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January 22, 2018

Lake Union Partners to show 23rd & Union plan

  • The seven-story project has 429 units and much commercial space.
  • By BRIAN MILLER
    Journal Staff Reporter

    Renderings by Weinstein A + U [enlarge]
    An aerial perspective of the project, as seen from the northwest.

    The building would have a large central courtyard, with three pedestrian pass-throughs.

    An entry portal, as viewed from East Union Street.

    Lake Union Partners and Weinstein A + U will show their early plans this week for the full-block redevelopment at 2301 E. Union St., generally known as MidTown Center.

    The first design review meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Seattle University's student center building, at 1000 E. James Way.

    Lake Union Partners acquired the block last May for a little over $23 million. Used mostly for retail and parking, the block had been owned by the Bangasser family since the 1940s. The 2.44-acre property is bounded by East Spring and Union streets, and 23rd and 24th avenues.

    The preferred design has 429 units in a seven-story building with a large courtyard measuring about 12,000 square feet. There would be 258 parking spaces on one underground level, accessed from 24th. There would also be a large bike room located at grade, within the building's interior.

    Weinstein says of the project, “The monolithic proportions of a full-block development have been broken down into four ‘buildings' by providing portals or gateways to the at-grade public courtyard.”

    Glass walkways above grade would connect the four towers.

    About 30 percent of the apartments would be affordable, under the terms of the city's Mandatory Housing Affordability and Multi-Family Tax Exemption programs.

    Some units would have decks. Individual sizes and layouts aren't specified. The main tenant entrance would face Union. On 24th, there would be “two-story ground-related dwelling units evoking the townhouse form,” Weinstein says.

    The project would have about 26,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space facing Union and 23rd, and within the courtyard.

    A roof deck of unspecified size is indicated. Total project size, including the parking, is about 470,000 square feet.

    The team also includes Berger Partnership, landscape architect; HAL Real Estate, financial partner; Coughlin Porter Lundeen, structural engineer; KPFF, civil engineer; Rushing Co., mechanical and electrical engineer; and Vida Design, interiors design. No general contractor has been selected.

    As part of the block's overall development, Lake Union Partners sold the smaller south end in October to Africatown for $4.5 million. That apartment project, being planned by Capitol Hill Housing and Weinstein, is going through a separate design review process. It will also be a seven-story building. It will have approximately 120 units of permanently affordable housing.

    The two projects will be phased and coordinated, with most of the same team members working on both. The south site totals about a half-acre. The north site totals about 1.9 acres.


     


    Brian Miller can be reached by email at brian.miller@djc.com or by phone at (206) 219-6517.



    
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