July 21, 2016

Two 32-story towers eyed for First Hill site

A proposal to build a pair of 32-story residential towers next to Town Hall Seattle is scheduled to get its first look by a Seattle design review board this fall.

The early design guidance meeting is tentatively set for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Seattle University's Admissions & Alumni Building.

Plans call for a total of 550 residential units, including four street-level townhouse units, and 410 shared parking spaces on seven levels underground. Retail could include a cafe and small grocer.

Lennar Multifamily Communities is listed in permit documents as the project applicant. The DJC reported in 2014 that British Columbia Investment Management Corp. owns the sites.

Perkins + Will is the architect.

The L-shaped site is on the block bound by Seneca Street, Eighth Avenue, Spring Street and Hubble Place. Town Hall occupies the northeast corner of the site. The tower sites are currently parking lots.

The plan would involve an alley vacation between Town Hall and Spring Street. A park could be developed west of Town Hall, north of the towers.

In a March meeting with city planners, architects said they would like the park to create a strong connection with Freeway Park, which sits across the street at the northwest corner of Hubble and Seneca.

The new park would be designed to coordinate with events at Town Hall and serve as an outdoor venue.

Town Hall, a nonprofit cultural center that puts on concerts and public lectures, is planning a $24.5 million renovation of its century-old building. Wier Harman, its executive director, told the DJC in February that it plans to coordinate with Lennar on its project schedule.