October 11, 2005

$100M retirement community to be built on First Hill

Rendering courtesy of PRCN

Skyline at First Hill is the name of Presbyterian Retirement Communities Northwest's new full-block project, officials of the Seattle not-for-profit said Monday. They added the 27-story project will cost $100 million.

Skyline at First Hill, bordered by Columbia and Cherry streets and Eighth and Ninth avenues, is the first new continuing-care retirement community to be developed so near downtown Seattle in more than 40 years, according to PRCN.

The 450,000-square-foot apartment project will be above a 350-stall underground garage and have 200 independent-living units, 60 assisted living-units and 34 skilled-nursing residences and 17 memory-support units.

Skyline at First Hill will be the third continuing care retirement community developed and operated in Seattle by PRCN. The others are Exeter House on First Hill and Park Shore in Madison Park.

Greystone Communities is PRCN's developer of Skyline at First Hill. Perkins + Will is the architect, and PCL is the general contractor. Construction is to begin in early 2007 and wrap up in late 2008.

To reach the 27-story height, PRCN is seeking an 80-foot height bonus from the city by supporting restoration of nearby Trinity Church, Seattle first Episcopalian parish that was damaged in the 2001 earthquake. PRCN committed to acquiring a Trinity parking lot, and that allowed the congregation to begin restoring its 116-year-old church at Eighth and James. URS is the owner's representative for Trinity, and Rafn Co., is the general contractor on the $6.5 million restoration.

(Editor's note: An earlier version of this story had a slightly different description of the make up of the project units, and stated PRCN already had obtained the 80-foot height bonus. )