August 3, 2018

1920 building on Third not a landmark; Selig tower is up for review

Rendering by Perkins + Will [enlarge]

Perkins + Will’s preferred “Gem” design shows a faceted facade with bay windows and balconies.

[enlarge]

The landmarks board vote on the Rhodes/Heiden Building was 5-2 in favor of the designation. But not enough members were present for a designation to pass.

Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board has declined to designate the 1920 Rhodes Brothers/Heiden Building as a landmark. The decision came on Wednesday, and clears the way for Martin Selig's proposed high rise at 1927 Third Ave., which is being designed by Perkins + Will.

The mixed-use tower is now called Third + Virginia, or 3+V for short. The first design review will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at City Hall, 600 Fifth Ave., Room 190.

The 384-foot tower would have offices, apartments and 850 square feet of ground-floor retail on the corner. Four levels of underground parking for 104 vehicles would be accessed from the alley to the west.

The site is zoned up to 440 feet. Perkins + Will doesn't specify the number of stories; 39 seems to be the minimum, but more are possible.

Floors two through 13 would have an unspecified amount of offices. The floor plates look to be about 11,000 square feet, which could yield about 132,000 square feet of offices.

A slight setback is indicated on the south side, above the office levels, or 154 feet above grade. The neighbor to the south is Plymouth Housing Group's six-story Haddon Hall.

Floors 14 through 38 (or higher) would have 312 apartments, plus mid-level amenity space. The residential floor plates would be smaller, around 8,600 square feet.

Rooftop amenity space is also indicated, possibly within some sort of double-height, lantern-style atrium. No roof deck is shown.

Perkins + Will's preferred “Gem” design shows a faceted facade with “bay windows and balconies to create a distinct skyline.” Early renderings still show the white stone facade of the three-story Rhodes/Heiden building. Selig didn't respond to a DJC query before deadline to clarify his plans for the Rhodes Building's facade.

Selig paid $14 million in 2015 for two parcels that total 12,960 square feet on the southwest corner of Third and Virginia. One is a two-level parking garage, and the other is the Rhodes/Heiden building.

The DJC and city previously used 1931 Third as the project's address.

Just up the street, Selig and Lease Crutcher Lewis are constructing the 36-story 3rd & Lenora tower, at 2031 Third. Also designed by Perkins + Will, it's fully leased to WeWork/WeLive. It is scheduled to open in early 2020, with 365 residential units above 176,500 square feet of offices and 5,500 square feet of retail.

Wednesday's landmarks board vote on the Rhodes/Heiden Building was 5-2 in favor of the landmark designation.

But a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods spokesperson said there are currently 10 appointed and confirmed board members, and a majority of the members must vote in favor for a designation to pass.

Board members Deb Barker, Russell Coney, Richard Freitas, Steven Treffers and Nicole McKernan voted in favor. Members Jordan Kiel and Kristen Johnson were opposed. Manish Chalana, Kathleen Durham and Garrett Hodgins were absent.

DJC reporter Lynn Porter also contributed to this story.