December 18, 2017

AMLI, Gonzaga commit to 17-story waterfront tower

Gonzaga University and AMLI Residential are getting more serious about developing the full-block parking lot at 1101 Western Ave.

The 17-story tower will be designed by GGLO, with 325 residential units, 225 parking stalls and retail.

The DJC first reported their plans in October.

Gonzaga inherited the property as part of the estate of the late longtime owner, Myrtle Woldson, who died in 2014. Her entire estate was then valued at $55 million. Gonzaga is currently building the $30 million Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center in her honor on its campus in Spokane.

The 35,233-square-foot Seattle block is bounded by Western, Alaskan Way and Spring and Seneca streets.

The new ownership entity is listed as Woldson Western 01 LLC, with the university as its governor. The property was legally conveyed from the estate to the new LLC earlier this month. Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloch is also listed as the owner.

The city values the project at $100 million.

Woldson originally bought the lot for $2.75 million in 1994. That was long before talk of removing the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and before the viaduct was damaged in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

Now that the replacement tunnel is substantially completed, viaduct demolition is expected to begin in 2019 — greatly adding to the view property's value.

GGLO estimates the project size at 449,000 square feet, which includes 9,000 square feet of retail and the parking. The first design review has not yet been scheduled.

Parking will be on one underground level and structured above the retail and lobby level, as is common on the waterfront. The project will comply with Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) regulations, gaining extra height and floor area.

The roofline is currently indicated at 175 feet, with an absolute height of 190 feet.

The project will also target LEED and/or BuiltGreen certification.