May 24, 2018

229 units, retail planned on the Travelodge block near U Village

Rendering by Weber Thompson [enlarge]

Weber Thompson designed The Residences at U-Village to replace the 1961 hotel and 1962 KeyBank building.

As the DJC first reported last August, the owners are planning to redevelop the Travelodge block west of University Village, at 4715 25th ave. N.E.

The early plan is for a seven-story building with 229 units and retail/commercial space. The first design review is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 4 at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N.

The almost 1.3-acre property is owned by LLCs associated with Seattle investor/developer Tom Leavitt of Leavitt Capital Companies and The Wolff Co. of Spokane.

Developer Greystar and architect Weber Thompson prepared the plan for what is now called The Residences at U-Village. It would replace the 1961 hotel and 1962 KeyBank building (once a Blockbuster Video).

The proposal depends on a contract rezone from 40 to 75 feet, in anticipation of an area upzone that the city council could approve later this year. The site is bounded by 25th and 24th avenues Northeast, and Northeast 49th and 47th streets.

The building would have 240 parking spaces on two levels (one structured, one below grade), accessed from 24th. Some of the parking would be reserved for retail visitors.

The project would include 9,800 square feet of retail/commercial space. KeyBank is expected to return as a tenant. The five retail bays would face east toward 25th.

There would be some ground-floor residential units facing south and west. Some of those would be townhouse style, with two levels and three bedrooms. The overall unit mix would run from studios to three-bedrooms. Some units facing 25th may have small landscaped terraces.

A large bike room with at least 58 stalls would be at grade, facing 24th.

Total project size, including the parking, is estimated at 340,000 square feet.

Greystar writes, “‘Quiet refinement' is a defining goal for the project. The building will take advantage of its proximity to the University Village shopping center and the Burke-Gilman Trail.”

Site Workshop is the landscape architect. The landscaping theme is called “hanging gardens,” apparently in reference to planters on the second floor that face 25th. No roof decks are indicated.

Weber Thompson is also designing the six- and seven-story Trailside redevelopment immediately to the west. That two-phase project will add around 400 units to the area.

East of 25th, the Office Depot/Jiffy Lube site will be redeveloped with another 250 units immediately north of U Village.