By Kate Snyder
A project that would bring more office space to Seattle’s Denny Triangle neighborhood has reached another milestone in the city’s design review process. During a recommendation meeting on Nov. 21, the Downtown Design Review Board voted in support of the proposal for an 11-story office project.
The project developer is Trammell Crow Company, and the designer is Perkins+Will.
Located at 901 Lenora St., the project is situated at the corner of Lenora and 9th Avenue. It is positioned in close proximity to Westlake Avenue, which is a connective street that helps move pedestrians from the downtown center node to other areas of South Lake Union such as Denny Park and South Lake Union Park, according to the proposal. As a whole, the Denny Triangle neighborhood comprises a variety of “green” streets, transitioning from the density of downtown’s sidewalks to the more open and pedestrian-friendly South Lake Union streetscapes focused around retail and pedestrian interaction.
The overall project would span 305,000 square feet and include parking for 178 vehicles. In total, the building would provide 220,000 square feet of above grade commercial office space with ground floor retail space and around 85,000 square feet of underground parking. According to the developer’s plans, the goals behind the project include providing flexible office space for innovation, creating a strong street and pedestrian experience and utilizing the full development potential of the site. Other design strategies are to contribute in a positive way to the rapidly developing neighborhood by providing an “appropriately scaled, well-proportioned building” and to incorporate sustainable elements that achieves LEED Gold certification.
The project is designed to enhance the streetscape by introducing additional landscaping and open spaces along the frontages, plans show. A buffer of greenery along the building facade would contribute to the street character. A second-level terrace would also elevate the green street experience vertically by integrating the streetscape character into the building’s design. Retail space along Lenora Street and a fitness concept along 9th Avenue would activate the building’s facades and foster the urban character of the streetscape environment.
During an early design meeting last year, the design team shared different massing options for the building, according to previous reporting from The Registry. The team’s preferred scheme first, requires a departure from code for an upper level setback at 9th and Lenora. Additionally, the preferred option also accommodates a stronger pedestrian experience and a stronger vertical expression at the corner. That massing was also preferred by the review board.
Current plans show a number of changes to the design in response to the guidance provided by the board during last year’s EDG meeting. The project has undergone significant evolution to incorporate materials, patterns and detailing that highlight the strengths of the preferred massing and align with the initial design direction, plans show. Now with a priority of maximizing access to natural daylight and views throughout for tenants on all floors, the updated design creates outdoor open space on each floor for tenants to access and utilize.
“This commitment to a tenant-centric approach has influenced the facade expression, resulting in a cohesive and attractive structure that harmonizes the exterior with the structural grid,” project plans state.
Erik Mott, principal at Perkins&Will, presented details on the design to the board during the recent meeting, highlighting how the development team took into account the board’s previous guidance.
“We were inspired by the opportunity to do something unique with this project because of its green street location,” Mott told the board during the presentation. “Our goal was to create a building where future occupants and the public will enjoy excellent access to the light, air and lush greenery. We believe we’ve achieved that with this design.”
Overall the board supported the project. Board members particularly appreciated the development team’s diligence in responding to and incorporating the board’s previous guidance into the project’s design. The board also appreciated bringing greenery into the building itself by adding landscaping elements to the planned balconies as well as the flow of landscaping along 9th Avenue. Additionally, the board recommended that the development team consider adding bicycle storage to the project.
