March 23, 2015

Landmark ruling sought for Denny Regrade buildings

Photo courtesy of The Johnson Partnership [enlarge]

A developer plans to tear down the old IBM Building to build a 50-story mixed-use tower. The building houses the icon Grill restaurant.

Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board on April 1 will consider nominating as city landmarks two buildings a developer wants to raze to make way for a 50-story mixed-use project.

They are the National Cash Register Building at 1923-27 Fifth Ave. and the (old) IBM Building at 1929-33 Fifth Ave., which is home to the icon Grill restaurant.

New York-based Douglaston Development wants to put the tower on those sites and an adjacent one, according to city records.

The records show architecture firm Perkins + Will is working on the project, which would have 400 apartments, a hotel, 35,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space and 325 parking spaces.

Douglaston has the NCR and IBM buildings under contract, according to the landmark nomination applications prepared by The Johnson Partnership.

Douglaston is asking the landmarks board for the ruling. This is what developers often do when contemplating a project on a site with an older building they want to demolish — as landmark status affects what they can do with the building.

The board meeting is at 3:30 p.m. in room 4060 of Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave.

Written comments about the nomination applications should be received by March 31 at Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, P.O. Box 94649, Seattle, WA 98124-4649.

The applications are at http://tiny.cc/epxpvx under “Current Nominations.”

In New York City, Douglaston's projects include the OHM apartment tower and 325 Fifth Avenue, a 250-unit condo tower.