Richard Tsang of Tsang Enterprises gained approval to bring a new mid-rise and hotel to Belltown. Though Tsang was not present for the meeting, Seattle-based architecture firm Caron Architecture, the group designing the hotel and residential tower, presented their plans to the Seattle Design Review Board during a January 3rd meeting.
Located at 2121 5th Avenue, the unnamed 160-foot, 17-story tower will include hotel rooms and residential units. Combined, the building will have 320 rooms and 100 parking stalls on four levels. The project also includes retail space on the ground level. The retail space allows for a restaurant and a small, roughly 200-square-foot space.
The hotel section of the tower includes 190 rooms and roughly 40 parking spots for guests. There will also be 130 residential units with the remaining 60 parking stalls for residents. Previous versions of the project did not include any parking.
The hotel will occupy levels 3-9 and residential units will be on levels 10-17.
Interested tenants will have the option to choose between studios and one bedroom apartments. The units range from 350-square-feet to 735-square-feet.
The plan also includes an extra story made possible under HALA provisions. HALA, created by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, aims to create 20,000 new affordable homes over the next 10 years.
Utilizing HALA provisions is something Radim Blazej, CEO and Founder of Caron Architecture, said is special to this particular project.
“If we use the provision of Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) then 160 feet becomes 165 feet and that allows you to add a floor,” said Blazej. Tower restrictions set the maximum height for this project at 160-feet. HALA provisions would allow for some leeway.
The project also provides common areas on the rooftop which include an activity zone, bocce ball and tables and chairs. The rooftop also includes a low landscape to provide optimal views of downtown Seattle.
There were no objections, questions or comments by the public about the current design or state of the project. Architect Anjali Grant, who serves as the acting chair on the downtown Seattle Design Review Board did recommend that “the applicant should consider softer material at the street level to communicate the history of Belltown.”
