April 22, 2015

Gerding Edlen picked to develop 4 sites around Capitol Hill station

Courtesy Schemata Workshop [enlarge]

Gerding Edlen released conceptual renderings for buildings around the Capitol Hill light rail station.

Sound Transit said Gerding Edlen has the highest-ranked proposal for new development around the Capitol Hill light rail station.

The Portland-based firm proposed as a master developer, meaning it wanted to develop all four sites around the station. The sites are on or near Broadway, between East John Street and Seattle Central College.

On Thursday, Sound Transit's Board of Directors is expected to discuss the selection process and possibly authorize negotiations with Gerding Edlen. Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray said the negotiations should take about six months.

Sound Transit will be done with the station in early 2016, and the developer could begin construction after that.

Gerding Edlen proposes 418 apartments in four buildings, including 86 units of permanent affordable housing in one building. About 38 percent of the remaining units would be affordable for 12 years.

A third of the units would have at least two bedrooms.

Gerding Edlen also would build an open space and sign a long term lease with Broadway Farmers Market. There would be a community center and a daycare with subsidies for low-income residents.

Schemata Workshop and Hewitt are working on the design, and Howard S. Wright Cos. is the general contractor. Landscape architect Berger Partnership is also on the team.

Gerding Edlen estimates three buildings will cost $124 million. The fourth building would be financed differently because it is affordable housing.

A May 16 community meeting with the developer has been scheduled by Sound Transit and Capitol Hill Champion.

Gerding Edlen was one of 14 teams that responded to Sound Transit's request for qualifications to develop around the station. The list was trimmed to nine finalists, who were asked to submit proposals.

Only four firms proposed. The others were Lowe Enterprises, Jonathan Rose Cos. and Capitol Hill Housing.

Scores were based on development plans, financial capacity, project approaches and transaction structures. Proposals were also scored on how well they addressed city and neighborhood priorities.

Here is a look at Gerding Edlen's plans for each of the four sites, based on information from its 2014 proposal to Sound Transit.

Site A

Site A, located on the east side of Broadway between Denny Way and John Street, is perhaps the most visible of the four sites. Gerding Edlen plans a seven-story, 136-unit apartment building with three levels of underground parking. It will have a common room with a lounge and kitchen, as well as a roof deck and green roof element.

The ground floor retail would be divided by a pedestrian pass-through. Gerding Edlen says it is negotiating with a community grocer for one side of the retail and planning a concept called Market Hall, with several different sized retail spaces, for the other side.

The plaza would be the year-round location for Broadway Farmers Market.

Site B North

Site B is directly east of Site A, along John and 10th Avenue East. The north side will have a seven-story building with 86 affordable housing units and one level of underground parking. Half of the units would be for people making less than 30 percent of area median income, and the other half for people making less than 60 percent.

A common room with a kitchen, meeting space and computer lab is planned as well as a rooftop deck, laundry on each floor and bicycle parking.

Gerding Edlen anticipates developing the entire building and owning the ground floor space. A nonprofit would own and operate the housing.

The ground floor would house a daycare and community center that could be rented for meetings, exhibits or lectures. The community center also house a co-working space.

Site B South

Site B South is just north of Cal Anderson Park, with views and easy access to the park. The seven-story building there would have 100 units and one level of underground parking.

Much of the ground floor would be the pedestrian walkway that cuts through Site B. An open space could be used by the daycare and available to residents and the public after hours.

Site C

Site C is on the east side of Broadway, south of Denny. Gerding Edlen plans a seven-story building with 96 units, one level of underground parking and ground floor retail geared toward small local businesses such as a bicycle shop, hardware store, home furnishings, apparel, casual dining or a coffee shop.