Proposal to eliminate parking requirement in urban villages

I told you recently (http://tinyurl.com/yoplrf ) about the City's plan to change the zoning code in our multifamily areas (your input needed at a meeting on Monday 10/15/07, 5:30 PM, City Hall).

On the City's webpage about the proposed changes ( http://tinyurl.com/36o4pj ) you can learn about the proposed changes [my comments in brackets]. Main points:

2. Reduce number of zones by consolidating the existing L3 and L4 zones to make a new LR3 zone [Much of our area is presently L3 or L4].

8. Eliminate parking requirements in urban centers, urban villages, and station areas, and reduce parking requirements in other areas (consistent with changes in commercial areas). [YEP, THAT'S US: We're in an urban village]

From John Rahaim (SPD Planning Director):

Hello Andrew. Sorry for this mistake. Like the Neighborhood Commercial zones, we are proposing to eliminate the parking requirement only in Urban Centers and transit areas, and to lower-- but not eliminate -- the requirement in Urban Villages. We will clarify this tonight at the open house.

Thanks for your sharp eye on this.

John

Building Code changes in the neighborhood: be heard!

(click on map for bigger version, or make your own)

Our City's building code rules are complicated and dull, but they do affect how our neighborhood looks and works. Things are changing and now is the time to find out and let the City know your thoughts.

Zoning in one paragraph:

• The faint yellow bits (SF on map) of the map are single-family zones: no changes there.
  
  
• The orange bits (NC on map) are Neighborhood Commercial zones: changes have already happened there.
  
  
• The grey bits (L zones) are Multifamily zones: townhouses, condos, apartment buildings. This is where changes are happening!

The proposed changes to the multifamily zones can be seen on the City website, or you can go to a workshop on Monday evening (10/15/07, 5:30 PM, City Hall) to learn about them, get your questions answered and have your views recorded. It's our chance to help guide the future of much of our neighborhood.

Multifamily zoning rules changing

Save the date! The City's revisions to the Multifamily building code may well affect the whole look and feel of our neighborhood. Drop by the meeting, learn, comment, let the City know your views.

The Multifamily part of neighborhood is mostly the area between Madison and John, consisting of a mix of condos, townhouses, apartments and older single-family houses. The proposed rules will, I suspect, serve to make things more dense. I haven't read them yet. Take a look at them and let me know.

The business oriented areas around Madison are in Neighborhood Commercial zones, and their building code rules were updated a year or so ago.

East Union Project: YOUR thoughts, please

Dan Bertolet wants some online discussions of the 23rd & Union redeveloment issues. Below is his letter; here's a link to the Design Review Board report and here's my previous post about the proposal (with links to older info).

Please click HERE (or on the word COMMENTS at the end of this post) to share your thoughts. You may be anonymous if you wish: your comments will be immediately available to all (click on the blog post title, or on the word COMMENTS at the end to read them).

Here's what Dan wants us to do:

I live about two blocks from 23rd and Union and have been following the proposed development closely. I've been thinking that it would be helpful to have a forum to discuss the pros and cons, and that your blog would might be a good place to do it. Would you consider making a post asking for feedback?

Personally, I am in favor of the development as proposed. I take Meuller at his word that if he can't do 65 feet that he'll bail on the project, and I think that would be a major loss for the neighborhood. I work in the architecture field and know that Mithun is one of the best design firms in the City, and they are especially advanced in green building. Mueller is a neighbor and a relatively conscientious developer, and seems to have some integrity about doing a good project. I think we are quite lucky to have this team for 23rd and Union. If Mueller bails, there's every chance we could end up with schlock.

Anyway, I would be interested to hear more about why people are opposed to 6-stories. Maybe we could all learn something if we could get a lively discussion happening on your blog.

Cheers,
Dan
2315 E Marion

Design Review Meeting for 2203 East Union

Thank you for attending the 2203 East Union community meeting last Tuesday. Your feedback, questions and suggestions were exactly what we were hoping to gain – it was a productive evening for the entire project team.

We encourage you to attend the Early Design Guidance Meeting this Wednesday, June 27, at the Miller Community Center (330 19th Avenue East). The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and time will be allotted for the public to speak.

If you can’t attend but would like to send an email or letter to us, we would be pleased to add your message to the public record as a means to demonstrate support for the preferred proposal.

As new information becomes available about the project, we will keep you updated via email. If you do not wish to receive email updates, please send an email back asking to be removed from the list and we will be happy to do so.

Thank you again for your time and support.

Sincerely,

Jim Mueller
JC Mueller LLC
Logan Building, Suite 625
500 Union, Seattle, WA 98101
Tel: (206) 624-8095; Fax: (206) 382-3514
Email: AskUnion@jcmueller.com

(above message from Jim Mueller. Neighborhood reports on the community meeting: a transcript, a video and photos and some thoughts. E-mail Jim to be put on the list for E-mail updates).

Transcript of 23rd/Union Meeting

(reproduced with the permission of its author, Nick Pottier, Central Neighborhood Association. Couple of edits by Andrew)

For those who didn't make it, some quick notes taken during the meeting. I just typed these up during the meeting, so forgive any typos or errors. No proof reading either. Don't sue me! :)

Jim Mueller presented the project and their plans therein. There were various plans available for viewing before the meeting with various sketches, I don't know if these are available online just yet.

- he's been working with community leaders to find something that will fit in with the neighborhood
- architects are Mithun architects
- the building designs are concepts to get a feel for how the space will be changed, they are not final or detailed
- JC Mueller core values: integrity, intelligence, homework Triple bottom line: environment, community, economics, all sustainable
- previous site was Coleman building, demolished by Nisqually quake
- white tanks on the site are to clean up from old dry cleaning pollution, takes 6-8 months
- they took into account position of site between residential and commercial areas

- Objectives:
- Community Revitalization
- Urban Design
- Economics - (requires taller building to pay off)
- Neighborhood Economics - bring new residents and retail
- Sustainability - Build responsibly

- Project Features
- Approx 90 units
- 85-90 parking stalls
- ~4500 square feet of street level retail (preference for local/regional)
- Encourage pedestrian activities

Option 1:
- 40 foot tall
- retail only on street level

Option 2:
- 65 feet (six stories)
- street level is both residential and retail
- town houses on 22nd

Option 3: (preferred and proposed)
- 65 feet (six stories)
- Entry on 23rd
- 22nd has town homes
- Retail on Union and 23rd on street level

Height:
- height is needed to make project feasible
- proportion of space is what makes you comfortable in a space.. Walmart parking lot is too spread out, with taller structures a larger setback will make it feel OK
- very much wants to make pedestrians comfortable and create a comfortable space
- example: alley 24 across from REI, which is 75 feet

Design review board meeting:
- Wednesday, June 27, 2007
- 6:30 PM
- Miller Community Center
- 330 19th Ave E

Information:
AskUnion@jcmueller.com

Q and A:

Q: Are you pursuing any other zoning changes in the area?
A: Yes, maybe.

Q: Parking will be exiting onto 23rd? Is that going to be a traffic issue?
A: Something we are still studying and trying to work through, city will certainly be involved.

Q: Can you make your number if you step back the first few floors?
A: We have stepped them back a bit at 40 feet, which will make it feel less tall from the street.

Q: What are the pros and cons of people living on 22nd?
A: Should be almost all positive. New residents will be good for the area, and shadow is cast on Union street, not 22nd.

Q: Will there be retail/visitor parking?
A: Yes, some, accessed off 23rd.

Q: Tell us more about sustainable building. How green?
A: Will be studied but still in planning and depends on what we can achieve economically. City has incentives for this as well. Building locally in town is a big step towards being green.

Q: How many parking levels underground?
A: Two. They are expensive.

Q: Describe housing.
A: Market rate, 'affordable'. Not low income.

Q: Lot of real estate on 23rd & Union. What do you think about a pedestrian mall?
A: Some are great, some fail completely. Don't know about this.

Q: West Harbor area has a lot of great ideas. Please study that.
A: We are definitely going to focus on bicycles and flex cars.

Q: You guys should have a secure bicycle area and a bike workshop area.
A: Ya I like that.

Q: Setback is great, maybe vary the roof line to have it appear more different.
A: Architect is listening, I'm sure he'll note it.

Q: Will they be rental units or for sale?
A: Don't know yet.

Q: Construction time frame?
A: Will start construction in about a year. Will take about 14-16 months to build.

Q: How big are the sidewalks?
A: Min requirement is 12 feet, we'll have to actually widen it a bit.

Q: Tell us more about the contract rezone process.
A: Project gets approved at a height. It does not allow us to resell the site with that rezone, its only approved for that particular project. Meeting on the 27th will be official kickoff.

Q: Is there any fear that this project might be killed because of rising interest rates etc?
A: Seattle still has a strong economy and the CD is close to downtown so will remain in demand.

Q: Why don't you sell it to people with no cars? And therefore no parking to save money?
A: The market objects to that, though I like the idea. Lenders would not go along with that however, not economically feasible.

Q: How are you reaching out to the african american community?
A: Apparently not very well, because none are in attendance. Help!

Q: How was this information spread?
A: Mostly through websites, apparently didn't reach all the audience.

Q: How do you make the retail look more diverse and small to attract the smaller retailers?
A: The problem is actually cost. Its hard to find small retailers who can afford the rent of a new space. We will try to make it as affordable as possible.

Q: Is the space going to be retail or small office space?
A: No, it will be retail.

Q: Tell us more about the green elements of this project.
A: We are still determining that. More as we start nailing things down. We will do what is effective and makes sense economically.

Q: Do you have a square footage cost?
A: Rents in areas like this in 2009ish will be $2.25 sq/ft for residential. That's the minimum needed to get financing. Condos about $5.50 sq/ft. Big costs are construction and parking.

Q: Would be great to see the context of the site and its height with other buildings around.
A: No slides for that, but our other boards had it.

Q: Houses on 22nd will be in shade in the winter.
A: Yes, there will be some, can't avoid it.

Q: Have you thought about the impact of street parking? Zone parking?
A: We will have parking, so it won't be us causing the problem.
(others chimed in that we've tried to do zoning before, but haven't goten residential support)

A: Plan for a street car coming through 23rd & Union?

Q: For sale or for rent?
A: Don't know yet.

Q: Unit mix?
A: 80% 1 bedroom and studio, 20% 2 bedroom.

Q: Any sketches of the actual final design and finish?
A: This will be part of the review process. Lots of factors. 1) cost 2) durability 3) maintainability We'll be picking a skin that fits those criteria and which will hopefully fit in with the neighborhood. Start of that discussion on the 27th.

Q: Have you looked at mechanical parking, is it cheaper?
A: Yes, I've looked at it and used it in China. In general its more expensive except for special cases. Getting cheaper but not yet there.

Q: You said you don't prefer national chains. How serious are you?
A: Its my preference. No promises, but I have a strong personal preference towards biz owners being in the stores.

Q: Are there environmental issues that might block the project?
A: No, contamination from dry cleaning was it.

Q: There is a bus stop on 23rd, will that move?
A: We'll have to deal with that, might move.

Q: Will you have a sustainability consultant on the project?
A: Our architects kind of specialize in that.

Q: Is green and sustainable going to be the 'brand' of this project?
A: Yes, but I also want to do something with music since this area has a strong history of that.

Q: Is there any shared/community space to this project? Courtyard?
A: I don't know yet, we are still designing the retail level. Most buildings like this have a common area for residents. Maybe make that more community based. It's possible.

Q: Would be nice to see something less boxy.
A: Design is changing constantly. There will be updated designs on the 27th for you to look at.

Q: Can you talk about the materials? Looks like glass & metal.
A: Still too early.

Q: There are lots of small children on 22nd. Please don't put the parking entrance there. How do I help make that happen?
A: Show up to the meetings, preferred option is definitely not to have parking entrance there. Cars belong on 23rd and Union.

Q: Won't entrance on 23rd cause people to double back on 22nd to turn left?
A: Yes, that's a concern. City planning is thinking about that and its something we are tracking.

Q: 23rd is an arterial, no parking. You are going to add load to the parking, how will it be handled?
A: Trying to create a pedestrian area, hopefully people will walk. We'll have some parking but in the end we are in a city, thats just the reality of the situation.

Q: Could they ever require a change to traffic on 22nd? (couldn't hear details)
A: Yes, maybe.

Q: Most of us want you here, but we have concerns about parking and traffic etc..
A: This is a great place to live without a car, close to downtown etc.. More discussion on pedestrian access.

Q: Will you be selling parking separately from the units?
A: Possibly. (additional comments about people then parking on the street)

Q: Will there be bike parking and what about the impacts of the bicycle master plan?
A: Yes, there will be bike parking and I'm a big fan of the bicycle master plan.

Q: How about some covered bike parking?
A: Ya, that's what I have in mind.

Q: No option for parking entrance on Union.
A: Parking entrance would ruin retail space.

Q: Will people put up with traffic on Union when sitting at a cafe on it?
A: Yes if done correctly.

Q: Who will be responding to emails and such?
A: Denise and I monitor comments and questions. As does our PR firm. (Nyhus)

That's it.

-Nic

Reports on Proposed Development at 23rd & Union

Following the meeting on Tuesday with Jim Mueller, Jean Tinnea has shared some thoughts, and Nic Pottier of the Central Neighborhood Association has posted a long report about the meeting (care to join their group?). As my contribution, I offer photos of the architects' display boards, and a video recording of the first 40 minutes of the meeting: low tech recording on my digital camera. Most of the audio is clear, and you can sort of see the slides (most of which are of the boards shown here). It's at the end of this post.

Here's where the project would be built: the "Context"

(click on picture for bigger copy)

Here's the developer's preferred Scheme:
"Scheme 1" - Parking entrance on 23rd
(click on picture for bigger copy)
Here's another design with a rezone to 65':
"Scheme 2"
(click on picture for bigger copy)

Here's another design with a rezone to 65':
"Scheme 3"
(click on picture for bigger copy)
And here's how it might look: "Concept"
(click on picture for bigger copy)

And finally, here's the video of Jim Mueller's presentation: watch it here, or click on "Google Video" to enlarge it.

Don't forget the first Design Review Hearing on the project (Miller Community Center, 6: 30 PM, Weds June 27th): your chance to comment officially on the project.

And here's the rest of my video (memory card filled up before presentation ended).

Feedback about 23rd & Union Development Proposal

Jean Tinnea, from the Central Neighborhood Association, writes:

There will be a meeting with Jim Mueller for the 'hood at Central Cinema 6pm Tuesday June 19th. Jim is the developer planning to develop the former Colman Building site. The current zoning is 4 stories. All past development tries have failed. There are several reasons and one is that they didn't 'pencil out' (be able to pay for itself) at 4 stories. The project must pencil out in order to get financing and to carry itself once built.

As a Board member of the Central District Development Association (CADA) that builds and preserves affordable housing, I can say it gets more and more difficult to get financing and get a project to pencil out. It is darn near impossible to get funding for affordable housing projects. (Thanks, W.) Meanwhile, due to the rising cost of land and building materials, it is also more challenging, certainly more expensive, to develop in general.

As a 28-year homeowner, property and business owner in the Union St corridor, I personally resisted all previous efforts to upzone the 23rd & Union corner. Development and economic rejuvenation happened all around us but not on Union east of 14th. (That project at 14th is just beginning.)

Although I haven't yet seen the design for the Colman site, the current developer, Jim Mueller, has a vision, good ideas, is approachable, WANTS to work with the community and followed the Neighborhood Plan in his previous developments in S Lake Union.

I am ready to support a contract upzone to 6 stories. In return, I'd like to see some affordable housing, affordable retail and/or public space, and thoughtful integration into the surrounding 'hood, say step zoning where the new structure steps down from 65 feet on 23rd to 40 feet on 22nd. I know that some will resist to the end, and I suggest that the rest of us think of what we would like in exchange for an upzone and, at last, some rejuvenation of the Union Street corridor.

Jean Tinnea

Meet with developer of Madison and Union Street projects

On Tuesday, June 19, at 6 P.M., Jim Mueller, who proposes to develop the site of the former Coleman Building (at 23rd and E. Union) will meet with us to talk about that site and other locations in the area that he proposes to develop, including a site on E. Madison St (2051 E. Madison) where the "Twilight Exit" is presently located.

The meeting will be from 6 to ~ 9 PM at the Central Cinema (1411 21st Avenue), and light refreshments will be served.

These sites are key to the Central Area and East Madison Street redevelopments and this meeting is an opportunity to talk to the developer and members of the design team in a more informal setting with more opportunity for exchange of ideas and information than the DPD early design guidance meeting for the 23rd & Union project (which is scheduled for June 27.). Such "pre-meetings" worked well for the Safeway development, and I encourage you to participate.

As I noted earlier:

I might add that I have been extremely impressed with Jim Mueller, a developer who's involved both in the Madison corridor and the 23rd & Union area. He's met with many of us, turned up at a neighborhood cleanup, and is clearly sensitive to many of our issues as well as those of others in the area. He's selected an architecture firm that we've had positive experiences with, and I think we'll all enjoy working with him to guide our neighborhood in its inevitable redevelopment.


If some of the text here seems more cogent than normal, it may be because I'm blatantly plagiarizing the Squire Park group's announcement of the meeting, though I could not resist putting my oar in to undo some of their good work.

Design Review Meeting: 23rd & Union

The Director of DPD is convening the Design Review Board for an early design guidance meeting.

Project No. 3005925
Area Downtown/Central
Zone NC2P 40'
Address 2203 E Union St

Applicant: James Mueller, (206) 624-8095.
Land Use Planner: Lisa Rutzick, (206) 386-9049

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposal is for a six-story mixed-use building with ground level retail use and 91 residential units above. Parking for 100 vehicles located below grade.

PROCESS

The applicants have applied for Design Review related to development of this site for a mixed-use development. At the early design guidance meeting, the applicants will present information about the site and vicinity. The public may offer comments regarding the design and siting of a mixed-use development on the subject site; and, the Design Review Board members will also offer comments and identify those Citywide Design Guidelines of highest priority in developing the site.

MEETING

Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Miller Community Center

330 19th Av E

Multi-purpose Room

MORE INFORMATION

For more information regarding this application or the Design Review process, you may contact the Land Use Planner listed above. If you are unable to attend this meeting but would like to be informed of future meetings, please call the Land Use Planner to become a party of record.

Link to DPD Notice

How to comment on Land Use Actions

(This project is for a 65' building in a 40' commercial zone. It will require a rezone, probably via the Contract Rezone process, in which the rezone is granted only for a specific plan proposed by a specific applicant: this prevents any "bait and switch" issues.

DPD links: REZONE, APPLICATION)

Saturday Central Area Plan Meeting

I recently drew your attention to a meeting this Saturday to re-interest neighbors in the Central Area Neighborhood Plan (1:30 to 3:30 PM Saturday, Garfield Community Center, 23rd & Cherry).

My previous post started with a facsimile of a postcard sent out by the Neighborhood Plan Implementation Team. Several of the bullet points (OK, frowny-face points, ☹) on the postcard appeared critical of developers. The team wants to emphasize that they are aware of both well-intentioned and less well intentioned developers, and were not wanting to paint with a broad brush.

I might add that I have been extremely impressed with Jim Mueller, a developer who's involved both in the Madison corridor and the 23rd & Union area. He's met with many of us, turned up at a neighborhood cleanup, and is clearly sensitive to many of our issues as well as those of others in the area. He's selected an architecture firm that we've had positive experiences with, and I think we'll all enjoy working with him to guide our neighborhood in its inevitable redevelopment.

I invite you to come along on Saturday to talk about the Central Area Neighborhood Plan, and how we can use it to guide our neighborhood in the direction we'd like to see it go.

(As noted, in part, before). The Madison-Miller area took part in neighborhood planning as part of the Central Area plan process from 1996 to 1998: the resulting general plan is posted on the City website together with the scary and incomprehensible "Approval and Adoption Matrix" .

The Madison-Miller area, with the guidance of some very talented consultants, also produced its own Master Plan as part of the planning process, although it was never posted online by the City. I have now scanned and posted the Madison-Miller Master Plan: see the "Madison-Miller Neighborhood Plan" list of links, on the right of this page, just below the "Miller Links" list.

(Just found this great 1 page explanation of the Comprehensive Plan and Seattle's neighborhood planning efforts!)

For a flavor of the neighborhood planning process, check out the Spring 1996 "Miller Times" For some early results of the planning, see the Fall 1999 "Miller Times" and City's 2004 Fact Sheet on the plan.

Previous views of where the plans might be going are in the 2004 Priority Report and the 2005 Priority Update, which seem to be the City's last obvious neighborhood plan related activities. Councilmember Clark (a Neighborhood Plan Steward in a previous life) has expressed special interest in auditing and updating neighborhood plans. You can watch a video of the 5/19/07 Neighborhood Plan Workshop hosted by Councilmember Clark.

Central Area Plan Revitalization Workshop

(map of Central Area Urban Village planning areas)

Central Area Quality of Life Is Under Attack

Want to do something about it?

What concerns you the most about what is happening in our neighborhoods or the Central Area?

Come find out how the Central Area Neighborhood Plan can help us take control of our community’s destiny and the Overall Quality of Life in the Central Area

Saturday June 9, 2007
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Garfield Community Center
2323 East Cherry St

☺ Programming that Creates and Promotes Positive Activities and Environments for our Young People
☹ Negative Impact on our infrastructure, traffic and parking problems due to zoning changes and over development
☹ Flooding and/or other property damage due to the over development or lack of adequate reparations or modifications
☹ Madison St., Jackson Place, other corridors and neighborhoods are under siege by developers who disregard our concerns?
☹ Shrinking green spaces and urban trails to keep our neighborhoods healthy?
☹ Are Developers developing you out of your home?


Co-sponsored by:
Central Area Neighborhood Plan Stewardship and
Seattle Parks and Recreation

(The Madison-Miller area took part in neighborhood planning as part of the Central Area plan: the resulting general plan is posted on the City website together with the scary and incomprehensible "Approval and Adoption Matrix" .

The Madison-Miller area, with the guidance of some very talented consultants, also produced its own Master Plan as part of the planning process, although it was never posted online by the City.

I have now scanned and posted the Madison-Miller Master Plan: see the "Madison-Miller Neighborhood Plan" list of links, on the right of this page, just below the "Miller Links" list.)

Neighborhood Plans: Madison-Miller Plan now online

In the late 90's many Seattle neighborhoods underwent an extensive and exhausting neighborhood planning exercise, and produced voluminous neighborhood plans, which were adopted by City Council. The Spring 1996 "Miller Times" captures some of the flavor of the process.

(Just found this great 1 page explanation of the Comprehensive Plan and Seattle's neighborhood planning efforts!)

The Madison-Miller area took part in neighborhood planning as part of the Central Area plan: the resulting general plan is posted on the City website together with the scary and incomprehensible "Approval and Adoption Matrix" .

The Madison-Miller area (with the guidance of some very talented consultants) also produced its own Master Plan as part of the planning process, although it was never posted online by the City.

I have now scanned and posted the Madison-Miller Master Plan: see the "Madison-Miller Neighborhood Plan" list of links, on the right of this page, just below the "Miller Links" list.

Most of the people involved in the planning process have moved away (or faded away) and many new and enthusiastic neighbors have moved into the area. After a long period of neglect, the City is now showing interest in revisiting our neighborhood plans, and maybe even in helping us to update them.

I encourage all of you to take a look at the Madison-Miller Master Plan: only limited development has happened along Madison in the last decade, and much of the plan is still relevant to us. It's a remarkably readable and accessible document, and you might even enjoy looking at it.


In her May 2007 Newsletter, Councilmember Sally Clark reported on the audit of the Neighborhood Plan Implemetation that she is supervising. She also wrote a Seattle Times Op-Ed piece about the neighborhood plan audit.

Note that, after the adoption of all the different neighborhoods' diverse plans for their respective areas, the Mayor got the Department of Planning and Development to undertake wide-reaching citywide updates of the building code for multifamily areas and for neighborhood business districts. Those updates seemed to be a "cookie cutter" approach and paid little attention to the requirements & desires expressed in the various neighborhoods' plans. Let's hope that this new interest in updating neighborhood plans may redress the balance a bit. (updated 8/08 to remove obsolete references)

Sat. May 19th Neighborhood Plans Workshop

(Editorial comments: the Madison-Miller area is clearly going to be redeveloped very soon. It would be to all of our advantages to use a revitalized neighborhood plan to help shape the development the way we want it. It's a geeky, technical, exhausting, micro-managing sort of exercise, but it seems to be our best option. If you can't make it to the May 19th workshop [it clashes with our MaDCAP cleanup] maybe you can come to the June 9th Central Area Neighborhood Plan Stewardship's event to get Central Area residents, businesses owners and other organizations acquainted and involved with the Central Area’s Neighborhood Plan.

Andrew Taylor)

(Click on poster for more readable version).

Here's the press release with all the details.

East Madison Street Redevelopment

The closing of Deano's Grocery Store may herald a great wave of redevelopment on East Madison Street in our area.

Marching east down the street, here's what I know:

1) 1700 E. Madison Street: the Trader Joe's building. Permits for the apartments at the rear of the Trader Joe's building are still pending?

2) 1818 E. Madison Street: the "Fratelli's" site. Val Thomas is a very well respected Seattle architect and builder, who built the 19th Ave lofts a few years ago. His plans for the redevelopment of the "Fratelli's" site were approved years ago (but not implemented) but he recently noted:

....the status of our project at 19th and Madison. We are now fully permitted and hoping to proceed. I will let you know as things fall into place.

His presentations at Miller neighborhood meetings, and the Design Review meetings, are exhaustively documented on the old Miller website. I think it will be a fine addition to our neighborhood. Here's the DPD page. Project will have 134 apartments, 170ish parking spaces and retail on 19th.

Go see the cows before they go away.

3) 2040 E. Madison Street: Dean Falls' property. Bar and store closed, site pretty much empty. Rumors abound about Dean demolishing and building, selling etc. Just checked the County website: still belongs to DEF Inc. No bulldozers yet. Here's what I know about plans for the property, here are pictures of the models and plans. and here's another Miller page about it.

4) 2051 East Madison Street (the new "Twilight Exit") had "For Sale" signs on the building for some while, and now does not. Property had been sold (check the King County website) but no signs of planning for redevelopment yet.

5) 2216 E. Madison Street (the Madison Temple site ) also had "For Sale" signs for a long time, but now does not, but has not been sold (according to the King County site). The site has been fenced: somebody may have an "option" on it, although the realtor's website is still active. The Miller website has details of all the Design Review Hearings etc (in 2001) that led to the Master Use Permit for the project.

Note that the rezoning of the property from 85' to 65' means that the exisiting plan for an 85' building (and no other) is "grandfathered in".

Supplemental Early Design Guidance Meeting: 305 24th Ave E

The Director of DPD is convening the Design Review Board for a 2nd early design guidance meeting.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007, 8:00 p.m.
Seattle Central Community College, 1701 Broadway, Room 3211

Link to details of the meeting.

Link to a copy of the report from the February 7th meeting.

The developer has requested to change the property's zoning from single family (SF5000) to multifamily (L1 and L3 zoned) zoning, via a "contract rezone" which is being vigorously opposed by many of its neighbors.

I surveyed the Miller neighborhood's views (and gave some background & links) on the project back in February, and then reported a summary, and the details, of the survey (many people supported the project), as well as neighbors views on the process. BTW here's the developer's website.

At the initial Design Review, the volunteer board members had numerous concerns about the project: presumably the applicant will be addressing these at this (unusual) second Early Design Guidance meeting.

As described at length in the meeting notes, the Design Review and rezone issues are handled entirely separately, and so there will be ample time to comment on the actual rezoning in due course: it all ends up at the City Council, which will surely have a Public Hearing for your your comments!