By Jack Stubbs
South Lake Union, which rarely experiences a lack of development activity, has another project on the way. At an Early Design Guidance (EDG) meeting on Feb. 1, Seattle’s West Design Review Board approved a proposed 320-unit high-rise residential tower to proceed to the next stage of the city’s design review board.
Located at 415 Westlake Ave. North, the endeavor put forward by the applicant – consisting of architect Weber Thompson and Union Church, will incorporate the venue/worship space and café currently operated by Union Church, as well as providing 90 parking stalls. The residential component will be a mix of studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units.
The guiding design themes for Union Church, according to the submitted project proposal, are connectedness, purposefulness and peace and refuge, with the ultimate goal of delivering an asset that all members of the surrounding community will benefit from.
“Union Church wants to be inclusive and welcoming to all. They do not want to be exclusive, with walled-off entries, security badges for the few, but rather add to the permeability of the neighborhood. They wish to continue to be a hub with two-way relational and partnership spokes throughout the community,” the proposal states.
This project proposes the construction of a high-rise residential tower, which will incorporate the venue/worship space and café currently operated by Union Church. The venue and café provide a space for people to work and connect, while being a location for a cross-section of people to mingle, particularly potential residents who work at Amazon and other tech companies, states the project proposal. The project team will strive to design the site layout and the building façade to integrate into the neighborhood context.
Beginning its presentation, the project applicant emphasized the importance of the overall tower design, and how different streetscape and landscaping elements would help the building conform with the neighborhood and the South Lake Union skyline.
The applicant team’s third massing option – which provides an iconic tower with a distinctive style through the incorporation of angles, according to the project proposal – was approved by the board.
There was no public comment during the meeting; most of the board’s feedback was generally positive, providing guidance about the overall design and scale of the building.
During its deliberation period, the board recommended that the applicant – following the submission of its application for a Master Use Permit (MUP) – provide more detailed design plans for the building entrances, materials, bike facilities, and the courtyard/retail space.
Bringing the meeting to a close, the board commended the applicant about how its design plans effectively addressed the neighborhood design guidelines.
