January 5, 2016

Beacon: Rehabbed Maritime Building will be the ‘heart' of new waterfront

Courtesy NBBJ [enlarge]

When the Alaskan Way Viaduct is gone, the building will have views of Elliott Bay and the Olympics. A roof-top deck and “urban yards” for the apartments are planned.

[enlarge]

Beacon wants to put two floors of office space and six floors of apartments on top of the five-story 1910 building.

Beacon Capital Partners has released a preliminary look at its plans to add eight stories to the five-story Maritime Building at 911 Western Ave.

Beacon wants to renovate the 1910 building, and add two floors of office space and six floors of apartments.

When complete, the building would have 218,000 square feet of office space, 114 apartments, 20,000 square feet of retail and 90 spaces of underground parking.

An early design guidance meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall, 600 Fifth Ave.

NBBJ is listed as the architect.

Design review documents say the building will be at the “heart” of the redesigned Seattle waterfront. The building's address will be changed from Western to Alaskan Way. The office lobby as well as food and beverage spaces with outdoor dining also may face the water. The residential lobby and other retail will face Western. Documents say the Western side will be more “intimate” than the one on Alaskan Way.

When the Alaskan Way Viaduct is gone, the building will have views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. To take advantage of those views, the complex will have a roof-top deck, and “urban yards” along the first level of the housing units.

A massing study of Beacon's preferred design shows three distinct portions of the structure. The office floors would cantilever over the existing space on the west side. The apartments above would be set back from the new office floors, creating the urban yards.

Beacon paid $13.1 million for the building last June and notified tenants they must move because of the renovation, which it said could start by March.

E.W. Houghton designed the building, which was originally known as the Pacific Warehouse Building, according to information filed with Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board. The structure was sold to the Maritime Corp. in 1942, and has housed everything from industrial businesses to offices.

The board will consider whether to designate it as a landmark Wednesday.

A designated landmark cannot be altered or significantly changed without the board's approval, and may be demolished only if the owner can demonstrate there is no reasonable economic use.