was unsure if you received
his message as I did not so he asked me to reach out to you.

The meeting tonight is part of the overall permit process. The meeting
itself is for the City of Seattle Design Review. This is where we go to the
city, take our site proposal to the city and answer questions they might
have.

So to answer your question the people who set up this meeting was the City
of Seattle and it is there agenda. I will be attending along with our
architect and depending if Jon is back in time he will attend as well.

If you have further questions please feel free to shoot me or Jon an e-mail.

Thanks.

Rudeen Development, LLC
Kyle Kappen

Neighborhood Meeting About Christian Restoration Center?

Does anyone know anything about this? I got forwarded this message today, but no one knows who's organizing the meeting. I know that the property ownership group planned to notify me when they held a meeting, so this must be some other meeting.

An alert Block Watch member passed on word that there is a meeting tomorrow evening (3/11/08) @ 8:00pm specifically to discuss the project at the Christian Restoration Center. There's a small flyer stapled to the telephone pole at the site. The meeting will be at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center (corner of Alaska and Rainier):

3515 S Alaska St
Seattle, WA 98118
(206) 725-7517

Beacon Hill Groper Still Groping

From today's P-I:

One man suspected in attacks on 21 females
Police beef up hunt for brazen assailant in South Seattle

Seattle police say a man who has forcibly groped women in South Seattle may be responsible for as many as 21 attacks over the past three years, including four in the past two months.

Police fear that the man is becoming increasingly violent after he tried to drag a woman into a dark driveway last fall and targeted two teenage girls walking together in January.

...

Many of the attacks last fall were reported on Beacon Avenue South, from South Columbian Way to South Cloverdale Street, and near 45th Avenue South, police said.

Two Photos: Beacon Hill, Georgetown

I didn't have my good camera on me, but I liked the light.

The view from the Beacon Hill Library parking lot.



The Stock House.